Currently, I am working as a Marketing Manager for a hospitality group for the past 3 years and took to my passion and love for food by starting my page – feetup_eatup last year which is a peek into my nomadic soul which keeps my feet always up and wandering for good things in life, especially food.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
Born and brought up in the beautiful Pink City Jaipur, I completed my education with a Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Rajasthan.
Post my marriage I spent about 5 years in Gurgaon before moving to Dubai in 2016 and I have never felt away from my home country as Dubai has given me so much to cherish.
Coming from a Marketing and Graphics background, I am always captivated by new ideas and innovation in little things. In my 14 years of career span with various ad agencies and top publishing and media houses, I have always been in love with my work.
Currently working as, a Marketing Manager for a hospitality group for the past 3 years and took to my passion and love for food by starting my page – feetup_eatup last year. Later I connected with other bloggers which I thought was quite fun and I became more and more inquisitive about it.
I also, started with my YouTube channel – feetup_eatup with Sahiba where I publish my escapades.
2. What led you to start your page on Instagram and what is it about?
I have always had a passion for writing and putting down my thoughts and experiences on paper and good food has been a stress buster. The difficult times of Covid have drawn many of us closer to our passion, and that is when I thought to club my fascination for writing and food.
My page is called feetup_eatup which is a piece of my heart. A peek into my nomadic soul which keeps my feet always up and wandering for good things in life, especially food. But I am also very keen on travel, lifestyle, and promoting small businesses on my page especially those led by women.
3. Should food blogging be just a passion or can it become a regular career?
It is rightly said that if you love what you do, it will never be like a job. Most people think being a blogger is a piece of cake but not everyone understands the hard work and patience that you need as you transform your passion into a career slowly.
Think of blogging as a profession and constantly try to improve yourself. Give genuine information to people, only then will they come to you. So to answer your question, Yes! Blogging can be a great alternative career if you have the zeal and fortitude and know-how to present your thoughts in an innovative manner as there is a lot of competition out there.
4. Which restaurants/food joints would you recommend to food lovers?
Dubai is a paradise for foodies and there is so much to explore. I have tried the best of fine dining cuisine to even the smallest of joints in narrow lanes of Meena Bazaar. It is very difficult to name just a few, but London dairy cafe, Al Mallah, Delhi Darbar & Tre’sind are my all-time favorites.
5. What makes you appreciate a particular dish or a restaurant and talk about it on your blog?
Food is craftsmanship. F&B is a very competitive market and when I recommend or write about a particular restaurant or dish it means I have good memories associated with it.
Fresh flavors and ingredients with the right presentation are what intrigues me. Food doesn’t always have to be expensive to taste good. Also, the ambiance and service matter a lot when it comes to the overall experience.
6. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?
I am a desi and old school by heart. I am a mixed bag of emotions so I would associate my personality with Bhel Puri, which is always super fun and filled with surprises.
It's both sweet and tangy but also hides a multitude of flavors within. It's not until you go through a few bites that you can truly experience its deliciousness.
7. Which is your favorite book and why?
I am not a very avid reader but these days I am reading Twinkle Khanna's Mrs. Funnybones as I love her sarcasm. She is loved for her sense of humor, which is sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes sharply satirical but mostly cruelly honest.
Instagram handle: @feetup_eatup
Born and brought up in the beautiful Pink City, Jaipur, and lived in Gurgaon for about 5 years before moving to Dubai in 2016. I have never felt away from my home country as Dubai has given me so much to cherish.
Currently, I am working as a Marketing Manager for a hospitality group for the past 3 years and took to my passion and love for food by starting my page – feetup_eatup last year which is a peek into my nomadic soul which keeps my feet always up and wandering for good things in life, especially food.
But I am also very keen on travel, lifestyle, and promoting small businesses on my page especially those led by women.
I believe Food doesn’t always have to be expensive to taste good and so I am always on the lookout for small joints that serve mouthwatering food and need little push from our side and that's where bloggers come to the rescue.
Sahiba Chanana
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