Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared Zuckerman.
Jared, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Since a child, I have always had a passion for food. I found myself in the kitchen often learning new recipes. I specifically loved to bake. Years later, after building a successful but unfulfilling 7+ year career in banking, I took the plunge and went from banking to baking. I started a bakery that was inspired by the cheesecake my mother would make when I was growing up as a child. Specializing in cheesecake the bakery was born in Brooklyn, NY. After catering for many events including fashion week, I shortly realized wholesale would be the future of the bakery. As I shifted from a retail space to wholesale that’s when my journey took an unexpected turn into the successful and fulfilling career I have today, Food and City was born.
Back in 2016, when Instagram exploded into the mega digital platform we know today, restaurants began using it to promote their business. Although we knew Instagram worked to help drive potential revenue, I noticed there was a gap with understanding how the platform could truly be used to monetize sales. I realized my experience in banking, understanding the ins and outs of owning a bakery, and quickly gaining followers on social media myself. I had an understanding of what restaurant owners needed, what they were looking for, how to tap into the digital world to drive revenue and help gain followers who would ultimately become potential restaurant guests. There is more to social media than simply posting pictures of food that looks good or receiving many likes or comments on a post to drive revenue. If you don’t have the right people engaging with you on social media, it will not drive revenue.
Food and City serves as restaurant advisors and social media consultants. The guest experience begins before and after they visit the restaurant. We help drive revenue and future proof business by establishing a presence on social media, create a digital experience that sets guest’s expectations, and help to create social media driven menu items. In fact, we have created some of social medias most viral and tasty dishes. As well, we advise on best practices for the business and work with restaurants daily tying in social media with everything we do. During the first few years of Food and City our scope of work included public relations. Our clients have been seen on ABC’s The Chew, Travel Channel, and other major media and social media outlets to name a few. However, the foundation of Food and City began with social media marketing. To this day, our clients continue to receive exposure from major outlets from our work. While my business, along with so many other businesses, was forced to navigate their way through the pandemic. I decided to pivot Food and City back to how we became a leader in the industry in the first place focusing on social media marketing.
I never thought in a million years Food and City would have become what it is today. I grew Food and City from an idea to a very successful business which became well known in the industry. A college education did not help me establish my business, in fact I did not go to college. I went against the grain, I did things differently, I did things my way, and I established a strong client base for my out-of-the-box thinking and untraditional methods. At the beginning, there were no set rules with how to drive revenue through social media. Rules were created by companies like mine who led by example and demonstrated success time and time again. There is no skating around the fact that many businesses like mine was hit hard during the pandemic. It goes to show no matter the success and strength a company can have behind it, it can all be taken away from you tomorrow. My team and the loyal clients I’ve had through the years who believe in my vision is who I owe my success to. Without the right team supporting you and your clients, there is no business. Since the pandemic, I was able to navigate restaurants to remain in operation and come out the other end stronger.
Now, Food and City has 70,000+ followers on social media while my personal platform Eat and Be Full has 160,000+ followers. We continue to see success with the restaurants we work with and who also remain in business during this difficult time, and grateful to say Food and City continues to grow. It has not been easy, but I believe in what we do. We are now taking Food and City to new heights working on some big projects offering people new experiences they have not seen before.
Alright, 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?
Food and City has helped me to overcome self-doubt. I did not go to college, and I have always been someone who viewed things differently. It wasn’t until my mid 30’s did I figure out my purpose in life – Food and City. I knew I would be viewed as the underdog or someone who did not stand a chance in this very difficult industry. When I first started, I hosted many restaurant events for free and did work for very little or no money at all. I was determined to put Food and City on the map, I rolled up my sleeves, worked many long hours, and got very little sleep working around the clock. Fighting self-doubt, I knew I was on to something great. I was able to get people to believe in me and turned my business into what it is today. I continue to learn something new every day, especially at a time like this with the pandemic. I am proud with how my business was able to help keep restaurants open and people employed. It is incredibly satisfying to know we are able to play a role helping other businesses thrive. Work hard enough, play a smart game, come out on top.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
From previous questions, I believe you have a strong sense of what I do overall and what sets me apart from others. I am self-taught, learned from trial and error, I have years of banking experience, owned my own retail bakery, and understand front and back of house at restaurants. I have not found someone else who has the experience I have that caters specifically to what I do. When I’m standing in front of a restaurant, I imagine it’s my name out front, what would I do as if my life depended on it. This is how I feel with everyone I work with, and the restaurants who are part of Food and City know this.
Contact Info:
- Email: jared@foodandcity.co
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/foodandcity/
- Other: www.instagram.com/eatandbefull/
