10 Black Foodie Influencers You Need To Follow Right Now
Our melanin sisters are taking over the food influencer game! They not only rock the kitchen but show us how to do it too; giving us the confidence we need to at least try and recreate their masterpieces.
They are changing the way thousands look at food with their unique dishes, skills, and love for creating hearty dishes. Set aside a few minutes to show love because it's super easy to get lost in the sauce and stand in awe of their timelines.
Let's salute these Black female food bloggers and influencers who love to share their recipes and help us all channel our inner chef girl.
1.@thedannirose, formerly @StoveTopKisses
Who's That Girl?
Her real name is Danni Rose but once you swoon over her Instagram page (which you'll start doing after half a scroll), you'll see why she's rocking the @StoveTopKisses name.
Her bio reveals she was "raised" in her "daddy's Alabama juke joint," so that right there tells you that she's certainly not new to this, and there's no question that her cooking is fire. Some of her most-liked recipes and delicious snapshots are baked macaroni and cheese (which we know can make or break an entire meal), crispy cream corn ho cakes with hot sauce, and seared ribeye with bacon scallion butter. Mouth. Watering.
2.@JessicaInTheKitchen
Who's That Girl?
You know I had to show love to a vegan and vegetarian chef. And Jessica Hylton aka @JessicaInTheKitchen is as real as they come. Her recipes aren't only a big up to those on a plant-based diet, but many of them are gluten-free as well. And while some of us are still wondering how this can taste just as great as their counterparts, Jessica has shown countless times it can be done.
Some standouts? Recipes for a hearty one-pot minestrone soup, vegan quiche, overnight French toast casserole, vegan cheese pasta bake, and cranberry apple crisp… just to name a few.
3.@ButterBeReady
Who's That Girl?
Shout out to Butter Be Ready! Real name Quin, Butter Be Ready can do no wrong in the cooking department. Her Instagram alone looks like an editorial spread for a major magazine, not to mention she's mastered the art of photographing meals that actually look good online. The best part? She also provides recipes for us.
Whether you're looking for powdery blueberry streusel muffins (her blackout chocolate cupcakes deserve more than an honorable mention), or something savory like spicy Korean wings, Butter Be Ready is for everybody.
4.@IAmEricaBarrett
Who's That Girl?
Homegirl is official official! Erica Barrett wears many hats but the one that we can't get enough of is chef. She's been featured in Oprah's 2016 Favorite Things, Good Morning America, and Shark Tank. And it doesn't take long to see why. She's not only a pro but super creative!
Her Instagram feed proves she's not afraid of taking chances with dishes like fried lobster deviled eggs, fried green tomato po'boys, and of course, sweets, like loaded, sprinkle cake pops. Thankfully, she's got a cookbook, Shuga & Seoul, to teach us her ways. *Insert raised hands emoji here*
5.@ChefResha
Who's That Girl?
She's the real deal! One of the things I love about @ChefResha is in her bio she let her nearly 70K followers know that she's a self-taught chef and pushes them to conquer their cooking fears. Seeing her feed shows that she's just as magical as she says she is, because one of the questions that keep coming to mind is, "How did she teach herself how to do that?!"
I'm sure trial and error are a part of the mix, but she's certainly gone from student to teacher real quick. From her Mexican churros to her slow roasted turkey wings with creamy marsala gravy, she's proven cooking is an art.
6.@GrandbabyCakes
Who's That Girl?
While most of us have stood under our mother or grandmother in the kitchen, it's safe to say, Jocelyn Delk Adams, AKA @GrandbabyCakes, took her childhood cooking lessons to a new level. Her recipes are inspired by her grandmother (may she rest in peace), and clearly, she was doing something right because @GrandbabyCakes has had regular features on TODAY, Rachael Ray, Food Network, and the Cooking Channel.
Thanks to dishes like caramel apple cake and homemade tomato basil soup, she's probably your favorite chef's favorite chef.
7.@LohiCreates
Who's That Girl?
Why is Lohi Creates every woman, though?! The Nigerian blogger based in Toronto (how dope is that?) holds nothing back when sharing what she whips up for her beautiful family of three. Her feed and website make it look so easy, so don't be surprised if you find yourself putting on your apron to tackle her recipes with determination. And it challenges us all to try something new.
A few favorites have already proven to be her shrimp tacos with mango salsa and grilled croaker fish with yam fries and broccolini. We see you boo.
8.@EdenTheFoodie
Who's That Girl?
Eden is doing it for the culture with her chef page, @blackfoodie.co. She goes further than dishing about delicious meals hailing from various places, and sparks conversation about heritage, food, and everything in between. This is why she's one of our faves for more reasons than one.
One of the best things about Eden is that she supports other Black-owned chefs and restaurants, spreading the word and the love down her feed, inspiring her followers to do the same.
9.@ChefDanie
Who's That Girl?
