Warm, light, and sweet – those are all the qualities that exude from Foodtalk blogger and Creator of the Month, Katelyn Ryan.
I quickly learned that Katelyn’s character matches her blog content (check out her blog Sugary Logic) and am so excited to share her thoughts, processes, and passions with the Hometalk, Inc. readers.
I saw that you attended pastry school, can you tell me a little more about how you got started in cooking and what drew you to pastry school?
I actually started school for restaurant management and then I took some culinary classes, and then I took some pastry classes. I fell in love with the pastry – so I changed my major and did pastry specifically. From there I took a pastry chef job at a popular restaurant near my home where I was promoted pretty quickly to Lead Pastry Chef. So, that was a fantastic experience.
From there, I worked front and back of the house at different restaurants so I could learn both aspects of the business.
When did you decide to create your blog, Sugary Logic?
I started the blog in 2017, but I started taking it really seriously at the end of 2019.
When I originally started blogging it was mostly sweets, but I also fell in love with cooking as I cooked through the years. So, now I do savory and sweet on my food blog which both seem to be very popular.
Was there a specific moment that made you want to get into blogging?
I was looking for another avenue with food. Specifically, I wanted to be creative with my own recipes and share that. You know, with restaurant jobs it’s not really your own, which can sometimes be hard.
In 2020, I lost my job due to the pandemic since I was in the food industry. I took that time to really hone in on growing my blog – which has been successful.
Your pictures and recipes are amazing. You joined Foodtalk a little over a month ago, but in the month of September, 9 of the top 20 most viewed recipes on Food talk were Sugary Logic recipes. That truly says so much about your recipe and content creation. With that said, is there something that really helps you find inspiration in your recipe creation?
I focus primarily on making simple, approachable recipes. My main goal is to create something that people will make again and again. Something you can make any day of the week. For instance, my bolognese sauce recipe. That’s a 3-hour cooking process that I brought down to a 30-minute cooking time. I just use that idea for recipes that people can make any day, any time. I think that’s why some of my recipes do well – because they’re simple, approachable, and anyone can make it.
Food photography is another thing you learn over time. I actually use my iPhone for my photos and use Adobe Lightroom to edit.
Do you have any favorite recipes or favorite things to cook?
I really love to make (I love to eat them, too!) scones. Everyone loves scones. Those do really well. My recipe for Dill Scones With Feta Cheese is really, really good. They’re buttery and the cheese kind of melts into them. I like pasta, as well. Obviously, everyone likes pasta.
Any advice for food bloggers just starting out?
Definitely hone in on things that people want to make, not just what you want to make. Also, take it as an opportunity to teach others. It’s important to break down the recipes and be open to sharing the knowledge you have to help others recreate the recipes you’re proud of. The one thing I’ve learned throughout this whole process is patience. Continue to work hard and pay attention to changes and algorithms. Continue to be patient because it takes time.
What is your favorite platform to use right now?
Besides Foodtalk Daily, definitely Pinterest. I’ve found that has been the most successful in terms of bringing people to my blog, and I’ve found that the Pinterest Idea Pins are huge as well.
How do you plan your content and what you post? Do you go by seasonality, following trends, or just wherever you feel?
More so seasonality. With blogging, you have to prepare ahead of time because it does take time to cycle through. I have certain recipes I know perform well during certain times of the year.
I also focus on keywords and things that are searched or trending based on the keyword when planning content, too. I’ve put in a lot of hours learning SEO – that was an aspect I really struggled with in the beginning because it is very technical and a lot to learn.
How did you hear about Foodtalk and what made you want to join?
I heard about it originally on Instagram, but I saw another fellow food blogger using it and she said she had a lot of growth from it. So, I signed up and posted some recipes and immediately got some great feedback and more views. It’s been fantastic honestly. I’ve really seen an uptick because of Foodtalk.
See more of Katelyn’s recipes on her Foodtalk profile, blog, or Instagram.
If you are interested in the Blogger Traffic Program for Hometalk, Foodtalk, or Upstyle check out the details on the Hometalk, Inc. Influencer Hub. Meet the Creator of the Month: Katelyn Ryan from Sugary Logic
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