SEATTLE — Over the past few months, we've covered many local content creators making a name for themselves on social media! We've made it easy to check them all out in one place.
Learn the art of trail cooking from this South Sound creator
A content creator from the South Sound is showing millions of people how to blend her two favorite things: cooking and hiking.
Kena Peay’s outdoor chef videos have earned more than 8 million views on TikTok and counting.
"(Food) is a connector that threads us together, we all need it,” she said. "I'm using Mother Nature as my kitchen, I like to say. Very respectfully!"
With simple tools and basic ingredients she can carry in a backpack, she’s proving there's more to adventuring than trail mix.
Viral videos are helping Seattle Humane find forever homes for animals in need
Viral videos helped Seattle Humane “Clear the Shelters” in August — and every month.
Over the past couple of years, the organization’s TikTok account has amassed more than 42,000 followers and 2.4 million “likes.”
Brandon Macz, public relations and social media specialist for Seattle Humane, creates short videos featuring an array of animals.
"The animals are not really interested in their followers or how they're doing,” he said. "Elliott (the dog) was one of my greatest stars. He got hundreds of thousands of likes on TikTok. He did not care."
The only “like” Elliott needed was adoption — and he ultimately found a good home. That’s the goal for every dog, cat, and guinea pig Macz has highlighted.
Tacoma TikToker is happy to be your 'Foodie Friend'
For local restaurants, there's no greater good luck charm than the appearance of TikTok star Teena Thach. Her viral videos showcase not just the food, but the families making the meals. Many are located in the kind of places you might never guess offered such tasty treats.
"I think a lot of people say, 'Don't yuck my yum,'" Thach said. "I think people tend to get scared when they look at food, but I want to be your foodie friend and tell you that the food tastes so much better when you hear the story."
Her post about Wonton Noodle House in Edmonds, where the owner studied his craft in Hong Kong, has nearly a quarter of a million views.
"Right after the TikTok we were so busy," Cindy Yang said. "We usually have like 10 or 15 dishes of deep fried wontons being sold and, the day after, we had 90!"
Vashon Island lunch lady cooks up comfort and content
Even at a young age, Tacoma's Chantel Jackson knew what she wanted to do when she grew up.
"It's always been my dream to be a lunch lady. Like, most people want to be like, you know, a ballerina, or like, a doctor. Like, lunch lady is my thing,"
For almost two years, Jackson has been the food service manager at Camp Sealth on Vashon Island.
"Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It could be anywhere from 10 people that already lived here, like a year on staff, or up to 500 with the campers.
Food is healing. And I just love being able to provide people comfort."
But Jackson doesn't just serve up comfort. She also creates content too.
"So I've always been a social media person," Jackson said. "TikTok came around and I was like, 'Oh, this is my cup of tea,' because I'm animated, and it's just quick little videos. It's over. And TikTok became my number one platform that I love so much."
Southern comfort food by Northwest cook has huge following
Rosie Mayes was born and raised in Seattle but her southern style cooking has given her a family that's worldwide.
“I have a nice audience online and I refer to them as my Cousins,” she said.
Rosie started making YouTube videos in 2009.
“I wanted to do make-up but I quickly learned that I was not gonna keep up with those girls. So I stuck with what I knew which was budget cooking,” she laughed.
That turned out to be an excellent plan. Today, I Heart Recipes with Rosie Mayes has 534,000 subscribers, and more than 56 million views.
“It's people that love old school, homestyle cooking those are the people that like to watch my videos,” explained Mayes, who has gone on to author cookbooks.
USA Today named Rosie's first cookbook, "I Heart Soulfood," one of '12 Essential Cookbooks by Black Chefs and Authors', and she released her second cookbook, "Super Soulfood with Cousin Rosie" this October.
Furniture flipping is a fulltime job for this West Seattle artist
What’s old is new again, thanks to the growing trend of “furniture flipping” and people like Amanda Whitworth.
She runs a small business from her home in West Seattle, turning unwanted furniture into stylish and usable pieces.
"I just like taking the most dilapidated piece of furniture you can find and completely transforming it into something you'd never recognize,” she said.
She showcases and markets her ability via fun videos displaying “before and after” projects on Instagram. More than 27,000 people follow her account Sawdust and Soul.
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