Tastemaker Talk

As the search stars would have it, we sat down to record this episode with Marie Haynes 10 minutes after Google's December 2025 update launched! Tune in to hear what Marie makes of it all, and for her interpretation of what this and other AI updates mean for food creators. Show Links Learn more about Google's Core Update Join The Search Bar, Marie's online community! Subscribe to Marie's newslette...

We spend so much time talking about reaching new levels of your food content creation business, but what if you're at Level 1? In today's episode of Tastemaker Talk, we're sitting down with Kayla Burton from Food Blog Coaching to talk us through exactly what she would do if she wanted to start a food blog in 2025. Whether you're blogging-curious, a beginner blogger, or a veteran looking for a refr...

We always love hearing from today's guest, Sandie Markle ( Blueberri )! We're sitting down with Sandie to discuss the rapid changes in the tech landscape over the past 5 years, focusing on how AI, particularly generative and agentic AI, has transformed content presentation on search engine results pages (SERPs) and social media platforms. We're also teasing some of the takeaways you'll be able to...

Laura Ashley Johnson has amassed a loyal following at Dinner in 321 , but her story is far from an overnight success. Tune in to hear how Laura Ashley built her brand, lost everything, and started completely over...twice! Laura Ashley is sharing her tried and true strategies for growth across platforms, including how consistent content creation, quality, and audience connection helped her get back...

We had the BEST time at MVCon in early November, and we're excited to spend some time unpacking everything we learned with you today! We've always known that Mediavine cares about creators (they've been a sponsor of our event from the very beginning!), but we gained a deeper understanding of exactly how they are showing up for creators like us in Boston. Thanks Mediavine, and can't wait to see you...

Today we're catching up with our friend Rachel Korinek from Two Loves Studio ! We're diving into Rachel's career transition from editorial to commercial food photography, and exploring her creative evolution along with her approach to storytelling through visual details. If you're in need of a creativity boost or food photography tips, this episode is just what you need! Show Links Check out Creat...

This week we're discussing Natasha Pierre's upcoming session at Tastemaker 2026, which will teach you how to create a content strategy that will do #werk in 2026. Natasha is sharing insights on Instagram's evolving algorithm and strategies for creating more purposeful content on multiple platforms. Show Links: Find Natasha on IG @shinewithnatasha and @withshinestudio Check out Natasha's fav creato...

We are SO honored to have Rachel Cunliffe, founder and designer at Cre8d Design , joining us today--all the way from New Zealand!! Diving deeper into Rachel's article, " Why food blogs still matter (even in the age of ChatGPT) ," we're dissecting the many ways that AI falls flat when it comes to recipe creation (or should we say imitation). If you've been needing a data-backed pep talk to keep goi...

Today our good friend Erin Collins of Meaningful Eats joins us for her second appearance on the pod! Erin and Chandice are going even deeper this time around, getting into the technical aspects and details to consider when self-publishing a cookbook. We're excited to bring this one to you today, especially as advancements in AI are making tangible keepsakes--like cookbooks--all the more important....

The Tastemaker Team is BACK, baby! Today we're talking all about our brand/website refresh, which you can enjoy for yourself later this October! We're walking you through our thought process when it comes to the rebrand, including how to identify your brand personality, the importance of working with a team you trust (shoutout to Lindsay and Jordan! ), and making sure that you're regularly checkin...

We're so excited to bring you today's conversation with Justin Moore, founder of Creator Wizard and author of Sponsor Magnet ! This conversation was recorded ahead of Justin's speaking appearance at VTC 2025, and we're stoked to be giving you a teaser of his full-length session: "How to Craft a Sponsorship Pitch No Brand Will Ignore." From helping us write a sponsorship pitch to Erewhon to discuss...

You may know Bjork Ostrom from his trailblazing work over at Food Blogger Pro , and we're thrilled to welcome him to the pod this week to chat about how food content creators can prioritize purpose to reach their business goals. Today, along with Abbey and Chandice, Bjork is covering everything from monetization methods in the evolving creator economy to Rice the pet frog. This is a fun one--enjoy...

