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Veteran 5280 contributor and restaurant critic Allyson Reedy published her third recipe collection, The Phone Eats First Cookbook, this spring. In a world of influencers, filters, and rapidly shortening attention spans, Reedy’s newest work takes things offline, showcasing 50 of social media’s most viral recipes in print format—pretty meta, if you ask us.
“I started thinking about our culture today, how obsessed we are with aesthetics—especially on Instagram and TikTok. I wanted to take all those viral foods and actually analyze them, almost like a restaurant critic would,” Reedy explains. “Because let’s be honest, not all viral recipes are created equal.”
This latest venture follows her first two projects, 50 Things to Bake Before You Die and 30 Breads to Bake Before You Die.
To curate the recipes in her new book, Reedy focused on three things: taste, presentation, and the “vibe” of the content creator behind the dish. She also made every single recipe herself, and estimates that there about 30 “rejects” that didn’t make the cut.
As a self-described non-chef, Reedy gravitates toward recipes that simplify things in the kitchen. Her book highlights creative hits like lasagna soup by @themodernnonna, homemade crunch wraps (yes, like the Taco Bell menu item) by @lehandrabreanne, and dalgona coffee chocolate cake by @kickassbaker. While some, like Japanese soufflé pancakes by @pollypocketsy, might pose a challenge, most are comfortably within reach for the home cook.“I’m always looking for hacks, ways to make things quicker, easier, and more fun. And that’s what social media really specializes in,” Reedy says.
Reedy hypothesizes that there are three intangibles that make a recipe go viral. Like most content on the internet, popularity first and foremost depends on its eye-catching qualities—how pretty is it? But she also argues that cleverness and nostalgia are secret ingredients to success. “Like making sushi in an ice cube tray [referring to a hack by @mitz_tiang found in her book], it’s the kind of idea that makes you go, ‘Wow, why didn’t I think of that?’ ” she says. “And anything that taps into that sense of nostalgia, especially for us ’90s kids who grew up with things like cosmic brownies [referring to the copycat recipe by @handletheheat, also found in her book], tends to get really big online.”
It’s not just influencers, however, who do the posting. Social media has changed most people’s relationship to food. For the average user, Reedy suggests the impulse to post a perfectly oozing egg yolk or a beautiful burrata-stuffed sandwich is partially derived from the desire to make your friends and followers just a little jealous. “Sometimes we post out of vanity. Maybe you want your ex or frenemies to see you’re living your best life,” she says. “It’s also about being cool, like who discovered the most underground taco truck or the most obscure restaurant.”
Beyond surface-level motivations to post, Reedy also points out that social media is a gateway to global flavors—and, hopefully, a gateway to greater empathy for other cultures. She describes the birria taco trend as an example. “I’d say seven or eight years ago, most non-Mexican Americans had never even heard of birria tacos. Then, around 2018, an influencer in L.A. posted [about them]. They were glistening, dripping with consomé, cheese oozing out—super photogenic. That was like the post heard around the world,” Reedy says. “I would hope seeing something like those tacos or Japanese soufflé pancakes or boba tea inspires people to learn more about those cultures and promote understanding.”
If you’re looking to add some delicious inspiration to your feed, here are five local foodies who Reedy personally follows and recommends checking out.
5 Local Foodies To Follow on Instagram Right Now
@sailor_bailey
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“Bailey [Rhatigan] is one of the only big recipe creators from Colorado that I know personally, and I really like her style. I included her pesto egg avocado toast in the book.”
@dougheyedblog
“Nicole [Hampton] specializes in high-altitude baking, which I love because I’m more of a baker than a cook. She’s all about carbs. I follow her for high-altitude dessert, biscuit, and bread recipes. Her cakes are especially impressive; she has a fluffy strawberry champagne cake that I really want to try.”
@milehighandhungry
“Haley [Paez] is great at spotlighting new spots. Her page really levels the playing field. Anyone with a phone can help make a dish or restaurant go viral, and I think that’s powerful. She recently posted about the Great Greek Mediterranean Grill in Westminster that’s near me and I didn’t even know about it.”
@chow_milehigh
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“Kelsey [Osborn] is another creator who’s great at discovering hidden gems. She recently posted about a Dubai chocolate strawberry cup from Crave Cookies. I’m obsessed with anything pistachio, especially the Dubai stuff, so now I need to go try that.”
@newdenizen
“Laura [Young] is incredibly transparent, probably the most transparent person in the local food scene. She’d hate being called an influencer, but she really is one—in the best way. I trust her more than anyone. She’ll go to sponsored events, but she also dines out on her own and always gives an honest take.”
The Phone Eats First Cookbook is available now wherever books are sold. Follow Allyson Reedy on Instagram at @allysoneatsden for more kitchen inspiration and food hot takes. If you try out any recipes in the book, include the hashtag #ThePhoneEatsFirstCookbook (to help you become an online sensation, of course).
