Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie FitzGerald.
Katie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m a Thai-Irish girl that always grew up with a focus on food throughout my life. My mom’s love for cooking traditional Northern Thai and my dad’s obsession with French cuisine from his time in Montreal has shaped my palette into what it is today. I’ve been lucky enough to be raised in Miami which offers a colorful blend of cultures and their flavors (especially that of Latin influences). Miami has given me the ability to experience authentic flavors I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to if I was raised anywhere else!
My college background is in Creative Writing and Advertising, but my love for food has always been apparent as I do spend a lot of time in the kitchen! I love cooking and trying new things since, like traveling, food has the ability to expand your outlook and better understand those of other cultures. I whole-heartedly believe food carries culture/history and even modern fusions are an expression of what we come from and who we are.
I started my food page as a recent college grad with this intense enthusiasm for trying new cuisines but without the wallet to support it. I noticed that other food bloggers in the area focus on Miami “hot spots” that can definitely cost you more than expected and be hard to enjoy with student loan debt in the back of your mind! I figured that budgeting should not mean that I had to give up quality food and resort to fast food! This became the foundation and motivation for my food page in which I seek to show locals of Miami affordable restaurants with quality food so that they don’t have to resort to eating fast food meals that often cost the same price of what I aim to feature!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have definitely been ups and downs along the way with lots of learning included — doing what you love is never easy! I am so grateful that the Foodie community in Miami is so welcoming so if I had to give some advice it’d be: don’t be afraid to reach out to others! Finding success does not have to be a lonely journey and you’d be surprised by others along the way who are ready to help you with their own personal tips and advice. You can’t get help if you don’t ask, learning from others can turn out to be a pleasure!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about KFitzEats – what should we know?
I’m a food influencer currently focusing on various areas of Miami. I currently have a food Instagram (website coming soon) that focuses on cheap eats and local gems for those looking to eat a quality meal for an affordable price. I try to include foods from all types of ethnicities/cuisines so that anyone with certain taste preferences can find something local and delicious to eat all without breaking the bank! I pride myself in recommending food from local restaurants that or somewhat unknown to the community but offer meals of high caliber with authentic tastes. I feel that other food bloggers within the Miami area often disregard the issue of price and choose to feature “hot spots” which makes my page more valuable to those looking for accessible restaurants to personally try and eat at themselves! I’m a hater of fast food — there is no excuse to settle on a fast food meal when Miami has so many places that offer “real” food often at the same price! I aim to reveal to eaters their next favorite spot (within the area they live) and help smaller businesses/family-owned restaurants to receive the attention their food deserves. I pride myself in being honest about my experiences and am unafraid to nicely state that I’m not a fan of something I disliked. I don’t look often for ambiance but for the excellent food which I feel most of us are trying to do: just have a great meal at great prices with our friends and family!
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
I’m lucky enough that my industry is mostly made up of women but generally, I feel the biggest barriers to women taking on leadership roles is a lack of confidence in their abilities. Women are changing the world every day and in our current era have the opportunities to advance that women of the past never had a chance to seize. As with all things, past beliefs of women being unable to achieve at higher standards than men still echo in certain industries and I would love to see this outdated outlook finally be put to rest!
Contact Info:
- Phone: 786-338-8058
- Email: KFitzEats@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kfitzeats
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
