It’s nothing new that people are using social media for good. From mobilizing young voters to funding charities and action funds, a little bit of feeding the algorithm can make a change and help those in need.
This is where Righteous Eats comes in, a social media account that serves as a platform that champions underserved communities, in this case, by way of food. It all started with co-founder and host Jaeki Cho, a culture journalist, business owner and creative, who began making videos of himself cooking on TikTok during the lockdown to stay sane. After amassing a couple hundred thousand followers on the app, he decided to use his platform to showcase the mom-and-pop businesses in his area as, at the time, two-thirds of restaurants in New York were projected to close down permanently.
Characterized by his deep voice and distinct New York accent, you might have seen Cho, while scrolling through the TikTok For You Page, at a local eatery, ready to share some of his favorite menu items. But instead of just giving you the usual food porn and the appetizing first bites, Cho delves into the history of the food spot, the cuisine and, more importantly, the owners and cooks behind it.
“We want to tell the story behind the food while also trying to provide utility on what you should try at a place you might have missed or that you might’ve felt a bit intimidated by because it’s a culture you’re not familiar with,” Cho says, making it a point to cover not just the food, but also the people.
“Whether it’s a restaurant or a street vendor, they define the cultural fabric of a community.” Cho says.”The food is the product of the people, and you can’t have the food without the people.”
The format first began on Cho’s personal accounts before officially starting Righteous Eats’ channels with co-founder Brian Lee, a media executive who had previously worked with digital media management companies like Maker Studios…
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