Anyone can take a picture of a meal. But when it comes to documenting perfectly Instagrammable plates, local food blogger Dione Wu has a gift. While exploring restaurants and bars in the Greater Cincinnati area, her Instagram account, @drinkingdiningdione, has amassed more than 22,000 followers.
From the beginning, Wu’s mission has been simple. “I started my page because I like trying new things and checking out different places,” she says. After nearly seven years of posting, Wu has lighting, angles, and food positioning down to a science. “The longer you do it, you kind of figure out what angles are good or what works for you,” she says.
Within the local dining landscape, food influencers are an increasingly vital resource for locals and visitors alike, exploring the city’s hidden gems and sharing them with the community. And they’re just as vital to the restaurants. “Cincinnati has a really good up-and-coming food scene,” Wu says. “I just want to let people know that we have all these different options.”
Living downtown, she’s constantly immersed in Cincinnati’s vibrant culinary community. Wu also takes her followers along on her travels and food adventures, sharing everything from escargot in France to bar bites in Columbus.
Running a successful Instagram account, constantly creating content, and staying on top of restaurant openings isn’t as easy as it looks. “I do work a full-time job,” Wu says. “So this is something I do mostly for fun on the side.”
But despite the time commitment, the account has given Wu the opportunity to forge new connections both in Cincinnati and beyond. “Without this account, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to connect with so many people and make so many relationships,” Wu says. “Cincinnati is not a small city, but it can feel small. And [influencing] makes you feel more connected to the community.”
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