Intro and photography by Fitz
Article by Debra Freeman
Yummo Bucko, Inside Virginia, I-Heart-Food, Nomarama, Slice & Torte, J David Hillery …just a handful of the many independent and local food journalists, bloggers, vloggers, photographers, podcasters, and event organizers that are constantly shaping the food scene in The 757 / Hampton Roads area of Virginia. It’s more than a bit curious to see so many passionate influencers with substantial social media followers and event drawing power juxtaposed by a local restaurant industry in which many of its members over the years have told Southern Grit that the food scene is years behind places like Richmond, Virginia or Asheville, North Carolina. Is the volume of these influencers and the support for them an aberration? Could it be a reflection of a void that is easily filled by any Johnny-come-lately speaking to the lackluster food scene? Or is the support for them illuminating a hater mentality in the local restaurant industry that is not rooted in the actual vibrancy of our culinary landscape? Could the longevity of several of these influencers, in some cases more than eight years in operation, point to a misunderstood and thriving scene? We’re leaning toward the latter, but that debate aside, the following influencers in this section are just a few that have and continue to work to shape Hampton Roads’ food scene to reflect their passionate visions.
Part 1: Remarkably Ostentatious & Yummo Bucko
If you are a foodie living in Hampton Roads and spend time on Facebook, you’ve probably seen a video pop up in your timeline by Yummo Bucko. Yummo Bucko is the energetic, gregarious, and over-the-top online persona of Jamel Spalding, who has catapulted onto the 757 food scene with food reviews of local and chain restaurants throughout the area with more than 100,000 followers.
When watching his Facebook videos, you’ll notice his hands are akimbo while his voice becomes staccato and emphatic when describing a dish. Weekly, thousands of his viewers tune in to his self produced videos clamoring to see if what he’s eating gets an enthusiastic “yummo bucko!” thumbs-up or the unfortunate “not yummo bucko” thumbs-down critique.
Spalding filming at Mango Mango Desserts in Virginia Beach, VA
Spalding grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia and took courses in television while still in high school. Originally, he wanted to be a news anchor, but has found his career has taken a slightly different path since 2017, when he happened to shoot video at a restaurant with his phone while having dinner one night. “I went to Shaking Crab with my mother, and I actually took time to edit the video in iMovie, and put it on my personal page,” said Spalding. That video showed Spalding that he was onto something special. It went viral and has been shared over 5,000 times – and that was just the beginning.
His best friend and business partner, Cory Johnson, saw the response to that initial video, and suggested he begin posting as Yummo Bucko (which means “good food”) and the page began to grow steadily. “I asked my friends to like and follow the page, and eventually I started learning about algorithms, which has helped.” Spalding also began editing his videos while keeping in mind that some viewers have a short attention spans.
Johnson and Spalding at Mango Mango Desserts in Virginia Beach, VA
Word of mouth coupled with Spalding’s larger than life personality on camera has spilled over into his everyday life – people now recognize him when he’s out in public, he’s invited to industry events, and restaurants regularly see an up tick in sales after videos of him eating at their restaurants are posted online.
For Spalding, his popularity is due to his faith and embracing who he is. “I could not do anything without God…people have gotten comfort and healing from watching,” he said. “I’m trying to be positive while building a community. I’m relatable and I embrace who I am without being cocky.”
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Although Spalding is still developing how to best navigate the social media process, he is starting to think beyond Hampton Roads. He wants to expand to the YouTube platform, work with other food influencers, and plans to have his own phone app in the future. Spalding first plans to branch out into the Richmond area next, and his dream is to go travel to New York to do videos there. “I also want to grow in my knowledge of food…I don’t cook or know technical terms…but I have the ability to make food look good,” said Spalding, and his followers would readily agree.
For more on Jamel Spalding and Yummo Bucko, visit: facebook.com/YummoBucko
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