Rise of the ‘chefluencers’: Can China cook up its own Nara Smith?

Dressed in a Lirika Matoshi prairie gown with her trademark bob tucked behind her ears, 22-year-old Nara Smith gets to work prepping her husband’s birthday meal. On the menu is fennel pasta with a side serving of focaccia and mozzarella salad – all made from scratch, of course. Smith’s dulcet tones, perfectly styled outfits and homemade recipes have taken the internet by storm over the past few months, propelling the content creator to become one of the biggest online stars in 2024. According to Launchmetrics, Smith’s average Media Impact Value (MIV) equates to around $948,000. To put that into perspective, influencer Addison Rae’s average MIV sits at approximately $346,000. Smith’s impact hasn’t gone unnoticed by brands. Last month, Marc Jacobs deployed the creator in a post on the brand’s official TikTok account, in which Smith places a mix of flour, eggs, water and red food dye into the oven to create a “delicious, red Marc Jacobs tote bag.” The ad has received over 16 million views so far, and generated $966,000 in MIV, per Launchmetrics data. Smith, who began posting her cooking content late last year, joins a growing band of “chefluencers” gaining internet fame. LA-based Gabriella Leigh Bechtel, aka Gabbriette, also entered the public spotlight last year with her lo-fi cooking tutorials. The antithesis to Smith’s clean-cut, “trad wife”-esque aesthetic, Bechtel’s 1990s grunge style of pencil-thin brows, leather wardrobe and tattoos has catapulted her onto the “it” girl stage. Besides their style, culture analyst and strategist Manèle El Zoghlami believes that the meditative act of meal preparation makes this new wave of influencers particularly engaging. “A lot of influencer content used to focus on unattainable activities like travel and luxury, but with someone like Smith, even though she’s in obvious luxury clothes, you see her doing something calming, like cooking from scratch,” El Zoghlami says. “I think there is also a visual ASMR aspect to their videos – the content is very satisfying to watch.” China’s culinary crowd While culinary-based creators are making a splash in the West, in China, the opportunity remains notably untapped by brands. That’s not to say there isn’t potential. Chinese vlogger Li Ziqi became an internet sensation in 2015 with her soothing day-in-the-life videos set in rural Sichuan, with her cinematic portrayal of farm life and traditional cooking – such as making tofu from scratch – making her one of China’s most influential internet figures. In 2020, Li set a Guinness World Record for the most subscribers on a Chinese-language YouTube channel, amassing over 14 million followers. Self-professed foodie MianYang LiaoLi has also earned star status across China with her cooking content. The KOL, who recreates trending Chinese dishes in her kitchen, has amassed over 1.2 million followers on Xiaohongshu, 11 million fans on the video-based platform BiliBili and 805,000 on YouTube, despite the platform being banned in the mainland. While MianYang and Li boast solid followings, they’re yet to claim the same cultural grip as Bechtel and Smith. Sarah Yam, co-founder of marketing agency Red Digital, says that a recent uptick in food-related content across China may change that. “The concept of food influencers in China, while rooted in the country’s deep and diverse food culture, has seen a significant surge in popularity, particularly since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Yam says, pointing to Xiaohongshu as a key driver. “Food-related content on Xiaohongshu saw a significant rise in viewership during the pandemic, even surpassing beauty-related content.” The app has subsequently witnessed a noticeable increase in niche food influencers, each carving out their own space by “leveraging their unique personalities, passions, and expertise,” Yam adds. Cutting through the noise The ascent of these creators arrives amid attitudes towards influencers souring. By mastering the formula of ASMR-style food content and aesthetics, the likes of Smith and Bechtel can cut through the online noise. There’s also the relatability factor. Smith may be swathed in clouds of organza and Chanel tweed co-ords in her videos, but she’s also a mom of three who candidly shares her struggles with autoimmune issues and skin problems – factors that resonate with her watchers. “People are tired of influencers flaunting a luxurious lifestyle, but with Nara and Gabbriette, you almost forget they’re influencers because you can identify with them in some way while still finding them inspirational,” says El Zoghlami. “People don’t follow them because they think they’re the best chefs. They follow because it’s inspiring to see cool or attractive people doing something they probably could do themselves." As audience expectations surrounding influencer marketing shift, creators are evolving with them. For brands, the diversification of influencer content allows a bigger scope for opportunities – from brand placements (Smith’s partnership with Chanel) to new creative formats (Smith’s Marc Jacob’s campaign) to new product categories (Bechtel teamed up with British leather wear producer R&M Leathers on an apron drop earlier this year). Similar attitudes are unfolding across China. As the mainland storms ahead with its crackdown on wealth-flaunting influencers, pivoting to creators specializing in niche skills, such as cooking, could bode well for brands looking to re-engage netizens. “For Western marketers, collaborating with ‘chefluencers’ offers a compelling opportunity to connect with a passionate and discerning audience in China,” says Yam, noting that local consumers highly regard the authenticity and reliability of food-based influencers. Creators like Nara Smith, who stay tight-lipped on their personal beliefs and whose image is carefully curated, tend to offer brands a low-risk partnership. But Smith’s swift ascent has fueled debate over her endorsement of the “trad wife” archetype and Mormonism, a religion often criticized for its anti-feminist views. Still, in a time of rampant Ozempic use and fashion's return to “heroin chic,” watching a woman cook, and eat, offers a somewhat comforting contrast. El Zogliami notes that, while Smith and Bechtel aren’t entirely “authentic,” their content strikes the right balance between the aspirational and relatability; a middle ground that brands should also be striving for. “There's no way you can really make it as an influencer nowadays if you're not ‘authentic,’” El Zoghlami says. “People want to see what your day looks like, but I also think you still need to sell people dreams and inspiration, albeit in more subtle ways.”

Will the ‘chefluencer’ trend make a stir in China?

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Will the ‘chefluencer’ trend make a stir in China?