Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Fehrenz.
Hi Paige, 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 think my story starts on my parents’ back porch. Some of my favorite memories growing up are my dad grilling pork steaks, my mom making baked potatoes inside, and all of us sitting around the patio table together. Looking back, I didn’t really fall in love with cooking first. I feel in love with the happiness and community it brought me.
I became an ICU nurse and worked through the COVID pandemic. During that time, I spent a lot of my free time in the kitchen. I started watching videos, listening to cooking podcasts, and making dinner every night. Cooking became an outlet for me, and it was the first time I really started learning and creating.
In 2022, I became a mom and suffered from postpartum depression and anxiety. A couple of months later, I started my cooking account because I needed something that was just for me. At first, I was really just sharing what I was making. I wasn’t creating videos like I do now, and I definitely wasn’t thinking it would turn into anything. I began making cooking videos last fall and things have taken off from there.
I never imagined my recipes or the way I cook would reach so many people. It’s been such a fun ride and it brings me a lot of joy.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think there have been a lot of challenges, mostly because I don’t have a background in social media. One day I downloaded a video editing app and googled every question I had. Everything you see on my page comes from my iPhone and a $20 tripod.
Now I’m a mom of two with a third on the way, so most days it’s just me in my kitchen with an idea I had the night before, setting up my camera and making whatever we’re having for dinner.
For a while I wondered if that was enough. I would see all these creators with elaborate production schedules and perfectly planned content. But I think what I’ve realized is that people appreciate seeing real life. A lot of the women who follow me are busy too. They’re trying to feed their families, they’re looking for inspiration, and they want cooking to feel approachable.
So while I’ve definitely had to learn a lot along the way, I also think not having everything perfectly planned has become one of my strengths. What people see online is what my life actually looks like, and I think that’s why it connects with so many people.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I hadn’t really thought about what I was most proud of until the other day when I got a message from a follower. They told me they really appreciated my attitude, and that really made me feel happy.
I think what I hope people know me for is the way I try to shine a light on the everyday moments that can seem so small, but are really what make life meaningful. Things like my kids playing in a puddle in our driveway while it’s raining, making homemade box cakes for my family’s birthdays, sharing when a recipe doesn’t work out, or even cutting a chunk of my finger off while chopping vegetables. In other words- sh*t happens!
My dad passed away when I was 21 after complications from cancer, and even during some of the hardest parts of his illness, he always wore a crewneck sweatshirt with the Life is Good logo on it. That attitude has always stayed with me. I try my best to carry that with me every day. Of course, I have bad days and even bad weeks, but at the end of the day, I truly believe life is good, and it’s worth appreciating the little things.
I think that’s probably what I’m most proud of. Not just sharing recipes, but hopefully reminding people the life is meant to be stupid, lived in, silly, full of grief, and full of happiness. So let’s pour ourselves some wine, make dinner, and laugh at it all because we are fortunate enough to get to experience this whole thing once.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I recently finished reading Yesteryear and I think I’ve thought about it twice a day since I finished. For real, I could talk about it for hours. As for other types of media, I love re-listening to old podcast or YouTube videos with Anthony Bourdain. Growing up I watched a lot of parts Unknown with my mom and dad and I think that we could all learn a lot from Anthony’s outlook on life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/paigefehrenz
