Famed Cookbook Author Joshua Weissman Ditched His Chef Job For YouTube

This is the time of year when Americans probably think too much about food, and that’s music to the ears of Joshua Weissman, who has lived for food his entire life. At just 24-years of age he has already become an influential cookbook author, food blogger and advocate. Coming from a long line of family cooks, his story is similar to other people who work professionally with food but in his case, he’s also employed social media platforms and is active on Twitter (@therealweissman), Tik Tok (@flakeysalt) and Instagram (@joshuaweissman) to help spread his food-based message to the masses.

“My entire family is full of passionate and skilled cooks/bakers,” explained Weissman. “My mom got me started on cooking when I was about three years old and it really took hold of me when I was five. From then on, I was very focused on getting very good at it.”

He launched his YouTube channel in February 2014 and now has more than 3.1 million subscribers. Weissman even offered up a way to make a whole Thanksgiving meal that serves 10-15 people for $35 or less.

Since launching his channel he’s become one of the hottest cooking sensations on the platform, and said that the channel allows him to share his wealth of knowledge of food to his followers.

“I knew I had a unique point of view and a big reason for my passion is that oftentimes I want people to have as much fun as I do thinking about, tasting, or learning about food as I do. It comes from an urge to share and also teach,” Weissman added.

While he’s already become an entrepreneur, chef and content creator, YouTube has allowed him to take it even further.

“The funny thing is that my main goal has always been to be able to control my path,” Weissman explained. “I know what I want in life and what I care about. So I’ve always had a very high sense of urgency to work for myself even before any of the work I do now. As soon as I saw that I was in a good spot both skill-wise and financially, I immediately took the leap with absolutely zero fear. I knew it was time to get moving.

“I’ve learned that I have more mental and physical stamina than most people, and that the biggest controllable factor in anyone’s success is their ability to work,” he added.

Reaching A Wide Audience

The California native wrote his first cookbook when he was just 17 years old, and in addition to providing tasty recipes, The Slim Palate Paleo Cookbook also served to offer healthy fare – which helped him lose weight while still sharing his love of food.

YouTube has allowed him to connect to his followers in a way that that a book alone couldn’t provide. So much so that he quit his job at a major restaurant to pursue his YouTube channel time.

“I’m a big people person,” Weissman noted. “I definitely have my issues with humanity as does anyone else. But social media is the greatest form of human connection I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s not only helped me engage with people on a personal level but it’s also just helped me understand people on a really empathetic level. At the risk of sounding cornier than a bucket of popcorn, we all need a little more empathy and love towards each other. So yes, I think the greatest way to interact with an audience would be social media without a doubt.”

Social media has also helped direct him as he works on his next cookbook.

“Everything I do on a daily basis is a constant analysis of what I can do to provide value for people. Interacting with my homies on any social platform, via email, or even letter very strongly affects how I write my book,” explained Weissman. “I’m writing a book based directly on people’s needs. Plus a little bit of my own selfish creative direction.”

The Role Of Technology

One of the factors that may have helped play a role in Weissman’s – as well as other chefs and cooks on YouTube – case has been the advent of the smart TV. While tablets are easy to bring to the kitchen these aren’t the same as that TV set that has graced countertops for time eternal.

With YouTube built in, it brings Weissman and other social media chefs direct to the kitchen – much like how Julia Child and Graham Kerr connected with the audience.

“Consumption of media on the Internet is so normalized and widespread now that it’s inevitable that we will have accessibility on every single device that connects to the Internet,” said Weissman. “People are going to find their favorite way to watch depending on their habits, but with that said, I absolutely believe it helps because it makes for a more universal way to enjoy any form of media.”

2020 will also go down as the year that more and more people turned to YouTube as the Covid-19 pandemic upended life. And with many restaurants closed or dining restricted, there has been an uptick of those who don’t want to just open a can or pop in another microwave meal, which has created new interest in actually cooking.

“The pandemic has forced people to look at their dependence on other sources rather than their own ability to cook when it comes to feeding themselves,” noted Weissman. “It’s made a massive impact on people’s approach to food and I think it may help create a healthier viewpoint about cooking at home. But also support those restaurants; they definitely need it right now.”

This is very true as generation Z reaches adulthood, and shows that it has more interest in cooking than millennials or generation X, which was happiest ordering off menus. As a member of that generation, Weissman believes others his age will embrace the joy of cooking.

“I do, massively so. They’re more interested and knowledgeable about food and drink. You can see it reflected in popular culture, you see more kids cooking. It’s like a slingshot effect, which stems from all the previous generations over depending on convenience.”

Far From Overdone

For Weissman, who said that nothing beats a beautifully cooked steak and some sourdough bread, he is still just getting started.

“I’m 24 years old and so proud of how far my team and I have come, but there is a lot of work to be done. It’s not just a numbers game to me. We, of course, will continue to build upon everything that we already have, but I’m looking to add tons of new things in the world of both internet and traditional media. The list goes on and on. It feels like I’ve genuinely just begun.”