5 TikTok accounts you should follow if you love cooking and food

We’ve all been there: You’re trying to go to bed, but you can’t stop scrolling past the endless number of videos on Tik ok.

I, for one, could spend hours on TikTok, especially when the algorithm sends you videos that suit your interests. For me, that means cooking TikToks.

I am certainly no chef, but I love food, and I love cooking. Ever since the pandemic started, I found comfort and relaxation in following a recipe, so it wasn’t surprising when my TikTok feed soon became all about food.

It amazes me just how much you can learn about cooking in such a short video. Obviously, you can learn the same things by watching the Food Network, but in our fast-paced world, I’m more inclined to watch a spaghetti sauce come together in two minutes than sit through a half-hour episode of TV and learn the same thing.

So, here are a few accounts that I’ve followed over the past two years or so that bring me so much joy. Some I watch to learn new recipes and techniques; some I watch for the ASMR pleasure, and some are just straight up entertaining and make me laugh.

1. Shereen Pavlides (@cookingwithshereen)

Shereen was the first TikTok food account I stumbled upon when I first downloaded the app a couple years ago, and it’s pretty crazy to see just how far her account has come. Shereen is confident when she cooks, and it’s almost like she instills the confidence in you.

Not only is she demonstrating incredible recipes, but she also teaches you the fundamentals of cooking, something that a lot of TikTokkers don’t do. You’ll learn how to make homemade chicken stock, how to can tomatoes, how to dice an onion and so much more.

2. Emily Mariko (@emilymariko)

If you spend hours scrolling on TikTok, then there’s a high chance that Emily Mariko has shown up on your FYP at least once or twice. With more than 9.9 million followers on the app, Mariko is the queen of ASMR cooking.

Before I saw Mariko’s videos, I didn’t understand the big deal with ASMR, but that all changed once I did a deep dive of her videos. Not only is she making delicious and interesting food, but the sounds are so soothing. I could literally watch hours of her washing and cleaning vegetables and putting them in glass storing containers.

I mostly watch Mariko’s videos for relaxation, but her food prep techniques have actually been incredibly useful, too. Did you know carrots and celery store longer when they are submerged in water inside a glass container? I sure didn’t. I legitimately bought a rice cooker because Mariko makes it look so easy in her videos. If you follow anyone on this list, make sure it’s her.

3. Hailee (@cafehailee)

I don’t really want to compare food TikTok accounts, but Hailee’s account is a mix of Mariko’s, except she plays very soothing music, as well as integrating the splendid ASMR sounds.

What I love about Hailee’s account is just how simple (yet wildly creative) her food is. She cooks almost everything in the viral Always Pan from Our Place (which proves that I should just buy one since Hailee uses it all the time), and her recipes always look so delicious.

From delicious breakfast toasts (made with her homemade sourdough) to endless amounts of pasta, Hailee’s TikTok account is is fun to watch, but will also make you hungry as heck. And the best part is that she has a website with the exact recipes she shows on her account. It’s a win-win situation.

4. Shay Spence (@theshayspence)

What I love about following Shay Spence’s TikTok account is that he makes all the food you’re not supposed to eat, but you still want to anyway. He did a series of recipes that were for this year’s Super Bowl, and let me tell you, I was so jealous I wasn’t invited to his party. His recipes are crowd pleasers, bottom line.

The other great thing about Spence’s account is that he incorporates travel into it. He lives in Key West, so he’s got videos of the great spots you should check out there, but other cities he travels to, as well.

Spence also hits up theme parks quite a bit, and while I’m not much of a Disney theme park guy myself, I had no idea the food was amazing. I guess I’d always assumed that Disney parks were like other theme parks, meaning chicken fingers, french fries and corn dogs, but wow, was I wrong.

Spence shows you the food he absolutely loves at Disney (and other theme parks with amazing food), to the dishes you should pass on. It’s also insanely informative and makes me want to go to Disney World as an adult.

5. Royale Eats (@royaleeats)

If there is one word that comes to mind when I think of Royale Eats on TikTok, it is flavor.

Just like Spencer, Royale Eats is showing you how to cook all the things we feel guilty about eating, expect the flavor is turned up to a 10. We’re talking Sriracha BBQ chicken thighs, cajun garlic butter salmon bites and honey habanero boneless wings, just to name a few.

I’m not sure who the man is behind Royale Eats, but the voiceover work he does explaining his recipes is top notch. He has a deep and calming voice that makes his videos so enjoyable.

And an honorable mention to...

Rosie (@north_omaha_cat_lady)

Look, Rosie is nowhere near a chef, and she will admit that on her TikTok, but her reaction videos to people cooking has become one of my favorite things to watch on the app ever.

Not only is Rosie hilarious, but the woman knows her stuff about food and ingredients! She will often react to videos of chefs preparing dishes with uncommon ingredients, such as sheep livers, sea urchin and mung beans.

As she explains in some of her videos, she watches a lot of Food Network and other food travel shows, so she has educated herself on other ingredients of the world. It’s somehow educational and funny all at the same time. If you ever need a good laugh, check out Rosie’s account.

If you love TikTok and want some more heart-warming content, make sure to follow Something Good on the app. They have tons of feel-good videos that will make you laugh and feel all good inside.