Today we’d like to introduce you to Jovi Champaphanith.
Jovi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
A couple of years ago, I moved to Houston from Arkansas in hopes to pursue new opportunities and to explore the city of its diverse offerings. During my first month of Houston-living, I discovered so many great local eateries within Chinatown alone. Coming from a small town to the fourth largest city in the United States, you’d imagine my surprise of all the great food options that are available in Houston. I had no idea what halal food was or knew of all the boba tea shops until I moved here.
At first, I would take photos of my food and only post them on my personal Instagram stories. It wasn’t until I took a share-worthy photo of a Cajun seafood boil platter that sparked my interest to create an Instagram account dedicated to Houston’s food scene and restaurants. It’s fun to say that the Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack along the Kemah Boardwalk is the birthplace of my foodie account, @houstonfoodee.
When I first started food blogging, it was motivation to explore Houston and try new places. Through food blogging, I have met other amazing “foodies” who I admire and further made beautiful friendships with. By seeing others who share the same passion as I do for food motivates me to continue growing my Instagram account. As a contributor among a few local food communities such as Zipkick, Best Food Houston, and Yelp Elite, I get invited to many private tastings and events. I like to think I give my followers the “full experience” by providing fun information about restaurants I visit and sharing my recommendations about the food. My “foodie code of honor” to my followers is to showcase some of the newest hotspots in Houston, the trendiest treats, and “hole-in-the-wall” places they might be missing out on.
Has it been a smooth road?
Yes, there have been some struggles along the way. As much as I am grateful for all of the opportunities and invitations I receive, it can sometimes be a struggle to attend every tasting or event. I tend to over-commit and often get burned-out from consistently reviewing restaurants and scheduling posts. Additionally, food photography is not as easy as it looks. It is an art-form that can sometimes be creatively exhausting. Us “foodies” want to take that perfect photo and for the times that we do not, we are dissatisfied with our post and it can sometimes be discouraging.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
For someone who wants to become a food influencer, I highly encourage them to do so. However, with anything, it takes time and hard work. Focus on building your profile and engaging with others to help grow your following. Luckily, Houston has a huge “foodie” community that is very supportive of one another. My advice to anyone starting from ground zero is to be authentic when writing captions, make sure to have good lighting when taking photos and to stay consistent with posting.
Contact Info:
- Email: houstonfoodee@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstonfoodee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houstonfoodee
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/houstonfoodee
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=bw8IWUozfL7CxHn0wClEsg
Image Credit:
@houstonfoodee
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.
