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Top Headlines: Ole Miss Graduate Rises to Fame as a Food Connoisseur on Instagram
Megan Richter in Florence, Italy. She manages a widely-popular instagram @florence_foodie
Looking for food inspiration? As midsummer approaches, everyone is looking for fresh ideas to cook up in their spare time. Ole Miss graduate, Megan Richter, the “foodie” expert, knows exactly how to catch anyone’s eye with her jaw-dropping food posts on Instagram.
As a recent graduate of University of Mississippi currently enrolled at University of Mississippi Medical School as a nurse, Megan Richter has two passions: food and traveling.
She is a food connoisseur with her rise to fame on Instagram as “@Florence_Foodie.” She has traveled abroad all over Europe in spring of 2015 and recently to Florence, Italy this past June.
She decided to create the food account last spring to document the delicious food spots she would visit. Then one day, a famous Instagram account “@FoodIntheAir” picked up one of her posts and broadcasted it. Since then she has had a major following with whom she shares pictures every week as she travels.
“I made @Florence_Foodie because I have always loved taking pictures of food. Even my little brothers started not touching their food until I took a picture of it, which was adorable,” said Richter. “So I thought, ‘What better way than to put all my food pictures in one place and share my passion for food?’ Especially when I go abroad, I have to let my audience know the best places to eat!”
Her Instagram account’s success has led to creation of her new blog, “Florence Foodie, Travel tips and Guide.”
On the blog, she posts her dining experiences and shares traveling tips. Her blog can be seen as the ultimate guide to dining abroad in Florence, Italy, whether a traveler needs help finding the perfect spot for a cappuccino or wanting to grab an Italian Panini to go.
Richter not only posts coveted food spots from all over the country but also her own food creations. Her recipes vary from a hydrating veggie smoothie or a mouth-watering dessert. Ricther said that people are always direct messaging her on Instagram to ask for her recipes.
“My favorite dish to make is definitely homemade pasta from scratch with garlic shrimp and all I do is toss it up with olive oil. Cooking at home is something I love to spend time doing,” Richter said.
Cooking is more than a hobby to her; she loves trying new recipe ideas and posting her work. While she is taking a break from her studies this summer, she has included numerous people to enjoy cooking with her. She hosts cooking parties with her friends and neighbors.
She finds those parties useful as her guests provide feedback on what they would love for her to make next.
Alexandra Bensel, a pharmaceutical student at the University and roommate of Richter, explains that she has always enjoyed living with her.
“I swear every time I come home she whipped up another amazing meal. My house always smells like an Italian restaurant or bakery. No complaints here,” said Bensel.
Her food empire continues to grow as Richter posts on her blog and Instagram. Richter emphasizes she has a deep relationship with food and will continue to build her “foodie” brand. She hopes to one day make a business out of her passion for food.
She said, “My dream is to own a café or bakery one day because baking is one of my favorite hobbies. But right now I stick to helping people navigate cities and guide them to where the best eateries are.”
Hadleigh Lynch is enrolled at Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She can be reached at hjlynch@go.olemiss.edu.
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