Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Blom.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m Ashley, a Millennial who taught herself to cook and developed a love of telling people about it. I live in Austin, Texas, and try to bury myself in the foodie culture here as much as I can, without getting pretentious about it. I’m originally from New England, which lends a fun lens to my culinary tastes. I can boil a “lobstah” just as soon as a crawfish!
I started the blog Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine in 2011. I started Forking Up in 2016 when I admittedly aged out of the “quarter-life” moniker. The heart of the blog has always been this: if I can do it, you can do it. I’m a Millennial with big dreams and a tiny budget. I taught myself how to cook. If you want easy, budget-friendly recipes, I’m your gal. I’m not a professional chef, I didn’t go to school for this (I did go to school for writing though), other than waiting tables in a Fenway chain restaurant I don’t have much service industry experience. But I cook delicious meals and adorable baked goods by googling methods and taking risks. I work a full-time job, this is not my job, this is just what I love to do.
In 2017, I achieved a dream I’ve had since age six–I wrote a book. That book has appeared in O Magazine (OPRAH, OMG!), The New York Times, and various smaller publications across the nation. The book is called “How to Eat a Lobster and Other Edible Enigmas Explained” and it is less cookbook, more culinary how-to for newbie foodies just beginning their culinary journey. I was originally inspired by fantasy author Jane Yolen, who held a yearly writing contest in my hometown. After winning the prize in first, sixth, and twelfth grade I knew life in writing was for me–even if it remains more of a side hustle than a career.
I continue to be an active member of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance, as well as being a Yelp Elite for the past two years and being active on many travel review sites. I’m a trusted source for recipes, as well as foodie suggestions. This even bleeds into my current job as I’m constantly telling my software clients where to eat when they visit my favorite cities and I’ve written a city guide for each city our customer conference has been in. In recent years, my blog has become more review than a recipe, but I continue to try to keep a solid blend of both in there.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In school, I envied my friends who could opt for unpaid internships while I toiled away at a nearly fulltime job. But I was scrappy, I used my resources, and overall I never stopped writing. I utilized my social media skills to build a small platform for myself that I took time out of each week to update.
Always support other women. In creative fields, it’s so easy to get competitive, but we really all do better when we help each other. Mentor someone younger, help others network, and others will do the same for you.
It is absolutely okay for your passion to not be your full-time job! I love writing, but it probably will never be my sole source of income. And that’s fine with me! If I had to worry about it, stress over when my next paycheck would come, it might not be the happy place it is for me now. Of course, if my next book is a best seller that sets me up for life, I definitely wouldn’t complain, but realistically, I am happy where I am. Writing makes me happy.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about ForkingUp.com and How to Eat a Lobster and Other Edible Enigmas Explained – what should we know?
Having my book mentioned in O Magazine was almost as exciting as writing the book itself. I was thrilled that the book got the coverage it did. Writing and publishing the book was the first dream, but having it be appreciated made that dream feel even more complete.
I think that my approachable nature helps my blog and recipe succeed. My recipes with the worst photos are the most liked on Pinterest! This is because I admit to not being an expert, which means others who see themselves as novice chefs can trust me. Cooking is easy, getting in the kitchen is the first step.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
I’ve found that my brand is accepted by millennials and women, but it doesn’t quite get out of that niche very often. I think there’s still a stigma in-home cooking being decidedly female, even if professional cooking is a male-dominated space. I think that like everything we need to give more opportunities to women to make professional cooking and writing a female accepted space.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.forkingup.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/forking_up
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/forkups
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ashleyeblom
Image Credit:
The black and white photo is via Steve Rogers Photography
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