Today we’d like to introduce you to Irene Huang.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Food is my hobby and my passion. It’s pretty much on my mind every waking moment. I love that there are so many different flavors, textures, cultures, and how it brings people together. My story is pretty long since I started blogging back in 2009… and started taking food photos even before that! So… here’s a timeline view of my food journey.
2009: Started my food blog: “CHOMP!” at the encouragement of my friends. It was just for fun, an outlet for my constant food photo taking.
2011: Made my Instagram account: @ChompDallas and started my journey of ultra-filtered posts. Back then filters and borders were EVERYTHING! Haha. (Looking back, I cringe a little. My photography has definitely improved a lot!)
2015: Joined @bestfooddallas as 1 of 3 Community Leaders to represent DFW and it changed my food life forever! They gave me more exposure to the community and I really became an influencer after this point. I’m so honored and grateful for this opportunity.
2018: I have learned (and eaten) so much over the years. My food photography skills have evolved and grown tremendously (and I’m always trying to improve)! I’ve experienced many wonderful restaurants, foods, and events. Most importantly, being in this food influencer/blogger world has introduced me to so many people who share my passion. I’ve made some really great friends in the past few years and I’m so grateful for their support and love of food.
Has it been a smooth road?
It certainly has not been a smooth road for me. I’ve struggled with different health issues all of my life and at one point I was told by a medical professional that I was allergic to dairy and corn. I was devastated… I couldn’t have chocolate, my FAVORITE thing. I actually cried for a full hour before deciding to really make a change and try to eliminate those things from my diet. I’ve learned a lot in the 90 days without dairy or corn. For one thing, dairy is actually quite easy to avoid… corn, however, SO DIFFICULT! It’s practically in everything! Long story short, at the end of the 90 days, my health issues did not improve, therefore I decided I can go back to eating these things. But along the way, I learned to appreciate other foods, healthier foods, and it really changed my palate and opened up my mind to new experiences and cuisines. (I used to be the pickiest eater growing up… if you can believe that!) I think to go through this really opened up the love of food for me, and paved the way to my blog and Instagram page. I guess it could be considered a blessing in disguise? I still have these health issues and actually quite a few food allergies. That’s been the biggest struggle… to have to be able to taste and try so many different things and managing my health. For the most part, I still eat almost everything, but in moderation. And that balance has taken years to learn… my eyes and mouth are bigger than my stomach!
Most of my struggles have been personal and internal. But externally there have been some difficulties as well. When you open yourself up to social media, you have to deal with the consequences and EVERYONE’S opinions. In my first 6 months of blogging, I received a really mean and long comment from a man who did NOT like what I wrote about a certain restaurant. I kept my review as positive as I could but I did outline all the issues we had with that dinner. He ranted and called me names and said it was “people like me” that bring down a well-respected business in the community. I did nothing of the sort, I merely recapped the events of the night. I knew I wasn’t in the wrong, but it still hurt to have someone rage at you on something you put an effort in writing. It was quite discouraging. I almost wrote him back but thought better of it. Why be petty? There are always going to be other people with different opinions that are going to discourage you. My advice to anyone who wants to start a blog, food or otherwise, is to focus on what you are passionate about. Also, be truthful; don’t lose sight of why you started this and don’t give in to those who do not think or see things the same way. But always be respectful, I don’t think a blog should be somewhere people go to rant about everything they dislike. It’s better to give constructive criticism so others can learn how to improve. Lastly, try not to get caught up in the numbers… how many followers you have, how many likes you get, because it really does get tiresome sometimes. Don’t let that control the content you put out. If people feel you are genuine, they will trust the recommendations you give.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with ChompDallas – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
ChompDallas shows my love for food (especially sweets if you scroll through my feed). One of my friends dubbed me “Dessert Queen”. Hehe. I will try (almost) anything once. My blog recaps my dining experiences… what dishes I tried, my thoughts, and sometimes suggestions on how it could be made better. Mind you, these are all my opinions; I am in no way a professional food critic. I also include the price point and a rating system at the end of the post using cookie graphics. I take pride in the content I put out. As an influencer, a lot of times we are invited to events where in exchange for free food, I post on my blog or Instagram of my experience. While the meals are comped, I keep my opinions honest. If I really did not like something, I simply won’t post it. I want to share what I believe as GOOD FOOD to my followers and readers. If I rave about something, I really truly loved it.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources that help you do your best in life (at work or otherwise)?
I have a confession to make; I actually don’t read many blogs. Mainly because I don’t have time to since I have a full-time job, which is not food related. But there are a few food Instagram accounts that I really enjoy, most of them are people who cook and bake, and I love watching stories of their behind the scenes when making a certain dish. What has really educated me on food are all the food TV shows. I absolutely love Top Chef, anything Food Network, Master Chef, and most recently, The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. I’ve learned a lot of techniques and terminology from watching them. I also appreciate the skill, passion, and artistry behind cooking.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://bigchomp.blogspot.com/
- Email: chompdallas@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chompdallas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chompdallas/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chompdallas
Image Credit:
Irene Huang – ChompDallas
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.
