Today we’d like to introduce you to Rich Herrera
Hi Rich, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started the Eat Your Content podcast back in January 2023. I binge-watched The Bear Season 1 and the first thing I wanted to do was talk about it. Specifically, I wanted to connect with some chef friends and discuss the show from a food and restauranteur perspective. How close did the show compare to the real-life struggles of opening and operating a restaurant? I collaborated with Chef Dennis Chan of Blue Bamboo in Mandarin and we had an in-depth discussion about the show. He offered some great insight into the inner workings of the restaurant industry and how The Bear was able to realistically capture those feelings and struggles all budding restaurateurs deal with daily.
That first recording was the birth of Eat Your Content and I felt like I had something special; talking about food and pop culture with actual chefs and those in the food industry. It’s been about a year and a half as of this writing and in 50-plus episodes of Eat Your Content so far, I’ve:
– Interviewed Chef John Benhase, the chef consultant on the hit movie, “The Menu” staring Ralph Fiennes and Anya-Taylor Joy
– Recapped episodes of Top Chef with Top Chef Season 7 alum Chef Kenny Gilbert
– Interviewed Top Chef contestants, finalists, and winners Chefs Sara Bradley, Buddha Lo, Soo Ahn, and Savannah Miller
– Interviewed Two-Star-Michelin chef and restauranteurs Chef Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser of Ever Restaurant in Chicago about their participation in The Bear Season 2
– Interviewed and did a retrospective with the writer and director of the 2005 cult classic film, “Waiting…”, Rob McKittrick
– Interviewed food safety attorney and advocate Bill Marler and his work on the Netflix documentary, “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth about Your Food.”
In between covering widely recognized figures of food and pop culture, I’ve done episodes with a local focus on the food scene here in Jacksonville. In October of 2023, I dedicated an entire month’s worth of episodes spotlighting Filipino creatives and chefs in recognition of Filipino American History Month. I interviewed professional photographer Agnes Lopez and her work on the upcoming Jax-based documentary #MoreThanLumpia. I also talked with Jacksonville-based Filipino chefs Jojo Hernandez, Wesley Nogueira, and Melanie Cuartelon about how they bring Filipino food and culture to a wider audience.
And coming soon, I’m doing a series called “The Search for Jacksonville’s Food Identity.” I talk with food writers and historians based in Jacksonville and the Southeastern US to discuss why a city as large as Jacksonville seems to lack a distinct food identity that many other cities our size seem to have.
What started as a fun discussion about a TV show has become a passion project and something I look forward to growing.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
This is a unique question. Starting a podcast nowadays is incredibly easy. The barrier of entry has been lowered so much since podcasting became a thing in the early 2000s. There are many high-quality free options to record, edit, host, and distribute your podcast. In minutes, anyone can create a podcast for the world to enjoy. When I started my podcast, I spent exactly $0 to get those first couple of episodes up and running. I’ve since invested some money and bought some higher-quality gear, but for the most part, almost everyone right now has everything they need to start a podcast: a smartphone and a pair of earbuds.
With that said, because the barrier of entry is so low now, there are thousands, if not millions, of podcasts competing for a finite number of listeners. Trying to find an audience can be discouraging, especially if you think you’re trying to compete with the big media conglomerates that launch podcasts with big-name celebrities. You have to love this to keep doing it. Comparison is the thief of joy. If I tried to compare my subscriber level to Joe Rogan’s, I would’ve quit already.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m the podcast host of Eat Your Content, a podcast about food and pop culture. Right now, I’m a one-person show. I host, write, edit, produce, market, book guests, etc. I also balance a full-time job and marriage. I’m very lucky to have both an understanding and loving spouse and a supportive boss who allows me to pursue this passion.
My podcast’s niche is talking about food and pop culture from the chef or food industry perspective. While many podcasts may cover things like The Bear or Top Chef, I bring on guests who have been there and done that. Listeners get a unique insider look at those things that they won’t get on any other podcast.
I think I’m most proud of the level of guests I’ve been able to get for a little-known podcast with literally tens of followers. I’ve taken a “worst-they-can-say-is-no” approach when asking guests to be on my podcast.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If you love food on TV or movies, you’ll love my podcast. Eat Your Content is available on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. Make sure you like, follow, and subscribe to be notified of new episodes that drop. You can also follow me on socials: TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram – @richherrera and @eatyourcontent.
I’ve also started a merch shop. If you love what you hear on Eat Your Content, please consider supporting it by purchasing some high-quality T-shirts, phone cases, stickers, magnets, etc. on my TeePublic store. A percentage of the sales goes directly to Eat Your Content so I can continue bringing quality podcasts to you. Here’s the link: https://www.teepublic.com/user/eatyourcontent
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bio.site/eatyourcontent
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richherrera/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richherrera1250
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/richherrera
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@EatYourContent?si=wYA-OAgpX4D51otX
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=AgKwIYhgwtpXPnSW6Dx7pQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatyourcontent
