Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Romero.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my food blog this past summer. I had a friend who started a food Instagram in 2018, and I watched her do all of these amazing things and meet other foodies through her page. After a while, I thought to myself, “I’m eating out a lot, always taking pictures, why am I not posting about it too?”
I named the blog EmLaGourmande to reflect my personal brand. I am a huge Francophile and have spent the past four years working towards a BA in French and even living in Paris for a year. “Em” is my nickname and “La Gourmande” is roughly “foodie” in French. I usually have to explain this when I meet people, but I think it’s a great way to start a conversation with a little bit more about me personally!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest challenge in blogging is gathering a following – not just the number of followers, but a group of people who actively comment, share, and use your information. Sometimes, there will be periods where my followers will plateau, or I will watch the number of followers rise 5 people only to drop 10 the next day. Luckily, I have a wonderful network of other foodie friends; we share each other’s content and help each other get out of these ruts when they occur!
For young women starting a blog, my best advice would be don’t be afraid to reach out. I have made some amazing foodie friends just by replying “this looks delicious” or “how fun!” on another blogger’s story. Reaching out to businesses is how you can get invited to openings or tastings. I’m still working on this myself – it can be intimidating to reach out like this – but there is nothing to lose in doing so!
Please tell us more about your blog, what you are currently focused on and most proud of..
My blog specializes on all things food and drinks – coffee shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, food trucks; you name it, I try to post about it. Through this work, I am most excited about the connections I make. Taking photos of my food usually leads me to talking to a manager or owner of a business, which gives me a whole behind the scenes look I would never have as a normal customer. There is always an interesting backstory to how a business got started and/or its plans for the future. I’m proud of how far my networking is come, and the awesome memories I have built along the way in doing this!
In terms of distinguishing EmLaGourmande, I work to create dynamic narratives in my Instagram stories; I want my followers to see the business background that I get to see. If I go to an event, I want them to feel like they are there with me. I do this through fun facts, video “tours,” ingredient breakdowns, all little things that say more than my single picture post does. I put the events stories on my highlight reel so my followers can reference them in the future too.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
As a foodie, I live for Yelp. In addition to blogging on Instagram, I am a pretty active user on Yelp and leave a lot of reviews there. It is a super helpful resource for finding new businesses that pop up, especially with their “hot and new” designation on rising businesses!
Contact Info:
- Email: emlagourmande@gmail.com
- Instagram: @emlagourmande
- Other: emilyromero.yelp.com
Suggest a story: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
