Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Tatuch.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After graduating from Michigan State University in 2020 with a degree in advertising, I moved to Chicago Illinois to pursue a job in marketing data analytics. I moved here in August 2020 and was immediately drawn in by all of the cultural riches that Chicago provides, especially in food. During the weekends I would explore new restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, and small businesses and decided to start documenting my experiences. That’s when Chicago Carry-Out was born— my Instagram food blog where I showcase my positive experiences at restaurants in Chicago, and review different food and food-related items through static pictures and reels. It started out as a hobby that I would do alongside my 9-to-5 job, but I noticed it starting to grow a little bit and wanted to put more effort into it. Well, I still work 9 to 5 but in my free time, I’m thinking about how to further my brand and gain more exposure, along with enjoying all that Chicago has to offer in terms of dining. I have a loyal following who use my page as recommendations on where to eat whether they’re just in town or they live here.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think social media will ever be a smooth road, it takes a lot of work to grow your following, and produce quality content. I still have a long way to go in terms of growing my audience which is one of the challenges I experience. Another challenge that I didn’t think would come when I started my Instagram was having enough content to post multiple times a week. My goal is to post daily, but I just don’t eat out that much! I overcame this by taking pictures of everyone’s food that I went out with so that I could keep the content flowing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve always been a foodie at heart considering I grew up in an Italian family that centered their life around the dinner table. I would say I’m very very proud of my Italian heritage and just the way that we use food as a tool to connect with each other and express love. I especially found my passion for food when I lived in Rome, Italy for four months and got to experience the Roman culture and food that comes along with it. Also, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in advertising helped me approach my food blog in a business mindset and really build a brand for myself
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice for anyone trying to grow a social media account is to engage with other people in your community. The great thing about the foodie community on Instagram is everyone loves to follow each other support each other and help each other grow. What I wish I knew when I was starting out is how important it is to post daily, and especially how important reels have become on Instagram. It’s also important to understand the Instagram algorithm and make sure that you’re always adjusting your content to fit into that algorithm. For example, Instagram used to just be static posts, a.k.a. pictures, but since implementing the reels feature, the focus has shifted to small bite-size videos. Having a successful Instagram can really become a full-time job, so you will need to consider what your priorities are and how much time you can invest into it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram:@chicagocarryout
