Food for Thought: EmmyMade

EmmyMade prepares to cook rib steak in a glass jar.

I first heard about the Emmymade YouTube channel from a food friend who was about to attempt her rib steak cooked in a jar. Emmy Cho started a video blog while living in Japan in which she would unbox and prepare toy food kits sold for children, eg the Popin’ Cookin’ Crepe Maker. Now living in the US, she does something similar with recipes found on TikTok, eg Are TikTok CORN RIBS Worth The Risk Of Cutting Yourself In the Process?She also experiments with kid snacks like quesadillas made in a toaster—in fact, she has a scientist’s curiosity which would make her a great science teacher, and maybe that’s what she is in her day job.

You are not going to learn any new techniques watching her videos; her kitchen skills are basic but solid and she carefully explains and shows what she’s doing. The production value is quite high and she takes time out, like a radio announcer, to do promos for sponsors like HelloFresh (they aren’t offensive and you can easily skip by them). Mostly, the videos are entertaining and after watching you’re going to be glad you saw how she makes ghost pepper mac ‘n cheese but probably won’t want to do it yourself. (The Coyote Poop/Candied Cheetos and a few other inspirations notwithstanding.)

There’s also an Emmymade website where you can find her recipes the old-fashioned way, in written form, along with lots of ads. (I’m now thinking she doesn’t need a day job.) By the way, that rib steak in a jar is basically beef stew. Check it out.