Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kameryn Hoban. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kameryn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you manage your own social media?

Yes, I do manage all my social media (SM). I do the R&D, filming, editing, posting, and maintenance. I started this account for fun in college, so I’ve always done it myself, and it has morphed into what it is today. It wasn’t until a year or so ago that I decided to take things more seriously, learn more about editing, and start posting more often. I did hire some friends to help me build a website, which we hope to launch by the new year!!

Like everything, SM was a huge learning curve. It often doesn’t make sense why one post hit and another didn’t. Anyone who makes part of their income/career on social media knows it is not as easy as it looks. SM is a weird game, and sometimes, it feels like you have to be playing the game 24/7 to succeed and see results. For better or for worse, it is hard to be a business owner/developer without having social media these days. So, as much as I tried to resist it, learning how to navigate social media was inevitable. Some things I’ve learned in the last few years of sharing my life and recipes online:

– Being consistent, authentic, and present is what helps build a community. I don’t have a huge following but I have a very supportive following. The small corner of the internet I inhabit has become such a fun and silly place. I do appreciate all the kind people I meet online, the followers who comment and engage, and all the people in my real life who support me.

– Social media is fake. Well, it’s just not 100% real life. Which can be hard to distinguish, even for myself. Comparing your content and progress to others will be the death of you. As much as you can try to stay true to who you are, what you like to create and post, and the mission of your brand!

– Growing a following is hard and sometimes so defeating. But try to not think about the numbers but rather the impact you are making. I have received the sweetest messages from people telling me I was the creator who encouraged them to try a new food or recipe or gave them the confidence to get in the kitchen. Those are the moments that make all the social media HUPLA so worth it!

Kameryn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the voice and face behind Kamsplate on Instagram. I am a lifelong lover of food, cooking, and flavor. My family has always bonded over food. Most of my core memories are of us in the kitchen, laughing, fighting, forgiving, creating, and eating. Food has always been my biggest passion. After leaving behind my plans of becoming a nurse midwife, I decided to pursue cooking professionally full-time.

I created my food Instagram in 2020, where I share parts of my life, the food I am eating, and the recipes I am developing! I have been a private chef, a line cook, a supper club host, a catering cook, and a few other titles. But my favorite place to make food is in my family’s home for all the people I love dearly. I also love to travel and share the food and traditions I learn along the way.

My goal as a content creator, dinner party host, and friend is to encourage others to be more creative and confident in the kitchen and at the table. I enjoy sharing low-waste recipes and tricks; I have an ongoing series called “Fridge to Plate”, where I challenge people to grab common household items and make a meal/dish out of them. I am a long-time pescatarian and enjoy making vegetables the star of the show. I believe that food is the ultimate uniter. Sitting around a table filled with different foods and people of different cultures and traditions is something I hope we can all experience.

For me, food means love and learning. There is no greater act of love that I can express than to cook. I hope my love for food and flavor comes through in my content. I am in constant pursuit to learn more in the kitchens I work in so that I can share the lessons with the community I am building. If you are not trying new things and making mistakes, then you are not learning in the kitchen! So just go for it and see what happens!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I am doing what I genuinely love, and not many people can say that. I sadly know a lot of 20-something-year-olds (my friends and people on the internet) getting caught up in a job/career they couldn’t care less about. I have always disliked the belief that you should work a job that pays the bills and keep your passions for the weekends. In the world that we live in, we often have to work many hours of our lives, so I want to enjoy them. I understand not everyone has the privilege to have this perspective, but why stay in a miserable job that doesn’t fill up your cup? There are always doors open, new jobs to explore, and different versions of yourself that you can test out.

I believe in balance and living life, but I also know that working and needing to make money is a reality. I’ve never been a conventional 9-5 type of person. I get bored easily and love change because it is what makes me grow out of my comfort zone. So, I love having a creative job. Every day is what I make it. Some months, I have no idea if I’ll be able to pay rent, and others, I can travel across the world. Every day is an opportunity to grow as a person and as a cook. As scary and hard as it can be, I know this is the path I am meant to take right now. Working in a creative space means that you get to personify and make something tangible out of all the beauty, color, and ideas you have in your head.

Using my hands and creativity every day to create something new, something that wasn’t there before, is so rewarding and fun for me. My advice for anyone who has always dreamt of creating something but has gotten stuck working in a field they don’t care about

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

You never know what it will be like, how people will receive it, or how it will make you feel until you just do it, create it, and share it. And once you put it out there, try not to get caught up in the numbers. From the outside looking, social media, food, and content creation could all be seen as “fun easy job”. But once you’ve done it you will know just how much work it takes. Being constantly judged on your creativity and nuance is a hard thing to mentally adjust to. I tend to be hard on myself when it comes to the food I make, but what I’ve learned is that it is more about the way the food makes people feel rather than the food itself. I want people to feel something through my food whether that be yummy-ness, nostalgia, comfort, or interest. My food doesn’t always have to be the most exciting and elegant, it just has to be authentic to me.

What I am continually learning is that as long as you are proud of what you create, how others perceive you shouldn’t matter. You will find the people who love what you do and support you and your creations, and you will find those who don’t. But your success and pride in your work should come from within. Some of the Instagram recipes I create that I am most proud of and stoked about have done the worst as far as numbers, and some of the content I’ve put little effort into have done surprisingly well. You just never know which way the ball will roll.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kamsplate.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamsplate/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kami.hoban
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameryn-hoban-207/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu7hs9rHQ0qDF6n-aoHplYA
• Other: Website coming soon!