SPOON ROVER
Grab a spoon and let's stir the pot!
BEHIND THE SCREEN
There's a story behind every dish. Here's mine.
Hey there! I'm a foodie exploring the culinary world from home.
Let me share my story and take you back to the beginning.
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Food has a special place in my heart and I have my family to thank for that. I grew up watching my mom write down her favourite recipes in her trusty notebook that she has kept since her 20s. My dad collected an array of cookbooks took a more creative approach in the kitchen. While my brother has an adventurous palate and was the family's gatekeeper to various cuisines. Before I knew it, the food bug has already been placed and was there to stay.
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The first thing I ever made on my own was chocolate chip cookies. I was six years old at the time and I made sure to follow my mom's recipe. I still remember how those cookies tasted. Absolutely dry and bitter! Even though I didn't take to cooking like a duck to water, there was something about being in the kitchen that felt right.
What began as a hobby, slowly grew into a passion. From elementary to high school, cooking was part of my identity. I joined the school's baking competition, baked my friend's birthday cake, and was on hand to bring my friends treats during events. I was known as the girl who was obsessed with becoming a chef and I thought I had found my path. I was all set. But of course, life happens.
I didn't get to culinary school as I had wanted. I applied to work at restaurants but barely made it to the kitchen door. I met people who were more skilled and confident in their culinary prowess. Although I started a food blog, I rarely posted. Fear, rejection and insecurity made me question myself. The confidence I once had whenever I proudly declared how much I loved cooking diminished.
"Maybe cooking and food was never for me", this thought constantly plagued my mind. I didn't know who I was or what I wanted. Perhaps cooking was all meant to be a childish aspiration and nothing more. I had come terms to with that. However, a small part of me did not want to let it all go.
I decided to pave my own culinary path. The moment I made this decision, I felt like a small flame was slowly burning within me. I began borrowing cooking reference books, took cooking classes, and watched endless food photography videos.
I was restarting my food journey and things felt like they were falling into place.
On Instagram, I was occasionally posting pictures. But in 2020, I decided to go to the next level and take things seriously. I've set up a posting schedule and started a Food Glow Up Challenge. By giving myself this challenge, I had the opportunity to hone my culinary skills by taking a dish I previously made and glowing it up!
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When I first started this challenge, I was not expecting much. But the Food Glow Up Challenge never ceased to catch me by surprise. It showed how creative and technical I can be with food. For the longest time, I was rediscovering things about myself and started looking forward to sharing my food creations online.
The support that I received on Instagram has been amazing. It was overwhelming and absolutely reassuring. In a way, I felt validated in my unconventional culinary pursuit and I was slowly gaining back the confidence I once had in cooking.
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It has been so inspiring interacting with people on Instagram who are absolutely passionate about food. It felt like I was a part of an inclusive foodie community. I am so grateful that I have an online platform where I can openly share my love for food with no reservations.
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Recently, I started added another challenge on my Instagram which I dubbed as the Pantry List. Similar to a bucket list, I have a list of dishes and recipes that I hope to clear off! What I love about this challenge is that my pantry list is never-ending. I'm always adding new stuff to the list and I keep learning something new about food.
So that's been my food journey so far. I have a few ideas that I've been marinating on. Should the cards fall where they may, I hope to see them to fruition. Feel free to join in and see where my spoon takes me next!
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~Spoon Rover | Yvone
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