Rethinking my approach to make videos for Chefs

I was recently obsessed with making videos for a chef in Thailand. Her name is Chef Pam and I made contact with them via email, inviting them to a discussion about making YouTube videos. Her team invited me to one of their restaurants. So I flew over and bought and brought a better camera (FX30) hoping to shoot in a kitchen setting without the camera overheating, but unfortunately Chef Pam was not around due to an ongoing photoshoot at her other restaurant. Since it was just round the corner, I walked over and managed to speak with her for a brief moment before she disappeared with a media crew for yet another TV shoot. She said she doesn’t have time to make YouTube videos. I thought of this beforehand but I don’t have a compelling response to that. I guess I’ll just email afterwards to let them know more about YouTube. I wasn’t that persuasive in person due to lack of experience with people, but I’m trying and definitely learnt a lot from this experience.

Going forward, I’ll definitely try to strengthen my craft starting with coming up what good looks like, and continue making my own videos.

I also do need to improve on meeting new people because it’s really quite a miss or hit if I just go right up to people and tell them I want to make a video for them. Sure it can work if I do that many times, but a more efficient approach for me to devote resources only to interested people, rather than approaching them straight up cold.

Anyway since I’ve already invested so much in this opportunity, I’ll make the most out of it by following up in these steps

1. Email them that I enjoyed the visit and managed to speak to Chef Pam briefly when I passed by Chinatown. Tell them I understand they don’t have time to make YouTube videos now but I know her profile has huge potential to draw a following YouTube that could convert into guests at her other restaurants too. I can help share a model that helps them get more views.

2. On a follow up note, I shared the insight like restaurant Fallow does on YouTube that attracts lots of people to their restaurants amongst thousands of other restaurants in the city. They’re a top channel for British food, but the spot for Thai food hasn’t been claimed yet. I can share some ideas on how they could be a top channel on YouTube.

3. Final reminder that I’m open to chat anytime if they want to let more people know about their food on YouTube.

I also further reflected on my encounter with her as I felt like I could have said something better. Here’s how it went.

I showed up at her restaurant front and she was sitting at a table near the exit. She was in a 1-1 discussion with someone who looks like a director or producer holding paper notes along with many people wearing black t-shirt. She was nodding her head as they discussed. So meanwhile I looked at some public displays of awards and her head sculpture to glean over the fine text about them. Natasha said Chef Pam looked at my direction a few times. Then when I saw the director went away and Chef Pam was looking at her phone, presumably waiting for the shoot to start, I waved at her and managed to get her attention. Then she eagerly got up and opened the glass sliding door. She greeted me and asked if I was looking around Chinatown. Indeed I was and I told her I’m a cooking YouTuber and saw her YouTube channel too, and she was delighted and grateful.

Then I asked her if she has thought of making more YouTube videos, and she said “No time!” At this moment I already knew this objection would come up as Natasha predicted so earlier.

Everything was going well as I had a rare chance to speak with her without any prearrangements. That 1 minute interaction was a golden bee opportunity. Then this is where I starting screwing up. I told her Thai produce is the best in my experience as I’ve tried Indonesian, Malaysian, Australian and Japanese produce before. To which she responded with thankfulness and said yes Thai ingredients are indeed very distinct in flavours. Then I handed her my link to my YouTube and didn’t say much as she lost interest and wanted to go back in already. Natasha chipped in and said I flew all the way here to try her food at Khao San Sek, to which she also responded gratefully. So I let her go and thanked her nicely.

Here’s what I wish I had said. The first question was great because I found out her actual challenge to making videos. The second question I wish I had asked was something along these lines. Hey I make YouTube videos and I would like to make a video with you some day. Do you think we could make a video together to let more people know about your restaurants? Something simple like this should attract a yes or maybe, send me an email or something.

Instead, I went back and sent a long detailed essay about why she should do more YouTube videos. There was absolutely no response and I think they now regard me as this weirdo guest who started babbling video stuff without them asking.

So where do we go from here? I still like to make a video about the world’s most exclusive pad Thai. I’ll let it rest, maybe after a year and try visiting Bangkok again, this time to her restaurant at Potong. I’ll go with low expectations this time, and make a personal booking under my name. I’ll also email the reservations team that I hope to make a video capturing my experience and it would be great if Chef Pam would be around to chat, but either way I’m looking forward to my visit.

Ideally when the pad Thai course is served, I would ask her or one of her team, if they believe I could recreate this at home, and then capture their facial responses or even Chef Pam that would go into my video. Then I would dissect the dish to taste the individual elements and then cut to my home kitchen to try and prepare it. Sounds like a really crazy video that I would watch.