Instagram is in vogue and Instagrammers are the talk of the town. Abel Abraham is a foodie who shares his love for food on social media platform. His page DineinKochi has over 45.2K followers where he posts food reviews and recipes of interesting dishes. In conversation with Abel, we learn about his food blogging journey and how he plans to expand it.
When did you begin DineinKochi? What is the story behind it?
I ventured into dineinkochi on may 1st of 2019. This idea came to my mind when I moved to Kochi for my studies. My native place is Pathanamthitta which is not a place where you can find good food spots and variety of dishes. My love for food started when I was a kid. I used to accompany my mother when she goes out to buy things and when we were at the bakery my eyes would be gleaming at ladoos and milk pedas in the glass shelf. My elder sister used to bring me sweets from Madurai where she was studying. I waited patiently for her to come home so that I could take those gulab jamuns from her backpack. After I moved to Kochi I started exploring food and saw many food blogs on social media. I was very curious about checking those pages and began hunting for food destinations. I went ahead by posting pictures of food on my Instagram and many people started to ask me about the places I visited and some of them also paid visits to places I posted about in my stories and responded that it was a good experience. This made me feel good. From this was born dineinkochi so that I could help many to find good food in the city. It is a special feeling when someone shares their experience of food which they found through my blog.
It is a special feeling when someone shares their experience of food which they found through my blog.
How do you think your life has changed after DineinKochi?
Dineinkochi has become the part and parcel of my life now. After I founded dineinkochi, the time I used to spend scrolling through social media or watching movies was used to make content. Through foodblogging I acquired immense knowledge about variety of foods and its history. I got the chance to meet many potential bloggers and vloggers from all over Kerala. When I received good responses from others it prompted me to try new food. So I started travelling to find good food. I got several opportunities to attend different classes and webinars by brands and social platforms.
After I received good engagement rate and reach on Instagram, people started recognizing me. It is a big achievement for me. They see me in a different light now, as a content creator and as a foodblogger. Blogging created this feeling in my mind that I am doing something worth which pumps me to do better and to take more efforts. Dineinkochi helped me make many friends which I think is the most valuable thing I procured from my blog.
Tell us about yourself, your previous jobs/ventures?
I am currently pursuing my B.tech in Mechanical Engineering at KMEA Engineering College, Aluva. My passions are travelling, exploring food and playing cricket. I was a cricketer in Swantons Cricket Club earlier and now I am playing for my college team. I like to travel more so that I can explore food through my journeys. I explored some food spots in Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore and Madurai.
Do you plan on expanding to other places in the state?
Yes I am planning to expand my blog widely and I am also planning to begin a new page where I can include food and travel content in a single page.
There are many food blogs now, what makes yours different?
Yes there are many food blogs, but what makes my blog different from others is my content, my way of presentation, response to my audience and the fact that I am providing all sorts of help and information they are searching for.
Being a food blogger, what are the must-visits in Kochi? What are the foods you shouldn’t miss out on?
Must visits in Kochi, this is a tough and confusing question. There are a number of fascinating places each being good for its different cuisines.
- Nosh Haus for shakes and drinks
- Cafe ape kaloor for mojitos and other drinks
- Arabian palace for their special spicy mandhi
- Alreem athani for their mandhi
- Famous marine drive kuluki shops
- Jeff biriyani for good biriyani
- Pauls creamery for waffles
- KKV Coolbar goli soda
- Al-Taza for shawarmas
- Chathnad puttu kada
- Shaji ikka kuluki kada Highcourt
- Baji chettante thattukada angmaly
There are many more for sure, so this is not the complete list. These are just some of my personal favorites.
Do you think Instagram is the best platform for you? Have you ever thought of an alternative?
Yes I think Instagram is the perfect platform for me because a lot of people are responding and acknowledging my work, which I consider as the major reason behind the success of my blog. There are many prime, upskilled and active users on Instagram compared to other platforms. Moreover Instagram is very easy to handle and work with.
Do you handle DineinKochi singlehandedly or have a team to help you out?
No I don’t have a team, I am singlehandedly running my blog.
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