From a messy baked ziti to the future of food content
My reflections from the stage.
Last week at the Flavor Media Summit (FMS), I stood in front of a room full of food creators and told them about... baked ziti.
Not the beautiful, styled, perfect kind you see on Instagram.
The real kind.
The messy, slightly sunken, "is this even photogenic?" kind I made in an office kitchen in Shanghai on my first assignment at a food tech startup, after 10 years in government finance, with no background in tech, UX, or digital content. I had to find a recipe published on the app, cook it in the office kitchen, and take a picture of it.
I chose Pip and Ebby’s Baked Ziti. And that baked ziti changed everything for me.
Because even though the photo I took was a mess, the recipe wasn’t.
I felt supported. I knew what to expect. I felt connected to the creator who wrote it.
That was the moment I realized food content isn’t just about pretty pictures.
It’s about trust.
It’s about connection.
It’s about building something that lasts beyond the post.
What I shared at FMS
In my talk, Leveraging AI, Platforms, and Partnerships for Food Blogging Success, I walked through the lessons that messy baked ziti taught me and how they still shape my work with food creators today.
I talked about how:
Recipes aren’t just stories. They're assets.
Good workflows protect good stories.
Structured content doesn’t just scale reach, it protects your voice, your opportunities, and your business.
Chaos doesn’t scale. But intentional, structured content? That does.
I shared how I went from cooking baked ziti in an office kitchen to leading global content strategies for recipe platforms, smart assistants, and major retailers, and how, through it all, I kept coming back to this:
Food content is personal.
And when you structure your work to be reusable, portable, and partnership-ready, you’re not just optimizing.
You're honoring the human side of what you do.
Why I started Blueberri
Blueberri isn’t just a consulting firm. It’s my commitment to building something with creators, not just for them.
Because I've seen what happens when creators wait too long for platforms to prioritize them.
I've also seen what happens when creators show up early, ready to shape, influence, and negotiate on their terms.
Right now, new food platforms are being built behind the scenes: apps, smart tech, shopping integrations.
They need content. They need creators.
But more importantly, they need creators who are ready:
Ready with structured, partnership-ready content.
Ready with systems that scale.
Ready to build sustainable businesses, not just chase campaigns.
That’s why I’m here.
That’s why Blueberri exists.
To make sure food creators aren't just included in the next phase of food content, they're leading it.
What’s next (and how you can get ready)
At FMS, I introduced two things that are now live for paid subscribers and clients:
The Tech Partnerships Playbook: A guide to help you pitch, package, and position your content for new platform partnerships.
→ And this week only, subscribers get 20% off with the discount code PITCHPI20 as a thank-you for being here early. Offer ends May 7, 2025.Tech Strategy Sessions: One-on-one intensives where we map your next move toward licensing, partnerships, and scaling your recipe IP.
Paid newsletter subscribers will also get free upgrades to future toolkits, templates, and companion resources tied to upcoming podcast episodes.
Because I believe when you structure your work to protect your story, you build something that lasts far beyond the next platform trend.
If you were at FMS, thank you for making space for my story.
If you’re new here, welcome.
This isn’t just about content.
It’s about building a future where your work, your voice, and your story scale with you.
Your friend in food,
Sandie
P.S. Keep an eye out, next week I'll share more about The Blueberri Podcast launch and how you can be part of shaping this next chapter. It’s a little late to launch, but I want it to be worth the wait!