Photo by Zach Le
Ashley Chung, a Pepperdine junior and IMC major, is making a splash with her new vlog Ashchewsyou. Chung is on a mission to inspire her viewers to mix up their diets, and with a name that is both punny and incorporates a reference to Pokemon, she’s got your culinary back.
“The overall purpose of my vlog is to make people happy,” Chung said. “And I want to make people happy with good food.”
Chung posts restaurant reviews of her favorite Los Angeles eateries. Since she is from Seoul, South Korea and not a native SoCal resident, she relies on Yelp, Buzzfeed and friends to guide her culinary adventures.
“I’m going to check out all these places, see what’s good and post them online,” Chung tells viewers in her first video. “Hopefully you’ll get enticed to eat these foods.”
Chung chooses to focus on the restaurants she likes so that viewers can find fun, delicious places to visit. She explained that her videos were born out of encouragement from her sister to turn her passion for food into her own vlog.
“I find the hopping, hole-in-the-wall places, and my friends tell me what they really liked and enjoyed,” she said.
Chung also makes cooking videos in which she shows some of her own favorite foods to make, but her main focus is on excursions to find delicious eateries.
“I think food is a very important part of culture because it helps you socialize and nourishes you,” she said. “I think students should take more initiative to go on excursions and try different foods. A practical tip is to prepare and make plans to go out on certain days of the week. Take some time to enjoy your life and discover delicious places.”
She wanted to start a vlog because, as she describes, it is “a very high-in-demand market.”
“Food will never die,” Chung said. “It’s not just a fad. People will always want to look at food, want to eat food, want to know what’s good.”
Chung began making videos at the end of the summer. Although still early in her YouTube career, she said she has been inspired and encouraged by all the positive feedback she has gotten from friends, family and classmates. Chung has eight videos uploaded and already has 110 subscribers and more than 3,500 views on her channel.
An immense amount of time and energy goes into every video. Chung said a video usually takes around an hour to film, but editing is the real challenge, and can add up to nearly six hours of work for just a three- or four-minute video. She posts a video at least once a week, but sometimes viewers will get a bonus video.
Chung has also gained the attention of Pepperdine’s chapter of Spoon University and will be making appearances this year. Last fall, Pepperdine became a contributor to Spoon University, a website with restaurant reviews and practical recipes for everyday college students. Pepperdine’s chapter ranges from advice on homemade granola to the best places to eat breakfast in Malibu.
As for eatery recommendations, Chung said there are too many restaurants to even begin to narrow down the list. You’ll just have to visit her vlog. The restaurants she has reviewed range from burgers to sweets to sushi, so you’re sure to find your fix. However, to satisfy a sweet tooth, Chung recommends Churro Borough in LA, which features gourmet churro ice cream sandwiches on the menu.
Chung explained that her true goal was just to have fun and make her videos enjoyable for viewers. “I hope people who watch my vlog understand that I want them to find eateries where they can just relax and enjoy life and find delicious foods,” she said.
To embark on Ashley’s culinary expeditions, subscribe to her channel on YouTube: Ashchewsyou.
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