Chef Danie is an entire vibe. Her recipes break beyond the borders and make major salutes to places like Haiti and Thailand; just check out her soup Joumou and Limonaide she made for Haitian Independence Day. She provides the recipe, but one can only hope for a result as well as hers.
In the meantime, I have no shame in admiring her dishes from international to hometown favorites like Cabernet braised short ribs with roasted garlic parmesan risotto and pancakes with Chanel syrup. Yeah, she murdered those.
10.@FoodLoveTog
Who's That Girl?
FoodLoveTog describes herself best in her bio as a "spice slanger" and "magic maker." And it's obvious she lives up to these witty phrases. Taking a look at her feed, she certainly doesn't lack seasoning or magic as she spreads love via dishes like brunch potatoes, creamy corn grits (topped with bacon, shrimp, and cheese… God thank you), and Cajun soup that includes 15 beans.
Her profile is filled with inspiring messages that not only help us feel more confident with not just in cooking, but in life altogether.
Featured image by @grandbabycakes.
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Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Wellness And Spiritual Coach Koya Webb On Taking Up Space As A Black Woman In Yoga
There are some misconceptions about yoga and people who practice it, such as it's only for people who are flexible, thin, and/ or considered elite. However, none of those things are true, and Koya Webb is the perfect example. Koya is an international holistic health and wellness coach and yoga instructor who represents much of what yoga can do for others by allowing it to manifest in herself. The former track athlete began practicing yoga after a sports injury that affected her not only physically but mentally. As she was trying to push through the pain with yoga, she was facing another obstacle: isolation. There weren't many others who looked like her in her classes, so she felt alone.
She reflects on that tough moment in an exclusive interview with xoNecole. "When I started, it wasn't that many of us in there, and it was painful, to be honest. I couldn't touch my toes. No one looked like me. I was mentally hurt. I felt like I was gonna get my scholarship taken away. I felt hopeless," she tells us. I felt like I didn't belong there. This is not for me, and I could barely breathe, and I just wanted to cry."
However, her yoga instructor was very encouraging and helped her through her practice. "And the teacher came to me and she was just like, just breathe with me. And she just took this deep inhale, exhale, and I felt the Holy Spirit like in my body— that I identify as spirit which is full body chills. And that's how I knew I was in the right place."
"And the teacher came to me and she was just like, just breathe with me. And she just took this deep inhale, exhale, and I felt the Holy Spirit like in my body— that I identify as spirit which is full body chills. And that's how I knew I was in the right place."
She continues, "So, even throughout the pain and throughout the stiffness in my body, and even though I felt like I didn't fit in, I didn't belong. I just did it anyway, and I cried through the pain. I breathed through the pain, and after a year, I completely healed my body, strengthen my mind, and I came back to win the conference championship in the heptathlon and was ranked 13th in the nation."
But like many of us have done, Koya fell back into old habits, such as not taking care of herself and stopping yoga altogether, which resulted in another injury. This time, however, when she returned to yoga, she stuck with it and got certified as a yoga teacher. From there, she created her own online certification to encourage more Black people to teach holistic health and yoga. As a Black woman in the wellness space, Koya was in the minority and had to do some soul-searching to effectively make a change.
"It was really hard because I experienced a lot of microaggressions that I had just normalized. And I had to normalize it just to be safe, and I didn't realize I was doing it at that time. I really realized a lot during the pandemic. When I started reading like Caste, and I started going deeper into my own journey of, like, life and what does it mean to be a Black woman? You know, and what does it mean to be a leader? You know, because I would just say yes to people who would reached out to me," she says.
"I got very far in my career and then I realized it's time for me to reach out to people that are afraid to reach out. Until I start focusing on other Black women and reaching out and saying, 'Hey, let's do this.' You know, and I think that was a really pivotal point because I feel like a lot of times because we've experienced so much trauma, we're just afraid. We've been hurt so much. We're just afraid and not just the the people that don't look like us but even each other."
It was really hard because I experienced a lot of microaggressions that I had just normalized. And I had to normalize it just to be safe, and I didn't realize I was doing it at that time. I really realized a lot during the pandemic. When I started reading like Caste, and I started going deeper into my own journey of like, life and what does it mean to be a Black woman? You know, and what does it mean to be a leader?
Through her many efforts, Koya has become well known throughout the wellness community with her yoga classes, coaching, podcast, The Lifestyle Design podcast, and events like the Mind, Body + Sol Retreat. She also has a new book coming out focusing on lifestyle design, which she describes as intentionally incorporating wellness in every aspect of your life. Koya also uses her social media to motivate others to live a life of joy, love, and wellness. While she promotes positivity through her work, she also wants others to know that they, too, can start on their holistic journey by adding these simple yoga principles.
"I feel like just waking up and breathing, just mindful breath. You know, of course we're breathing all the time, but like, deep inhale, deep exhale like 10 deep inhalations and exhalations when they wake up and then just some gentle stretches in bed," she says.
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Feature image courtesy