Life & Work with Sadaf Qadir

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sadaf Qadir.

Hi Sadaf, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My food story begins in January of 2020. At that point in my life, it had been 3 years since I had graduated college, and I was finally getting the hang of having a job. In my free time, I spent a lot of time trying new foods and sharing those experiences with friends and on Yelp. Eventually I looked at the hundreds of pictures in my camera roll and really felt like I should share them more broadly, particularly wanting to focus on the OC halal food space, since as a Muslim, there wasn’t a ton of creators doing that. Looking to create a community, I started the first version of my account which was called “Sadaf the Food Fairy” named after a cute nickname my friend gave me at that time. Over time as my interests have expanded, I evolved into OC Trails and Treats to include hiking trails as well. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely had its ups and downs. The biggest bump in the road I faced was COVID-19. Many restaurants had to temporarily shut down and/or only do take-out orders and for about a month or so I exclusively ate at home. However, luckily, like I mentioned, I had a ton of photos in my camera roll, and I recycled those and shared home cooking recipes (I also do enjoy trying new recipes as well). I’ve also struggled with balancing between posting and engaging enough and needing breaks from social media. I think that’s a daily struggle, but I try to remember what the original reason for me sharing was and where I’d like to go with it. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In essence, I love to eat and hike! I like to try new halal restaurants or new dishes at the same restaurants, take photos, and review the foods I try. On the outdoors side, I go hiking weekly and love to share new trails I’ve embarked on, particularly for people who are just average hikers like myself. I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been managing this page for 4 years now! What sets me apart, or at least I hope, is the energy I bring to this space. Both food and nature create communities, and I love being even a small part of that. 

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t think luck (good or bad) played a huge role, as it’s mostly been driven by my passion and love for food and nature. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/octrailsandtreats/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadaf-qadir/

Image Credits
Sadaf Qadir