Today we’d like to introduce you to Junemy Pantig.
Junemy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started food blogging at the beginning of 2016. And to be honest, I started this purely out of convenience for my friends. I used to post my food on my personal Instagram, but as soon as people started asking me for recommendations on where to eat or were struggling to dig through my personal feed for that specific food post, it was a repetitive hassle, therefore, I created a food Instagram to make it easier for everyone. I wasn’t sure where I was going with this because it was just a hobby solely to share my food adventures that everyone can experience themselves someday. Being a San Diego native, Southeast San Diego to be exact, I wanted to give back to the community that raised me.
Now, that I closed a chapter on school and traveling, I volunteered to help throw my community’s first-night market event in Paradise Hills. Being given the role of social media coordinator has nurtured and motivated me to improve my craft in social media and tell our people’s stories in the most bonafide way, which led to a job opportunity by managing the marketing of a dessert shop called Snoice. Shortly after, I moved up as the marketing director for the 2nd annual Paradise Hills Night Market occurring this November 24th at Penn Athletic Field.
I am very grateful for the acquired skills, knowledge, and experience that have helped me flourish in the foodie world since I’ve gained opportunities to curate content for others than myself. This journey has taught me the value of what social media can do and how I can grow. It gives me a platform to be creative, become transparent with my audience, and manifest my passion for food. It’s a gastronomic delight that has brought me to where I am today with not only taking everyone on a simple food journey but helping them recognize and appreciate the backbone of food.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When the road gets rough, you still ride through it to get to your destination, right? That’s absolutely what I had to do to overcome struggles. Above the surface, social media does not sleep and your camera always eats before you do, trust! I have to constantly keep up with my content while finding my niche and balance in all of this because time management and self-care is so important. Beyond the surface, the marketing industry tends to be male-dominated but please don’t let that scare you! I was blessed to be welcomed in with open arms and so much support while taking on that challenge of contributing ingenuity and captivating authenticity. It can be intimidating at first, jumping over hurdles of ignorance and criticism but through it all, never let anyone discredit you, ever! Allow yourself to shine bright with no regret, which leads to my advice for young women starting off:
1) Your goal is to be flawless but embrace being novice! It’s ok to start off with unappealing food pictures. We all don’t start off pro! I’ll admit before I took this seriously, my pictures were the least appetizing to look at. Over-editing, ugly unnecessary filters, unsuitable lighting, and angles, it’s like I catfished my food! With a lot of learning, tutorials, and mentorship, your craft will thrive! Take this moment to discover yourself and your brand.
2) Be yourself. Authenticity comes a long way. It won’t be easy as you’ll face resistance and disagreements but at the end of the day, you won’t get heat for being a disillusion. Engage with your audience. We all appreciate genuine connection. After all, you are the influencer. It’s our commitment to save a seat at the table for our followers to enjoy the journey with us. So always keep it 100 with yourself and everyone around you.
3) Don’t be afraid to take risks. If you feel it in your gut to do it, then what are you waiting for? Take that leap of faith or you’ll never discover your ability to push past your limits and flourish. Most of our setbacks have taught us to bounce back and work even harder, so embrace your mistakes because it’ll only make you wiser.
4) Never lose sight of your vision (figuratively speaking — and yes, literal too. Eat your carrots). There are so many people and things that can get in your way, which leads to my next point…
5) Be unapologetic. This journey is yours. Not theirs. Quite often, we are so used to saying, “I’m sorry.” But for what? For being yourself? Nah. Your highest priority is YOU. Make choices that make you feel good. “Do you boo-boo!”
Please tell us about Gastronemy.
I am the owner and content creator of Gastronemy. The story behind the name, thanks to my best friend, came from the word gastronomy, which means the practice of eating and cooking good food. My nickname is Nem, so to incorporate that as a play-on-words, was a dope concept. My brand mainly showcases what I eat and drink but I do specialize in food photography and marketing management. What I’m most proud of is the growth of my content and in the camaraderie that I’ve gained along the way. Being part of an amazing group of brand influencers for Zipkick has shown me what connection is all about. It exemplifies the genuine support of local businesses and influencers alike through food. Community over the competition is what I stand for.
Who have you been inspired by?
First and foremost, a big shout out to my mom! She’s the most strong, intelligent, and the fiercest woman I know. I grew thick skin and didn’t take BS from anyone because of her. As a daughter of immigrant parents, I appreciate the heck out of them for working so hard and sacrificing so much for my brothers and me to provide the best life for us. I owe it all to them especially my mom for holding it down and molding me into this young, ambitious woman destined to chase after goals, accomplish them, and strive to be better than yesterday. Second, my best friend. Beauty and brains, she’s got the whole package. We’ve been best friends for almost 2 decades and I respect her so much as a scholar and woman. Just like me, she’s a GOAL digger, always hungry for growth, knowledge, and success. Together, we’ve developed traits of integrity and congeniality. And I wouldn’t have it any other way with anyone else. Lastly, the women who run the social media world. I am so grateful to have such a tight-knit group of foodie sisters who elevate me. They are full of creativity, respect, and wisdom, just cultivating a positive and uplifting social media environment. They’re all different but so inspiring in their own ways and they give me strength, motivation, and aspiration to continuously do what I do.
“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.” – Unknown
Pricing:
- Culinary photography: $25/hour
- Social media management: $1,000/month
Contact Info:
- Email: gastronemy@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gastronemy/
Image Credit:
Jason Surmillon, Vince Lymburn, Joseph Nerona
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here
