The Instagram account we all know and love, elwoodenspoon. Christian Torres is a young college student pursuing his dream to push the borders of your dinner table. Whether it be teaching us how to revive our leftovers, or how to cook a delicious date night dinner, this up-and-coming chef never disappoints.
Torres wanted to create a platform that could eventually grow into a business made by college students, for college students. His target audience is people who are independent, different and open to new experiences.
“I decided to focus on college students because we are the ones who are setting trends, building the future for ourselves, and we’re just innovative with social media,” said the FIU student.
Torres began this project because he was motivated to start a sense of food culture here in South Florida.
“I want to start ripples in the water and see if the people can catch on,” he said.
Luckily for him, the people have caught on and are loving it. Although eating out is what many of us do when we are on the go, he has shown us that delicious meals can be created right in your kitchen. His account is one that separates itself from others by posting only homemade products. Using his IPhone 6 as his camera, Torres is trying to build a “you can do it too” attitude for his page. His temporary goal is to reach out to other social circles that aren’t his.
This has been a challenge, but he is determined to keep trying.
Torres developed a love for cooking the moment his mom introduced him to the kitchen and taught him the basics. He originally started off as an Architecture major, so it’s very interesting to see how his mother’s influence has led him to where he is today.
“I became obsessed with cooking and found my true self in the kitchen. Years later, I have used what my mother taught me, and I have let my creativity run wild,” he said.
Everything about his project is unique, starting with the Instagram name. When asked for the meaning behind the name he said, “The wooden spoon can be seen as the opposite of what the silver spoon stands for- a demographic of wealth, stability, and a strong foundation. My logo and name describe a college student structuring their own foundation, paving their own path, and using all their resources to get by. the wooden spoon can also symbolize me.”
If you are the type of person that can’t even boil water, here is some great news. His ultimate goal would be to open up his own restaurant. Although he has always been a Miami boy, he plans to open his restaurant wherever he may be living in that moment. His unique restaurant plan will be to have a breakfast theme from 7am – 4pm, and then close. The restaurant would reopen at 8pm and have a dinner service. The menu would be reevaluated and changed every four months.
Although there is no specific cuisine that he wants to focus on, he does love Indian and Peruvian. The second half of his restaurant will serve quality coffee from farms that work on fair trade.
“Coffee runs deep in my veins and I would love to create a stronger coffee culture here in South Florida,” he said.
For now, Torres is working hard on marketing The Wooden Spoon. He has even made his own shirts and business cards. Making his way into food events all over Florida is his focus at the moment. He recently made an appearance at Relay for Life at FIU. One of the unique things about his tent was that he didn’t ask people for tickets in order to eat the food. Instead, he and his best friend Elias would ask people to follow his Instagram account.
Torres spent three days preparing the food. He had chicken and pork that was dry rubbed with 14 different ingredients, and then soaked in a honey and pear purée. Chocolate stout beer was added for the final touch. For garnish, he had chopped parsley and crumbled pork rinds. The customer had the option to choose from three different barbecue sauces: strawberry with blueberry and fig, fried plantain and Asian. This was entirely made at home and served about 150 – 180 people. Business cards were also distributed.
“It was my first time ever serving the public, and the results were astonishing. I’ll definitely be cooking again on campus at FIU,” said the aspiring business owner.
When asked if his account targets a certain gender, Torres made it clear that he feels there shouldn’t be a border between sexes throughout the food world. Cue a round of applause from all the women around the world that have yet to learn how to cook.
“If I can eat it, you can too. Unless you are picky,” he joked.
Although Torres started The Wooden Spoon in November, he has received a large amount of support in such a short amount of time.
“People have been extremely supportive lately. The Relay for Life event really reassured my concept because I could see people’s faces when they tasted my food. It was a huge triumph,” said Torres.
For those who are interested, Torres is open to the idea of catering for small parties or offices. You can find his contact information on the business cards attached.
Whether you like cooking food, or just eating it, this account has something for everyone. Christian Torres is someone who has combined his creativity and passion to self-market his social media account. He exemplifies humility and determination while motivating himself, and his followers, to think differently. If you haven’t already, make sure to follow @elwoodenspoon on Instagram. Here at Her Campus, we encourage you all to support our peers who continuously strive to be Worlds Ahead.