Meet Sara Cunningham | Instagram Influencer (Food)

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

Hi Sara, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Creativity has always been a part of me and is naturally something I bring into everything I do. Even from a young age, I was always pretty outside the box and messed around with my parents’ cameras and made little videos with friends. So even though what I am doing is just for fun and not a “job,” it’s been a great way to push myself and get to experiment with new things.

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.
As an Instagram “influencer” and food enthusiast, your Instagram handle is arguably the most vital component. It’s your brand and a critical identifier of how people will remember you. So after taking a lot of time brainstorming a name, I finally landed on UnderTheDish. The meaning behind the name is straightforward. It’s not just about showing off beautiful food and creating “food porn,” but it’s also a way to share the story behind the food, restaurant, and chef.

After joining the Instagram world, I realized that the food community is incredibly saturated and filled with dozens of people trying to do the same thing — gain followers. So when I started my account, I knew I wanted my work to be different and unique from a majority of the pre-existing accounts. I love creating video content, so that’s what I’ve been focusing on. And honestly, I really haven’t seen a lot of Atlanta food accounts utilize video, so it worked out pretty well.

At the end of the day, the work that I produce is something that I hope people enjoy, share with others, and learn something new. Additionally, I want all of the work I post to be something that I’m proud of. Throughout the months that I’ve been doing this, I have learned so much about photography, videography, editing, food styling, the restaurant business, and more. I am also continuously learning from myself by testing new concepts/ideas and from others. I haven’t always been satisfied with my work, but making mistakes and trying new things has helped me grow my brand and find my style.

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.
That’s a really tough question because there are so many great diverse spots in Atlanta. And, as someone who grew up in Atlanta, I am in no way an expert. In fact, most people who lived here for only a couple of months have visited many more Atlanta landmarks and restaurants than I have.

Recently I have been visiting a lot of local farmers’ markets and love it! I really want to try and support my community and think it’s a great way to get outside and connect with them. I would definitely recommend going because there are some great finds! So far, I’ve been to the one in Decatur, Oakhurst, and the one on Peachtree Road.

As a food lover, it’s hard to name my favorite places and probably forgot so many great ones, but here are a few to start:
– Waffle House: a Georgia classic! Since I was a kid, I’ve been going to Waffle House and desperately missed it when I was away for college in Pennsylvania. I usually get the all star or patty melt!
– Southern Sweets: some of the best desserts, especially cakes! I love the old fashion chocolate cake. They also have plenty of vegan options too!
– Your Dekalb Farmers Market: a grocery store, but not your traditional grocery store. Many out-of-towners love walking around and checking out their in-house products. They really do have great products and exotic foods!
– Poco Loco: awesome burritos made with local ingredients wrapped in a homemade tortilla. They have a new menu weekly and it is such a friendly place.
– Sushi Avenue: I’ve been going there since I was itty bitty, and has that home feeling for me. I wasn’t a big sushi eater back in the day, so I would get their tofu steak, and now, even though I eat sushi, I still get it because it’s so good.
– MF Sushi: now, a sushi eater, you have to go to MF Sushi! If you want to splurge a little, get omakase. It’s a beautiful dinner with such delicate flavors.
– Buford Highway: tons and tons of restaurants – they literally have everything! My favorite used to be Chef Liu, but it sadly closed. I don’t have a go-to over there, but I do like J-Bistro, La Mei Zi, Lanzhou Ramen, and Cho Dang Tofu House.
– Food Halls: food halls seem to be taking over Atlanta. Ponce City Market has a great rooftop with games, drinks, and entertainment which I highly recommend checking out. I’ve also been to the new Chattahoochee Food Works a couple of times and loved it. It’s smaller than PCM but still has plenty of options!
– Revolution Doughnuts: another place I’ve gone to for years and love both their cake and yeast donuts.
– Community Q BBQ: killer BBQ, but you have to get the mac and cheese – it’s uber creamy!
– Glide Pizza: giant NY-style pizza with epic ranch dipping sauce! I was unsure about the ranch sauce, but wow, it’s a must.
– Canoe: I usually go here for a special event/celebration since it is a high-scale restaurant with lovely views of the Chattahoochee. All of their food is so good, and their dessert is to die for.

Other things to check out:
– Truist Park: as a big Braves fan, you have to go to a game! The Battery also has a lot of fun things to do as well. And shoutout to them for winning the World Series!
– Beltline: a nice walking area with many events and happenings. Also great food options around!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
For most things in life, I have to shout out to my family and friends for supporting me. My work might look glamorous by going to events and trying new restaurants, but in reality, it requires a lot of work. So, taking time out of their day to help me is extremely helpful and greatly appreciated.

I’d also like to give a special thanks to all of the fantastic people I have met through my journey so far. Establishing yourself in a new environment is always tricky, but it has been incredibly seamless because everyone is so welcoming and friendly. It can be intimidating to put yourself out there, but I’ve enjoyed meeting so many inspiring chefs and restaurant owners.

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

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=YAso4uu9O8I1rIZhbBS_Zg

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUoNY0SXSG4qAZjaMFDqSoQ