Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Snodgrass.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved cooking. As a child, I loved helping out my mom and grandmother in the kitchen, and growing up in a small town in Texas, home-cooked meals were the norm. With no restaurants nearby, my mom always had delicious food on the table for our family. Quickly after my arrival to college, I tired of spending money and eating out all of the time. My body craved a home-cooked meal, so as soon as I moved out of the dorms and into an apartment, I began cooking for myself and my friends. That’s when my passion for cooking really started to blossom and I began to truly appreciate the art and love that goes into a good homemade meal.
Fast forward to about 10 years later, I became a stay-at-home mom. To occupy my time at home, I started my blog, The Defined Dish, with my sister at the time to share my recipes, and she would share her fitness tips. We really did it as more of a hobby for awhile and then, she became too busy for it and decided to stop doing it with me. I realized at that time, I was really passionate about sharing my recipes and life with others. I revamped my website and brand and put 110% effort into it. This was a little over a year ago. Let’s just say a lot has happened since then. My webpage views are up (600% increase, actually) and my social channels continues to grow. It’s pretty awesome to see all the hard work pay off and I really think if you share something you are truly passionate about and work hard at it, people see that and it becomes infectious.
I really do find so much joy in sharing my recipes with others. I strive to inspire all levels of cooks, no matter how comfortable or uncomfortable they are in the kitchen with my quick and easy to make recipes that are bursting with flavor. Most of my recipes are Whole30/Paleo approved but the great thing about them is that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor or go hungry eating them. You can fully enjoy them and fuel your body with real, clean food.
Although my page is mostly Whole30 and Paleo, I do like to show that life is all about a healthy balance. My current food philosophy revolves around clean eating. I do, however, love to travel and explore all of the wonderful culinary creations that this world has to offer. So, I save my splurges for when it’s worth it, like vacations and restaurants. But when I am at home cooking, I am making real food with real ingredients for myself and my family.
It’s been such a pleasure to watch my brand grow and continue to grow. It’s my 3rd child and something I take great pride in. It’s incredible to be able to start sharing my story at events locally and I recently spoke on a panel at SXSW plus, I get to work with brands that I truly love. I hope to do a cookbook next but in the meantime, It’s all on my blog and social channels.
Needless to say, it’s all a serious dream come true!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s never just a smooth path.
When I first started my blog, it was really hard to find my voice and my style on my page. I think I was so focused on what everyone else was doing, my page didn’t have anything unique or special about it. But, over the years, I’ve gained confidence and found my voice. You know, I was always so intimidated by the fact that I didn’t go to culinary school or have any training whatsoever but what I’ve realized is that it really doesn’t matter! I may not appeal to the master chefs of the world but I do appeal and am relatable to so many others that just want delicious, easy, healthy food on their table.
My advice is to quit focusing on your weaknesses and really pour your heart out into your strengths. And, most importantly, don’t be worried about what other people think… especially your close friends. It was really hard for me to put myself out in the public eye and be vulnerable while the people I knew personally were watching every step of the way. It really is uncomfortable! But you really do have to put yourself out there to make it. So, what if some of your friends and family poke fun at you along the way! They’ll be cheering you on when you start making it big… trust me. I know! haha!
What should we know about The Defined Dish? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a food blogger A.K.A. a recipe developer and food stylist. I create all my own recipes, photograph them myself, and publish them for whoever wants to see them.
Some things I am proud of: I’ve done many partnerships and takeovers with @whole30recipes, I’ve been featured on Good Morning Texas for live cooking segments twice now, I spoke on a panel at SXSW, I was recently part of my alma maters (TCU) campaign and was on a billboard on I35 in downtown Austin… which was pretty cool! Haha! I’ve also worked with some killer brands like WholeFoods, Raos, Jovial Foods, Bob’s Red Mill, and did a really cool virtual trip with Visit Santa Barbara!
I think what sets me apart from other food bloggers is that I have a realistic approach to clean eating. While there are some people out there that eat clean 100% of the time, most people just don’t eat that way all the time and they save room to indulge. Myself included. I claim to be a paleo and Whole30 focuses blog but I am not afraid to show that I eat bagels and cream cheese while I am in New York and drink cocktails on the weekends. I think it’s important for my readers to see the full, real picture. It makes me more approachable and in turn, makes people like my page more.
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
I love a pinch of yum as a resource for food photography tips. Learning food photography has been quite a challenge and her online resources were extremely helpful for me.
Blogging4keeps.com is also helpful as far as a resource for all things blogging — whether it be photography tips, SEO tips, how to build a media kit… they have it all!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thedefineddish.com
- Email: thedefineddish@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedefineddish/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedefinedish/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDefinedDish
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh5FdgYLK5V5HshWJxUpNgg?view_as=subscriber
Image Credit:
Chelsea Delzell, Whole Foods
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas 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.
