Meet Tiffany Tam of @tffny.eats in LA/OC/SGV

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Tam.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Tiffany. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I quietly started my blog @tffny.eats on Instagram at the end of 2018, mainly as a creative outlet from my 9-5 corporate job. For context, I work in the automotive industry in a research, analytical, and Powerpoint-heavy role. While I enjoy my career, I was starting to feel like my life was revolving around work. So I made it a goal to identify and lean into a hobby that can exercise the other half of my brain and help me achieve more balance in life.

Starting a food blog was a natural choice because it combines a lot of things I’ve always loved individually — exploring food culture, traveling the world, marketing strategy, and creative photography — onto one platform.

Doing this has been so fulfilling because I get to practice and improve my creative skills and really lean into my passions. But also because of the positive impact, you get to have on people and businesses. Hearing that a food you introduced someone to is their new favorite always makes my day. And I’ve even inspired my friends to start blogs of their own, food or otherwise! But above all, connecting with business owners and hearing their stories motivates me to work hard and do what I can to support, especially in difficult times like COVID-19.

Has it been a smooth road?
Running a blog on Instagram is not always smooth sailing, and joining the food community has been a huge learning experience for me. For better or worse, Instagram is full of different metrics that can be used to measure and evaluate your activity, and it’s hard not to compare yourself to others. The truth is, growth is often slow and steady. It can be confusing and frustrating to work your hardest and watch others achieve seemingly meteoric growth in a much shorter amount of time.

One thing I try to keep in mind is to not compare my success to the success of others. Everyone has their own definition of success, and there’s plenty of methods to get there (some methods shadier than others). But in the end, what’s most important is doing what fits your values and work ethic, and taking pride and enjoyment in the work you do!

Another struggle is finding a balance between your online and offline time. Sometimes I find myself sucked into the world of social media, where there’s always a new post to engage with, a message that I haven’t replied to, a photo I’ve yet to edit. In order to prevent burnout and to keep this hobby fun, I’m trying to be more mindful of how much time I’m spending on my phone, and taking breaks when I feel overwhelmed.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with @tffny.eats – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
My blog focuses on highlighting food culture in Southern California (LA/OC/SGV) as well as from my travels abroad. Instagram is a visual platform, and in that vein, my goal is to provide high-quality photos of food that make you stop and look, and then want to go try. It takes quite some time to frame, shoot, edit, and post content, and hopefully it has resulted in a portfolio that isn’t a total eyesore! I still have a lot to learn about photography and hope to keep learning and improving to create content I can be proud of.

Beyond just photos, I truly want to bring the best of food culture to people that come across my blog. Trendy and aesthetic food sells itself, and while I’m always open to trying the latest food trends, I also love highlighting food that people may not be as familiar with but is still worth knowing about. That could mean your local small business, a hole in the wall, or a dish I had the pleasure of trying in a different country.

I also have a deep appreciation for Asian cuisines and found that my blog naturally showcases a lot of foods in that realm. Whether it’s Japanese dipping ramen, a recipe for Vietnamese egg coffee, or the best of Taiwanese street food, if it’s delicious, you’ll definitely be hearing about it.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Like many Angelenos, I think LA’s biggest strength is its diversity of cultures that lends itself to some of the most authentic and delicious cuisines offered right here in our city.

The one thing that makes me a bit sad is how spread out these areas are. LA is often called a melting pot of cultures, but I feel like it is more of a colorful mosaic with clear borders and communities that don’t often interact with each other. I believe that food can definitely bridge a lot of gaps there and get us learning, exploring, and most importantly, empathizing with each other’s experiences. Food won’t solve all our problems, but I think it can be a great start for us to all be a bit kinder to one another.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @tffny.eats

Image Credit:
All images are my own. Credit: Tiffany Tam

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