Weekly update #1
I have been debating wether to use AI to clean up my grammar and make everything sound more polished, but honestly, I think that would put a layer between me and you. So I’ve decided to keep these updates raw. Just me, writing the way I’d speak to a friend.
And what a week it’s been. Honestly, it’s been incredible. We’ve hit so many goals and I’ve felt more motivated than ever.
Sunday – 13/04/25
Let’s break the rules and start with Sunday, because that’s when everything kicked off. I filmed the (almost) authentic carbonara recipe. I played around with lighting, camera angles, and even made the intro/outro into a loop for the short. The dish turned out amazing, and that’s also when I decided to start using this blog to post weekly updates—so, here we are!
Monday – 14/04/25
As soon as I got home from work, I dove straight into editing the carbonara video. I was ridiculously excited because this video marked a full-on renovation of my process.
I introduced a voiceover instead of talking while cooking—and wow, what a game-changer. Not only did I feel more relaxed and focused while filming, but it also cut my recording time down to just 15 minutes! (Normally it takes me 1–2 hours because I keep redoing bits until I’m happy with them.)
This new setup also made editing a breeze, especially for the short. The loop at the end wasn’t perfect, but I was so proud of it. Honestly, it made me giggle—I kept showing it to my partner with the biggest smile.
I got so into editing that I completely forgot to eat dinner… oops. Since it was late, I scheduled the short to go live across all platforms at 12 PM the next day. I set my alarm for 6 AM to write the blog post before it went live.
Tuesday – 15/04/25
This was the day.
I barely slept because I was determined to publish the blog post before the short dropped, and I kept waking up to check the time. But in the end—I did it! Everything was ready just in time.
And then the magic happened.
TikTok exploded. My most popular video before this had 700 views and 30 likes. This one? At the time I’m writing this, it’s sitting at 5K views and 400 likes! It also took off on Instagram and YouTube Shorts, making it my first video to hit a combined 10,000 views. I gained tons of new subscribers across the board.
And the best part? People finally started interacting! Comments, messages, feedback—it all means the world to me. I’m thinking of launching a new series called “Cooking Your Comfort Foods.” I know it’s not a brand new concept, but it makes me feel closer to all of you, and that’s what I want this whole thing to be about.
Fueled by all the love, I filmed the Pad Thai recipe a follower requested last week. It was a bit of a mission finding all the ingredients, and I had to sub bean sprouts with carrots (thanks for the tip, ChatGPT!).
At first, I wasn’t convinced. The sauce smelled really strong, and I was lowkey worried the whole thing would be a flop. But I’m SO glad I pushed through—because it turned out to be one of the most delicious things I’ve ever made.
I’m planning to record the voiceover and edit it tomorrow, aiming to post it Thursday at 12 PM. Right now, my goal is to post three shorts a week and put long-form content on pause for a bit.
I’ve made a list of all the recipe requests from the comments and I’m going to start working through them this week—it honestly makes me so excited!
Oh, and I finally put together a content calendar and started organizing this whole content creation journey properly. I feel more focused than ever, and I can’t wait to see where this goes.
Wednesday – 16/04/25
The lack of sleep from the past few days finally caught up with me. I woke up early, determined to record the voiceover and finish editing the Pad Thai video, but I was running on fumes and barely got anything done. Work was tough too, and by the time I got home, I was completely shattered.
But I had made a promise—to my number one fan, no less—that the recipe would go live Thursday at 12 PM. And there was no way I was going to let him down.
So, I powered through and got to work on the edit. I made the video loop much smoother this time, and I’m actually pretty proud of the trick I used: I started from the end. I know, it sounds weird, but hear me out—I took the ending segment, removed the intro, and then placed that ending back at the… well, end. Voilà! Seamless loop.
Then came the voiceover, and from there, it was straight into editing. I kept the pace tight and snappy, and I managed to create my shortest short yet—just 52 seconds! There’s definitely still room for improvement, but with every upload, I can feel myself getting better in all aspects.
Once I wrapped it all up, I finally got some well-earned rest and slept like a baby.
Thursday – 17/04/25
Another early start! I got up to take all the screenshots and put together the blog post for the Pad Thai recipe. And just like last time, I barely made it in time. But hey—success is success.
The video went live right at 12 PM, and the blog post was ready and waiting!
Even though the Pad Thai short didn’t perform anywhere near as well as the carbonara one, seeing my fan’s excited comment made everything worth it. It filled me with so much joy and a renewed sense of purpose. I’m honestly dreaming of the day I’ll have a fanbase—no matter how small—full of people like this.
There’s just no way to describe how fulfilling it is to feel that connection starting to grow.
Friday – 18/04/25
As today was a bank holiday in England, I have spent the day recoving my energy and recharging my social battery. I have gone to Leeds with my closest friends to see the international Jousting finals live! I know, it sounds crazy, but it was a great experience! I have also worked on the blog on the train raid there and back. I have finally managed to achieve a green SEO score on the homepage, which has been a nightmare but will hopefully lead to some results!
Saturday – 19/04/25
This time I have spent a day out with my partner and brother and sister in law. We visited York: one of the most beautiful cities I have seen in England! It really reminds me of Palermo; the structures are very much recalling roman buildings and the streets were covered in pebbles. I kind of felt back home! I have also taken the chance to work on pinterest pins during the car ride. That avenue is still not picking up, but I believe that with hard work and consistency it will bring its results. While we were in York, we just happened to walk through a food fair! I have had some delicious sushi, a not so great cannolo (which kinda broke my heart, as before buying one I was chatting up the owners and asking how and why the got into making cannoli in England), and some proper sicilian Arancini! We found this beautiful little sicilian food stand at the market called Pizzoli York which I would definitely recommend if you are ever in the area. The owners are from Catania and it doesn’t get much more authentic than that! ArancinA (the Palermitan version) is still better though! 😜
Sunday 20/04/05
I have spent the morning redesigning the website to what it looks like now! I am really happy with the way it looks. I have also improved the SEO of almost every page from a yellow to a solid green!
I had all the intentions to stay at home and record a couple of recipes, but I completely forgot that shops are closed on easter sunday… oopsie.
So I just spent the day out with some friends and family and had some delicious food and amazing company.