Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Jimenez.
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always been fascinated by the art of cooking. Ever since I was a little girl, I always gravitated toward the Food Network channel and cookbooks. Instead of watching cartoons like every other child, I was watching Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa show, or Paula’s Home Cooking by Paula Deen. After watching my favorite food shows, I would always try to recreate a few recipes with my mom. Unfortunately, I stopped cooking when I became a teenager and stopped practicing up until my early twenties. I started again when I graduated from college during the pandemic; I had nothing but time. So, I decided to start baking and experimenting with different dishes again, and my love for cooking came back instantly. I was baking and cooking every single day and multiple times during the day. I remember feeling so fired up, just like how I did when I was a kid. Shortly after, I started developing new recipes, and soon enough, I became the go-to person for recipes between friends and family. I was asked on a day-to-day basis for recipes and tips, that I began contemplating on posting my recipes online. And I will forever be grateful for the fact that I did. I began posting on my social media accounts, specifically Instagram and TikTok and got such good feedback from friends and family. I honestly wasn’t expecting much from posting my recipes, but my first viral recipe was a Thanksgiving ham that I made for my brother’s potluck at work. I remember posting it without much thought and woke up to almost 500,000 views. It was such a surreal feeling; I immediately knew that this was going to be something special and that it was time to take my food content serious.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey as a food content creator has had its fair share of bumps on the road. I remember when I first started, I had no idea what it took to make quality content. I didn’t know about good lighting, camera quality, angles, camera settings, or even editing. I was just using my phone, a candle holder as a prop, told hold my phone, and was filming this way until I was able to buy proper equipment. I also work a 9-5, and having all of this new information thrown my way was so overwhelming. Especially when I was learning how to properly film and edit my cooking videos. I spent countless nights filming/editing until 2 am and having to wake up at 6 am the next morning for work. But I was so passionate about what I was doing, I didn’t care about the lack of sleep. I only cared about improving and getting better. I had to go through so so many growing pains, but looking back, even though it was inconvenient at the time, it made this journey extremely rewarding. Especially now that I can help others who are starting their journey in the social media space.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently work as a tax analyst and a full-time food content creator. I love my 9-5 because I have my day-to-day routine, and I really enjoy building relationships with my clients and team. I love my 9-5 but I am obsessed with being a food content creator, it gives me space to be creative and share my ideas/culture with the world. Being a food content creator is something that I am passionate about; it is my baby and passion project. My content is mainly focused on homemade eats with a Mexican twist. I am mostly known for my tacos de birria recipe, which has almost 10 million views on Instagram. Which is completely insane to me! It is a recipe that I am extremely proud of because it took me MONTHS to develop, and seeing how well it’s doing is just the cherry on top for me. What I believe sets me apart from my peers is my background. I am a 28-year-old Latina that came from an immigrant single-parent household. Life hasn’t always been easy, but my journey has made me the passionate, ambitious individual that I am today, and seeing how I can now share my recipes/culture with the world is extremely rewarding and special to me.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising that most people won’t know about me is that I am an extremely shy person. I consider myself an introverted person, and I really enjoy my company. I am HUGE homebody. Of course, I love to be social and hang out with friends/family, but being at home with my dog is where I am most happy and content.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/jennzeatz_/
- Other: TikTok.com/@jennzeatz_
Image Credits
Alejandra Rivera
