Article by Josh Gregory
Photo by Fitz
Gathering the Gourmands Part 3- Culver’s Capture
Years ago, when Shelby Culver enlisted the help of her husband, George, to assist with meals for their family, it’s doubtful she envisioned her husband as a future Hampton Roads food influencer. Nor is it likely she envisioned a world in which the 757 food scene would be portrayed, in large part, through her husband’s camera lens. Flash forward to 2020 and George Culver’s brand and blog, I Heart Food, has grown by leaps and bounds. Recently, we caught up with Culver to ask a few questions about his popular blogs history:
SG: What year did you start I Heart Food?
GC: Before there was an ‘I Heart Food’ moniker, I was pretty active on the old app Foodspotting for a couple of years and started cooking a lot at the time – this was part of what motivated me to start posting food and restaurant related photos. I officially went with the name ‘I Heart Food’ in February 2011, and my first platform was Tumblr.
SG: When did you realize I Heart Food was more than a casual hobby?
GC: When people started asking me for recommendations I would ask myself, ‘why do they care what I think?’ and I began to realize that I started to have a reach through my work, and people were paying attention to what was available out there. That was nice.
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SG: With your cooking being a part of I Heart Food, was it your interest in cooking that made you want to engage with chefs/restaurants?
GC: I want to learn… when the scene here started to grow, I was excited to meet the creators in the kitchens – to know what influenced them, what their inspiration was. I consider all of them my friends and I’m interested in what they’re doing.
SG: What are your thoughts about the scene here?
GC: So much creativity and passion is out there, people trying to make their way. I’m honored to be able to see it grow the way it has.
For more on Culver and I Heart Food, visit- I-Heart-Food.com
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