Conversations with Jane and Marlee Hooberman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jane and Marlee Hooberman.

Jane and Marlee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We are identical twin sisters who are grateful to have been raised in a family full of foodies – family members who appreciate good food and who also cook delicious meals. Appreciating the sights, smells, and flavors of food is simply in our blood and is something we do every time we eat a meal. Since middle school, when we were both given phones, another step was added to our routine of appreciating food: taking pictures. If you were to look in either of our camera rolls, there are hundreds upon hundreds of pictures of meals, beverages, and even some of ourselves with these meals and beverages. In November of 2018, Marlee said to Jane, “I think we need a place to put all of these pictures!” And then, Twins Talk Taste was created via Instagram (@twinstalktaste). On this account, we post restaurant reviews and recommendations as well as content from our daily lives, where we showcase our passion for health and wellness. Additionally, Jane has gluten and dairy intolerances, whereas Marlee does not, so our account highlights restaurants that accommodate for allergies/intolerances in addition to sharing GF/DF accommodations and product recommendations to our followers. Twins Talk Taste has focused on restaurants in metro Detroit and Ann Arbor, however both Jane and Marlee are moving to New York and are excited to explore the city’s foodie hotspots and hidden gems.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our journey has mostly been a smooth and enjoyable one! We have created many relationships with other foodies, bloggers, brands, and businesses throughout our time running Twins Talk Taste and are so thankful for the opportunities that have risen as a result of the account. However, our experience with posting reviews of our dining experiences inside restaurants was hindered during the lockdown times of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, we still strived to support small businesses by posting content revolving around carrying out meals, and we posted content from our own kitchen creations as well.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As the motto goes, we live to eat—not eat to live. We are known to be foodies, seeking thrill from trying new restaurants, cuisines, and foods, never letting our friends or family eat food that is served until every dish has seen our camera lenses! We are also known for being the go-tos for recommending restaurants and food products to others. What sets us apart from others, besides being identical twins, is our inclusion of those with allergy accommodations in our posts. We make sure to mention whether or not a restaurant can accommodate gluten and dairy allergies, specifying which dishes one with allergies should or shouldn’t order. Twins Talk Taste is the best of both worlds—Talking Taste of foods for all followers, including those with and without dietary restrictions. Oh… with all that in mind, we also give our followers a glimpse into the lives of two post-graduates who will be navigating adulthood in the Big Apple. While we are certainly similar in our identical features and taste buds, we do not live identical lives, making our account entertaining for others to follow along our journeys.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid-19 Crisis certainly opened our eyes to the dramatic impact any such event can have on small businesses, consumers, and the digital age overall. As foodies, we were challenged to change the way we explore food. We are frequent diners at restaurants and love the in-person experience dining institutions may offer; however, we tailored our expectations and taste buds to explore the field of carrying out food from restaurants, ensuring we were still about to support small businesses around us. Additionally, we explored CPG brands that were striving to build their business and were happy to partner with them to bring attention to their brand. The pandemic taught us to appreciate what we have and always strive to support others while taking care of ourselves. We met various foodie friends during this time and value the relationships made with business owners during this hard time.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: twinstalktaste
• Other: TikTok – @twinstalktaste