Meet Melody Sadarangani | Food Blogger/Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melody Sadarangani and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melody, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I think there is a huge misconception that a role in social media, specifically an influencer, is an easy job. I know before I took the leap, one of the main things I thought was, “how easy is it to just post on social media every day?” Boy, I was wrong. It takes a lot of thought from styling your photos, thinking of captions, and figuring out the best time to post. Being a foodie account, my main concern was cooking enough to have plenty of content. Something that I’m still struggling with to this day, but I’m getting the hang of it. Luckily, there are plenty of food businesses out there that I can also create content for and promote delicious foods on my Instagram.

Some other things that I’ve learned is as a normal Instagram user, I never had to worry about spam, being hacked or accounts being created to impersonate me. This has been a huge challenge since I’ve become a content creator.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My Instagram is all about food. For the most part, I try to share recipes on foods that I make. If a recipe isn’t quite ready for me to share, I still share a photo to let everyone know what’s coming in the future. For the times where I don’t have a recipe to share, then I post what foods I’ve had when going out to eat.

I got to where I am at today with the help of my husband and family. Aside from myself, my husband is the toughest judge when it comes to taste. If something is off with a recipe, he will always talk me through what needs to be added/taken away or adjusted. I also have family taste what I cook to get feedback because everyone has different tastes. Plus, it always feels good when you get complimented on how good the food tastes. Haha.

It definitely wasn’t easy to get to where I am. I have had days where I wanted to throw in the towel because I was in a slump with content creating or I just wasn’t feeling it.

The biggest challenge when working with social media, for me anyway, is consistency. There are days where I get a ton of engagement and other days where I don’t. I had to understand and be ok with the fact that I won’t always get the same amount of engagement on every post.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I think I’d have to take my best friend to Porto’s first. I am a huge fan of their Horchata Cold Brew. Plus, who wouldn’t want to start their day off with a Cheese Roll or their delicious Guava and Cheese Strudel?

Then I would suggest Plum’s Cafe in Costa Mesa. Plum’s Cafe has a little something for everyone and also has delicious drinks. My favorite dish is the Santa Fe Eggs Benedict.

After breakfast, I’d probably take them for a nice scenic drive down Pacific Coast Highway and take a stop at Crystal Cove State Park. If they’re in a mood to shop, then I’d take them to South Coast Plaza.

For lunch or dinner, I’d suggest going to the Anaheim Packing District or Pacific City in Huntington Beach. Both places have a huge variety of food options. However, if they want something simple like tacos, I’d definitely take them to Taqueria Mexico in Westminster. Their tacos are delicious and I love their red salsa.

If they’re feeling like desserts, there are so many places that I would suggest. First up would be the Cream Pan in Tustin for their strawberry croissants. There is also Paderia Bakehouse for more pastries in Fountain Valley. If they’re in the mood for donuts, I would suggest Sidecar Donuts in Costa Mesa or The Donuttery in Huntington Beach. Oh and there’s also the Straw in Costa Mesa if they’re in the mood for a delicious milkshake!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shout out to my husband, my family, and my friends. My husband and my family are the biggest reason behind my success in my foodie journey. There have been days where I thought I would just give the whole thing up, but my husband has been the biggest force behind me not giving up. He is constantly encouraging me, sending me inspiration for my next post/recipe to try out, and just showering me with so much amazing and positive vibes.

I can say the same thing with my family and my friends. They have all been so supportive in terms of keeping me going, taste testing the food that I make, and being huge cheerleaders behind me. I am so grateful to my husband, my family, and friends. The love and support I feel from them is unmatched and as long as they’re continuously supporting me, I can do anything.

Website: https://chowwithmelody.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chowwithmelody/

Image Credits
I certify I have rights and permissions for the images. I, Melody Sadarangani, own these photos.