Meet Brandi.jae | Culinary Artist & Food Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandi.jae and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandi.jae, why did you pursue a creative career?
From childhood, I have always been a creative/artistic in nature. I always gravitated to the arts of many forms: poetry, painting, dancing, drawing, etc. As an adult, we often forget about our childhood loves and talents when we go through the motions of day to day living (work, school, families, etc), leaving our childhood dreams on the back burner. During the pandemic, I had more time to tap into that creative space once again, and I realized a career in the artistic/creative field is something that would fulfill me more, and I would get to inspire others as well.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Vibez Food Studio didn’t always start as it is today. I originally started just posting videos of me trying to find my way around the kitchen during the pandemic when everything was shut down. People took a liking to it, and asked me to post more. It then lead to me being asked to cook meals for others, which evolved into me starting a meal prep service. I did that for a few months but I felt like it held me back from my full potential as a cook, because it limited the ingredients I could use. The meal prep just didn’t “feel” like me anymore so I rebranded into Vibez Food Studio, a place where I can show case my cooking skills on a larger scale. I’m all about good vibes so this name seemed very fitting. After posting videos and pictures for a while, I became interested in the food photography industry, which lead to me teaching myself the new skill, and getting serious about a career in it.

I am still in the early processes of converting my art into the professional world, so I still have a lot to learn. One of the most challenging aspects of turning your art into a business is “burn out”. I received so much love from people that want to see more from me, but I had to do it at my pace, and when I was ready. I was at a point where cooking was no longer fun because I felt pressured to meet everyone else’s expectations. I figured out a way to do it on my terms, and still enjoy what I do by taking a step back and creating a plan. That was the best thing I could have done. I am now on my way to transition my art into a fulfilling career, and I am excited about it.

My art is something people can relate to. I was someone who really didn’t know how to cook much and for those who have followed my journey, you can see the improvements through my posts. I love to get messages, and comments from people saying that I inspired them to get into the kitchen more and just “try’; that’s the first step. Vibez Food Studio is a direct reflection of myself and how I am in real life: fun, taking chances, and creating good vibes for all who I encounter. I thought it was important to add music that is not necessarily “trendy” to my posts, but more of songs that I actually like. Authenticity goes a long way and I pride myself for staying true to that. I want people see themselves in my journey when they think of Vibez Food Studio. Don’t be afraid to try something new, you never know what talents you can uncover. Express your art how you see fit, and have a great time doing it!

Good vibez. Good food. Good mood.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting Atlanta, Ga for the week, I would start off with chill vibes and go to Puttshack. I like fun activities and that seems like a nice place to begin. Then hit a couple lounges because you can’t visit Atlanta without experiencing the night life. I like Sivas in Midtown, the buffalo chicken wraps are so good, and Elleven 45 is a nice vibe as well. You have to hit up a mall since there are so many, but Perimeter Mall is always a go to and Phipps Plaza if you’re a lil fancy. I like Avalon in Alpharetta too. The High Museum of Art is a must! I’m a foodie so most places I go will probably involve food. With that being said, Tacos and Tequila, Hugo’s Oyster Bar, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, and you can’t Atlanta without brunch vibes, so Toast on Lenox is good place to go, just to name a few. There is so much to do here so these aren’t even all the places I would go.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to the family, friends, and those I may not know personally that have supported my journey from day one. Anything they have ever bought from me, shared on social media, and recommending my work to others, I cannot thank you all enough. You keep me going for sure. I’d also like to mention blogs such as the Bite Shot and Food Photography School for sharing so much information that helped me not only improve my photography skills, but helped me figure out the business aspect of the food photography industry as well.

Website: vibezfoodstudio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vibezfoodstudio

Image Credits
Brandi.jae (Brandi Hooks)