Alison Roman Invited the World Into Her Kitchen. She’s Become a Big Brand by Doing it Herself.

Alison Roman is an author, chef, and digital creator known for her unfiltered, honest approach to food, lifestyle, and storytelling.

@alisoneroman has successfully carved her own path in a media landscape that often favors formulaic approaches, taking the helm of her content and connecting deeply with her audience.

From her celebrated cookbooks to now a popular newsletter and an engaging YouTube presence, Roman has a gift for bringing people into her kitchen and, more recently, her world of podcasting and a brick-and-mortar grocery store.

Watch now to learn about empowering herself through YouTube, the challenges of podcasting, opening First Bloom Corner Store.

Chapters:
[03:45] - Creating YouTube Content
[07:46] - Writing a Cookbook
[19:35] - The Challenges of Podcasting
[23:52] - Opening a Grocery Store
[30:05] - First Viral Recipe

SPONSORS:

RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST —
Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

• Toast All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc

Episode Links:
Alison Roman Online: https://www.alisoneroman.com/
Alison Roman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/alisoneroman
Alison Roman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisoneroman
Alison Roman Newsletter: https://www.alisoneroman.com/newsletter
Alison Roman Books: https://www.alisoneroman.com/books
Solicited Advice Podcast: https://pod.link/1709162489
First Bloom Corner Store Online: https://firstbloomcornerstore.com/
First Bloom Corner Store Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstbloomcornerstore

***
Takeaways:
“The People’s Netflix” - For a creative like Alison Roman, the red tape of network television is just enough motivation to find a different avenue to create content. YouTube is just the platform to get content out to the people in a way that suits the creator in a way that is equally effective. As she terms it, it is “The People’s Netflix”.

Challenges of Podcasting - Alison Roman started her Solicited Advice with Alison Roman in 2023. After successful endeavors as a cook, author, writer, and YouTube personality, podcasting is something she admits is a bit tougher than she initially thought.

First Bloom Grocery Store - The pandemic caused many people to pivot career choices and take chances they may not have previously considered. For Alison Roman, that was opening a grocery store in a small vacant pizza shop in Bloomville, NY.

***

ABOUT ALISON ROMAN —
Alison Roman is an influential chef, author, and culinary personality known for her approachable, flavor-forward cooking style. She began her career at *Bon Appétit*, eventually becoming senior food editor before moving to Buzzfeed Food in 2015. Her debut cookbook, *Dining In*, released in 2017, made waves with viral recipes like #TheCookies. Later, as a *New York Times* columnist, her second cookbook, *Nothing Fancy*, brought recipes such as #TheStew and #ThePasta into the spotlight, especially during the pandemic, when simple, pantry-focused cooking resonated with home cooks.

In 2020, Roman’s career hit a controversial point after remarks she made about Chrissy Teigen and Marie Kondo led to her departure from *The New York Times*. Since then, she has focused on independent projects, launching her YouTube series *Home Movies with Alison Roman*, which showcases her accessible, conversational approach to cooking. In 2023, she opened First Bloom, a small grocery store in Bloomville, NY, fulfilling her vision of creating an inviting, physical space for food lovers. Roman continues to explore new avenues to connect with her audience and inspire joyful, unfussy home cooking.


ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS —
Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Dyrdek, Emeril Lagasse, Mayim Bialik, Jon Taffer, Robert Irvine, Aman Narang, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing, branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online.

Published by Entrepreneur Media - https://entreprenuer.com
Produced by Cali BBQ Media - https://betheshow.media