Meet Thoroughly Modern Milly

Food blogger Milly Kenny-Ryder has been able to turn her hobby into a viable lifestyle.

Food bloggers and Instagrammers seem to be everywhere right now. They always take the best pictures and get to taste the most exotic food. It’s strange to imagine that this is their life. They actually get paid to do this.

Kenny-Ryder, 29, has been blogging for eight years and started when she returned to London after studying in Manchester. “I love having a broad knowledge on food and eating culture in London, but most of all I love sharing my passion online and hearing the responses from followers all over the world. The food community online is lovely and seeing other food influencers is always fun.”

She started her blog around the time that blogging just started to get popular. Her blog, “Thoroughly Modern Milly” started off as a way to put her creative ideas into an online diary which has grown ever since. Alongside blogging, she also writes guidebooks for her company Weekend Journals, is a freelance photographer and a social media consultant.

Most bloggers will have a niche on which they will focus their content. For Kenny-Ryder that niche is fine dining. “The niche evolves all the time but I would say fine dining culture is of particular interest, because I love photographing the beautiful plates of food and the food and cultures I discover on my travels.”

Her business, Weekend Journals has published a travel book focussed on Cornwall. The website describes the book as “a new, inspirational, travel book for design-conscious travellers, featuring a curated selection of places across the county”. The book includes many travel tips and recommendations and stunning pictures of the English coast. Her next book will be about Provence where she will be spending the summer as part of her research.

Queency Neto, a 24-year-old nurse in North London has just started her own food blog on Instagram. Neto focusses on healthy food and clean eating. “I like trying out new recipes that are also healthy and getting creative with ingredients. I’m just trying it out for myself and anyone who is interested can see my stuff online but it’s just a hobby really.” Many people have amateur photography accounts on Instagram and Neto is one of them. She has no intention of giving up her nursing job to pursue photography or full-time blogging but just does it for fun.

Maybe you yourself have considered starting a blog or a professional Instagram account, bear in mind that you only see the successful ones. Kenny-Ryder’s top tip for budding bloggers is to stay true to yourself and to share pictures and posts on things you are truly passionate about. She also recommends posting regularly and being consistent in order to keep your followers interested.

Check out Milly's blog on http://www.thoroughlymodernmilly.com/