Let’s face it, we’re on the internet way more than ever – at least our thumbs are getting consistent exercise, right? Apps like TikTok and Instagram can provide a brief respite from all the uncertainty, like a digital security blanket for when you feel like eating your feelings.
Food can also provide a sense of familiarity and joy. We’ve gone through the very arduous task of scrolling through our IG feed to find some food grammers who are making dishes and days a little brighter.
Foodism Toronto
@foodismto
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You gotta root for the home team, right? Before COVID-19 our Instagram (and belly) was full of delicious restaurant dishes. We had to "PIVOT!" (Ross from Friends, anyone?) and switch up our 'gram to showcase more meals and drinks you can make at home.
There's been some mishaps along the way – R.I.P. to that very burnt grilled cheese sandwich – but it's been an incredibly rewarding experience continuing to build our online community. We also want to do what we can to support our real life community by getting takeout and ingredients from some of our fave vendors and restaurants.
Things are different and everything feels upside-down, but we believe that food still has the power to bring people together. Thanks for following along, cheers.
Ina Garten
@inagarten
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Ina Garten a.k.a. the Barefoot Contessa has been lighting up our homes and television screens since 1999 with her widely successful cook books and Food Network show. Now we can virtually quarantine with Ina on our phones.
The Barefoot Contessa’s instagram is full of wholesome fun and food that makes cooking feel good again – no panic-buying here. Ina has plenty of comforting one dish dinners, pantry meals and baked goods, but the video of her making one hefty cosmopolitan at 9:50 a.m. is our all-time favourite.
Joy Wilson
@joythebaker
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Joy is a self-taught baker turned food photographer who then became a professional Drake-on-a-cake maker. Her instagram is a… well, joy to go through. Her food pictures are aesthetically soothing, but also highly approachable – Joy provides recipes and live baking tutorials in her IG stories.
Warning: eating all of Joy's sweet treats at once may result in a stomach ache, but looking never hurt anyone.
The Chew Review
@thechewreview
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@thechewreview is one of our favourite Toronto food influencers who has unknowingly influenced us into making a lot of late night snack orders. Carly is both a business school and culinary arts graduate and her Instagram is full of unique food creations that are tricky to categorize, but easy on the eyes (hello, spicy Old Fashioned patty melt with sweet onions and a salty, crispy parmesan crust).
When she's not eating food from Toronto restaurants, Carly tries to include one restaurant ingredient in her homemade meals so that she can support local where possible. We also fully support our pants getting a little bit tighter.
Chrissy Teigen
@cravingsbychrissyteigen
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We already know that Chrissy Teigen makes us laugh with her honest and hilarious IG posts and stories, but she can also make some pretty drool-worthy dishes.
Chrissy invites us into her kitchen and life where the messiest dishes are often the tastiest – pad Thai carbonara, anyone? Cravings is an edible diary that will make you hold your belly from giggling and also because you ate too much… worth it.
instagram.com/cravingsbychrissyteigen
Massimo Bottura
@massimobottura
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Massimo is the Nonno we all need right now. He is the talented chef patron of three-Michelin-star Italian restaurant Osteria Francescana, but he’s also a delightful home chef that makes you feel part of a big Italian family.
Allora, Massimo’s kitchen-party-cooking tutorials are both helpful and entertaining (and they have English subtitles so you can practice your Italian). Even if you don't pick-up some new words or practice your knife skills, the one thing you'll take away is Massimo's contagious positive energy and passion for the culinary arts.
Jake Cohen
@jakecohen
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Jake Cohen is a food writer, recipe developer and lover of carbs. His Instagram is the epitome of comfort food, from the perfect grilled cheese (you can practically smell through the screen) to gooey olive oil brownie cookies.
Jake’s Instagram celebrates the secret snack drawer that lives inside all of us just waiting to be opened. If you can take your eyes away from the food pics, his captions are equally enjoyable.
Dine and Fash
@dineandfash
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After practicing corporate law for nine years, Krystle decided to quit her job and pursue her passion for blogging full-time. Good thing she made the switch because her food pictures and Instagram videos are absolute goals, plus baking seems way more fun than briefings, anyways.
Krystle dishes up stacks of pancakes you'll dream about till dinner and a giant shakshuka good-looking enough to have its own personal account. Krystle's food pictures are absolutely stunning and her willpower to resist a bite before shooting is a strength we've never known.
