Meet Nellie Christine of FOODECALL in Sherman Oaks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nellie Christine.

Nellie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I come from a family of great cooks and people who love to eat. So naturally, I grew up with a deep sense of importance on food. My culture is huge when it comes to hospitality, so all my life I grew up watching amazing women cooking very time consuming and delicious meals, with the presentation to match. I knew that at some point the torch will be passed down to me, and the sooner it does, the sooner it means I am an adult. So at a very early age, I began cooking, particularly cooking foods my mom had no interest in cooking but that I wanted to eat. My first few dishes were a success, and it encouraged me to keep going. At the age of 16, I started hosting my very own dinner parties for my friends, cooking elaborate dishes from scratch. From that point forward, I knew that I was destined for a life centered around food.

I started my blog foodecall.com over 7 years ago before food blogging was the behemoth it is today with my initial goal being to teach other young men and woman how to keep the spirit of hospitality and home cooking going. In the midst of that, I met my future husband. We started going out to new restaurants and trying new dishes. I realized early on how expensive eating out could be and wanted to share with others the places that were worth trying so that they don’t waste their money on places that would disappoint. I also wanted to make the memory of the dining experiences stretch even further and be something we could recall, so I started taking pictures of our meals. 7 years later it is now my career!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
After starting my blog, I began studying for the CPA exam. This was a three-year process for me and a huge struggle at that. All blogging had to be put aside for this goal. This was my safety net and I struggled with the idea of “Should I choose the path of security, or should I say eff it and follow my passion.” I chose the responsible path, but once I had that license in my hand, I said to myself, “it’s my time now.” I then dedicated myself to FOODECALL.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
With Foodecall, we recognize the hard work that restaurants put into delivering a part of their heart and soul. I love meeting restaurant owners and sharing their experience and what lights a fire under them to do what they do. So we as a company look for the balance between sharing the good about the restaurant while not leading people astray. I do not recommend a dish unless I’m willing to eat it again. With each post, I try to bring value to my audience, imparting any little tidbit of information I can find in order to help them make choices on where to eat. I’m also proud of our team for the videos we’ve created highlighting awesome spots around Los Angeles.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was very much into books and studying. You could definitely call me a nerd. It wasn’t until high school that I came out of my shell. While I do love getting to know people, I am still an introvert deep down. Unless you put games in front of me, then my competitiveness comes out and all hell breaks loose.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.foodecall.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: foodecall

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.