Thanks to food bloggers and their wonderfully wacky minds when it comes to making meals, everyone now has access to the endless recipes, videos, tips and advice they provide, all at the click of a button.
So, it’s time to ditch the cookbooks that are stuffed in your kitchen cupboards and get following these UK food blogs for a huge slice of inspiration.
1. Recipes from a Pantry
It was growing up in Sierra Leone, Western Africa, where food blogger Bintu first learned the craft of cooking. Learning from her grandmother, she developed an affiliation with African cooking like no other using the freshest ingredients and traditional techniques.
So, when she eventually made the 4,332 miles move to England, where she now resides with her husband and two children, she brought with her an archive of recipes that inspired her blog, Recipes from a Pantry.
Recipes from a Pantry was set up in 2012 and has quickly become a place where people can source easy-to-follow recipes that merge British and African cuisine. One-pot meals, vegetarian and vegan dishes, tasty treats and healthy recipes are just some of the things Bintu cooks up in her kitchen.
Complemented by her colourful Instagram feed, Bintu has become the first port of call for many food brands looking to engage in influencer marketing. Able to grab the attention of many hungry followers, the likes of Alpro, Schwartz, Birds Eye, Betty Crocker, Heinz and Onken have all collaborated with her.
2. A Mummy Too
When Emily Leary started her blog ‘A Mummy Too’ in 2011 as a place to express her love for family, cooking and photography, she couldn’t imagine just how quickly and how hugely it would grow.
Just two years after it launched, Emily was in a place where she could leave her digital marketing career behind and pursue her blog full-time. What’s followed is features inside publication royalty such as Marie Claire, The Telegraph, The Guardian and BBC Good Food as well as collaborations with Heinz, Babybel, Hellmann’s, Twinings and Dorset Cereals to name just a few.
Despite this success though, Emily has maintained her passion for creating wholesome foods that busy parents and hungry kids will love. From lunches and quick-cook meals to healthy salads and one-pots, A Mummy Too and her Instagram truly makes for a mouth-watering browse.
2019 has already marked yet another pivotal moment for Emily and her blog as she is getting ready to release Get Your Kids to Eat Anything, her debut cookbook which helps parents overcome the struggles of ‘picky eating’ among children.
3. Daddy Cooks Food
Devoted husband to fellow food blogger, Someone’s Mum, Matt is an amateur chef that uses his culinary skills to create delicious food recipes and cocktails.
Looking for a place to showcase his creations, in 2016 Matt turned to Instagram and set up his own account Daddy Cooks Food.
His colourful and delicious feed is full of inspiration for avid cooks from day-to-day classics to warming comfort foods. And, with family at the heart of everything he does, Matt ensures his dishes are easy to follow with something that all families will enjoy.
As his following has grown, many brands have unsurprisingly looked to Matt to engage him in their influencer marketing activities. Rowntree’s, Oreo, Hellmann’s, Birds Eye, ASDA and Schwartz have all benefited from the audience Matt can expose them to.
4. Topless Baker
Bulging biceps, statement specs and some of the most beautiful bakes (and abs) you have ever set your eyes on are just some of the characteristics that make up food blogger Matt Adlard - aka Topless Baker.
Growing up in Norwich on the South East of England, Matt was introduced to cooking through his father’s restaurant. But, it wasn’t until he was much older and dissatisfied with his marketing job in London that he really started to appreciate the art of cooking and baking.
What started as a relaxing hobby, soon turned into an opportunity to blog about his bakes which then turned into a full-time venture. Blogging also eventually led to YouTube and his channel where he shares ‘how to’ videos which now boasts 304,679 subscribers.
From colourful three-tiered cakes and fluffy meringues to fruit-filled pies and stunning chocolate work, the Topless Baker blog and Instagram is a must follow if you have a sweet tooth.
As for being topless, there’s no real reason for that other than that it’s a fun way of combining his love for exercise and baking.
5. Cupcake Jemma
With nearly 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, 207k Instagram followers and a Carnaby-based cupcake shop to her name, Jemma Wilson has well and truly built an empire around baking.
The tattooed baker, known as Cupcake Jemma, uses her YouTube channel and Instagram to share how-to videos and behind-the-scenes footage from her shop Crumbs and Doilies. The result? Mouthwatering cakes and bakes – trust us, you won’t be able to stop watching.
She started out as many others have and still do – baking treats for friends and family. Once she had truly honed her skills, including perfecting buttercream, she started selling her tasty treats on market stalls in London.
It was in 2012 that things kicked off for Jemma as she was invited to host her own channel on Food Tube – Jamie Oliver’s YouTube channel – and secured £11,000 in crowdfunding support. With the money and her reputation both growing, she was able to open her Carnaby Street store and expand the ‘Crumbs and Doilies’ name.
The shop is now in its fifth year of business and with Jemma at the helm, is constantly bringing in new and exciting flavours.
6. My Virgin Kitchen
Having gained more than 141 million views on YouTube, My Virgin Kitchen is a popular food channel run by father, husband and food blogger Barry Lewis.
Barry first started his YouTube channel in 2011 as a place to share his journey into learning to cook. From vegan recipes to uber sumptuous desserts, Barry’s cooking skills are completely self-taught and now he shares his how-to videos and kitchen gadget tests to his ever-growing band of followers. Oh, and as a family man, there are also some regular appearances from his wife and two children to look out for.
Many food bloggers will have perfected their recipes before daring to share with their followers. But something that makes Barry relatable on so many levels is that he tackles recipes that are as new to him as they are to his followers. And, when things don’t quite go to plan, he’s not afraid to post the good, the bad and even the ugly.
Influencer Matchmaker proudly works with a number of top food bloggers who are available for brand collaborations. For more information or to book them for your next influencer marketing campaign, simply fill out our online form, call 0203 9580 427 or email contact@influencermatchmaker.co.uk.