Today Chandice is chatting with Megan Porta, who you all know and love from Eat Blog Talk! Together Megan and Chandice explore strategies for community building, how to embed your personal values into your business, and the importance of adaptability in the creator economy. Show Links Find all things Eat Blog Talk Reach out to Megan Join us for Tastemaker 2026 LA!

Welcome to a very special REPLAY EPISODE of Creator Trends for 2025 with Mediavine ! With VTC right around the corner, we didn't want to throw too much content at you all at once (that's not how our brains thrive, after all!). So we're encouraging you to listen to this replay ep with Amanda Martin (CRO at Mediavine), pick up a few new nuggets of wisdom, and then join us for VTC 2025 to stream Medi...

Today we're sitting down with our good friends from NerdPress, Andrew Wilder and Joel Carter. We're covering what branding actually means, and how authentic storytelling, brand differentiation, and core value alignment can help set you apart from AI-generated content. Today's Big Theme™️ is "Action creates clarity," and we hope that this episode speaks to those of us who have been feeling a little...

We're geeking out over today's episode, y'all! We're honored to be sitting down with Chef Carla Contreras, a food creative, content strategist, and the host of the Nourishing Creativity podcast. Chef Carla is giving us a Substack introduction, and she's making a very compelling case for why food content creators need to have a presence in the Substack arena. While sharing her warm energy and creat...

Foodie friends, you are not going to want to skip this one! We're chatting today with Liane Walker, a mom of three, a Siftr investor, and the Managing Director of Foodie Digital . In today's convo, Liane is providing insights on the challenges faced by food bloggers due to AI changes and algorithm updates, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making and being a creator who can adapt....

Allea Grummert has worked with content creators across all niches, and she believes that when it comes to the creator economy, food creators are the honors students. What does that mean, exactly? On one hand, we're tenacious, organized, and resilient. But we also tend to push ourselves toward burnout and hold tightly to some unrealistic expectations for our work. Listen, food creators contain mult...

Today we're sitting down with Emily Baksa to discuss how telling clearer, more authentic stories can help your content stand out in an AI-driven world. Emily is a copywriter and marketing strategist who helps food content creators gain creative and financial freedom so they keep loving what they do. Hit play to explore Emily's insights on content rewriting and how to use AI tools for efficiency, n...

We are SO excited to chat with the formidable Joanie Simon, aka The Bite Shot , today! Press play to learn about Joanie's journey into food photography, including her transition from hobby to professional photographer. Today's Big Themes™️ uncover the importance of making mistakes, maintaining authenticity, and finding community in creative work. We also talk candidly about the business side of Jo...

Matt Molen is CEO of Email Crush and a top educator in email marketing, and today we're lucky enough to pick his brain about why email marketing matters for bloggers and content creators. Get your notebook ready, because this one is FULL of practical advice you can use immediately, including: Strategies for building and nurturing email lists through welcome sequences and consistent content deliver...

On today's episode, Toni Okamoto chats with us about her food blogging and content creation journey building Plant-Based on a Budget . Throughout the convo Toni shares her strategies for building a loyal community via personal connections and budget-friendly content. Tune in to hear Toni's favorite ways to connect with her audience, which also happen to impact her ability to monetize and grow her...

By popular demand, we are sitting down with Casey Markee to cover all of your most pressing SEO questions! In this episode Casey shares extensive insights about Google's AI mode transition and its impact on content creation, emphasizing the importance of high-quality, unique content. We also discuss technical strategies to help bloggers adapt to future changes in the digital landscape. Show Notes:...

Today we sit down as a complete Tastemaker Team--all 4 of us! 🤭 We clarify our roles, chat about how communication and flexibility is a key tenant to our success, and narrow in on our respective zones of genius. If you're itching for a look behind the scenes, wondering how to foster community and camaraderie with your own small team, or just want to giggle with us--press play! Show Links: Abbey's...

We are so excited to be chatting with our friend Izzah Cheema on today's episode! Izzah is the brilliant mind behind Tea for Turmeric , a trusted source for South Asian recipes with over half a million monthly views on less than 130 recipes. We dig into Izzah's journey as a food blogger, the importance of authenticity in branding, and strategies for maintaining motivation and preventing burnout in...