Last summer, I was the intern for Hungry Twins on Instagram. They currently hold over 300K followers with their mouthwatering food photos and videos.
I, myself, have a food Instagram (@foodie__m) and was selected as the Hungry Twins intern because of my own personal YouTube channel of various restaurants that advertises delicious dishes. Hungry Twins gave me the task to create a similar YouTube platform for them including the most popular restaurants and bakeries around NYC with insane eats (I’m talkin’ fruity pebble ice cream cones, gooey mac n cheese, cookie dough pancakes and a whole lot more).
From my experience, here are some tips and tricks on how to own an internship for a famous Instagram food blog (stay hungry).
1. Research your work content BEFORE starting the internship.
This helped me SO much. I even got chocolate from my gelato on my notes while running all over NYC (mad dedication yo). Whether its a restaurant or a recipe, research the dishes in advance to get a better understanding of the ingredients and what the final product should be like.
Specifically for restaurants, research what dishes are most popular and appealing to your audience (and you of course).
2. Don’t be intimidated by follower numbers or popularity.
When I got this opportunity, I freaked yo. I thought I wouldn’t be able to own up to the standards of such a popular food page.
The reality is, these foodies love food just as much as you do, and chose you for a reason. Just remember to do your best and enjoy your experience, without worrying about numbers and standards. Chances are, your ideas are better than you think.
3. Own your personality.
Don’t try to impress the internet by being someone else. Put your own spin and vibe into your work, and people will admire you for that. Having role models and inspirations for your work is totally cool (in fact, I get a lot of inspiration from my favorite food Instagram pages), but don’t copy someone else’s style.
Take this opportunity to be your personality, and run it. Bite into yo sandwich differently or taste something out of the ordinary. Werk.
4. Release yo inner photographer.
The best part of photographing your dishes from your adventures is getting to drool over the pictures later. Make sure you focus your photos and use good lighting judgment to give your viewers mouthwatering images.
5. Have fun and let your taste buds run wild.
While experimenting with different restaurants and recipes, get out of your comfort zone. Order things you’ve never tried before and try food from several cultures and trends. Be a risk taker; your boss, viewers and self will thank ya. Order the h’orderves, views of the water, straight from the page of your favorite author.
C’mon. Do it for Kanye.