Today we’d like to introduce you to Zackary Eats.
Hello Zackary Eats, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Food is at the intersection of all life. Regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or culture, all humans require the consumption of food to live and connect. But that’s where I’m different. I don’t eat to live, I live to eat. Food is one of my greatest passions in life, and this is a passion that I will continue pursuing until the end of my life.
As a child of 2 immigrant parents, I was fortunate to experience both the Korean and American culinary worlds. I would have soondooboo one day, burgers and fries the next day, and culinary masterpieces that blended both cultures on other days. Korean-style beer tacos, kimchi, and seafood pancakes, and Korean barbeque pizzas were a few of the iconic fusion foods that I enjoyed throughout my childhood.
The knowledge that good food is not limited to one culture, coupled with the willingness to try all food at least once, created a foundation upon which years of traveling and experiencing various foods were built. Embracing every dish with an open mind allowed me to broaden my perspective and gain extensive exposure to all kinds of foods, both well-known and obscure.
This mindset has helped me to connect with people from all over the world and find a home away from home no matter where I am. I have learned that food will always bring people together, regardless of differences in race, language, religion, background, or upbringing. Even though I had accumulated a vast amount of experience in various cuisines, I never publicly documented these experiences or shared my thoughts about the dishes I tried.
It wasn’t until recently that my girlfriend recommended I start blogging about my exploration into various culinary worlds, and that was the moment when “Zackaryeats” was born. @Zackaryeats is my username on Instagram, which has been my main form of communication for reviewing foods that cross my path.
I have also started uploading longer reviews to both Yelp and Google Reviews to generate more impactful and honest reviews of establishments and the products they serve, such as desserts, entrees, and drinks. Although my official journey is only a few weeks old.
I plan on continuing to document my food adventures for as long as I am still able to eat good food. Please follow @Zackaryeats on Instagram to join me on my food adventures!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The most difficult challenge that I am currently facing is maintaining a healthy work-life balance. As a 3rd-year medical student, I don’t have a lot of free time. My hobbies and passions in life are basically at a standstill because all my time is dedicated to working or studying.
For example, I wake up at 4:30 am to arrive at the hospital by 5:30 am and leave the hospital at 5:30 pm, but my day has only begun. When I come back home, I have to start preparing dinner and lunch for the next day and study until I go to bed at 10:00 pm. This intense lifestyle has definitely affected the amount of time I can dedicate to my passion for food blogging.
However, I consider it a core component of my identity and will continue documenting and reviewing food to the best of my ability. I plan on writing reviews and posting on @Zackaryeats at least once a week even amidst my busy schedule and am hoping to increase my posting frequency once I graduate. I also balance my study breaks by incorporating visiting a new food place once a week or at least once every other week.
Other struggles include finding the time to travel to other cities to explore their culinary subcultures. Regardless of the struggles, I may face, I have a wonderful support system that consists of my family, girlfriend, and friends who constantly remind me to live a life worth living.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am known for my thorough reviews, aesthetically-pleasing photos, knowledge of great local spots, and being among the first customers to try and review brand-new restaurants! My reviews on Yelp and Google follow a strict format, which includes a brief introduction, descriptions, and prices of each item I ate, information about the venue and parking, and a “worth it” section.
Not many people include such extensive details, such as parking or if a restaurant is truly “worth it” in their reviews or take fantastic pictures, so I hope to be the person who fills that niche. At a certain point, I was averaging over 90,000 views on my photos on Yelp in a 90-day period.
There aren’t many foodies who know how to operate a DSLR and edit photos on Lightroom, but I happen to be one of the few who do. My photography and editing skills allow me to bring out the best qualities of any dish in every single photo.
Other than eating good food, some of my hobbies include weightlifting, video games, and traveling. I am most proud of the person I am becoming and look forward to the person I will become in the future. I started @Zackaryeats on Instagram to be a living diary for my culinary experiences.
Whether it’s dining with locals in the South Korean countryside, exploring new restaurants during my domestic travels, or sharing local hidden gems in North Carolina. I aspire to become a reliable resource for those who need recommendations on places to eat or are curious about the foods that the rest of the world eats.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The pandemic forced us into our homes and drastically limited our social interactions, which increases the likelihood of experiencing depression. Please remember to take care of your mental health! I cannot stress that enough.
Additionally, the pandemic highlighted the importance of practicing empathy and patience with restaurants and their employees since they must constantly adapt to the ever-changing public health policies on top of the impact COVID had on their personal lives. There’s no reason to make it more difficult for others who are trying to survive in this harsh world.
Regarding @Zackaryeats on Instagram, I learned that people were more eager to engage on social media due to the social isolation guidelines and that people did not care whether or not the picture of food was taken at the restaurant or at home as long as it was aesthetically pleasing.
As our culture shifts towards a greater acceptance of visually-pleasing media and shorter clips, I hope to integrate these concepts into my future content to broaden my target audience.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://linktr.ee/zackaryeats
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zackaryeats/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdxNDsimYow
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=MVREYuxxwxvca-mljFjXqg
Image Credits
Zackaryeats
