Meet Keeran Nadas: The male food vlogger breaking stereotypes
If you’re a foodie, then you’ve probably come across personal trainer and food vlogger, Keeran Nadas, 27.
He shares videos of himself tucking into mouth-watering dishes on TikTok. The personal trainer and content creator grew up in Phoenix and was thrust into the world of cooking at a young age.
“I lost my mother suddenly at a very young age of 20 and had to learn from scratch, cooking even the basics,” he said.
Sharing recipes on how to make everything from spicy chai tea to a simple sandwich, the content creator has amassed 66.7K followers and 2.8M likes.
He is flourishing in a space dominated by women and candidly lets people into his everyday life, from bathing his fury pets to unearthing Durban’s best places to eat and dishes. We spoke to the food vlogger on what it’s like being a male content creator.
What inspires or motivates you when you wake up in the morning?
Well my personal training clients wake me up 5am in the morning. Then I have the rest of the day to create content, which I love.
What is your favourite part about being a foodie content creator?
The interaction with people. It’s the best feeling when someone tells me they tried my recipe and love it.
You’ve tried out plenty of dishes at many eateries and restaurants? Which are your favourite?
Beef burgers and anything cheesy. And if I’m at the right place, a thick medium rare steak!
You have an amazing platform, how did you start out?
A year and a half ago, I started posting Indian dishes and people loved it and wanted to see more.
What inspired you to create your platform?
Honestly, I didn’t think it would get to this. I posted the first few recipes and it went viral. I think people love my page because I try and keep things simple so that people can relate.
What are some of the challenges you face as a male creator and how do you overcome these?
I never dealt with any challenges, I get praised more for being a male in the kitchen. I do get my bad comments here and there but I don’t let it affect me.
Who do you look up to in your community or working space?
There are a few influencers I watch regularly and learn from, but most of my time is spent learning on YouTube.
It’s almost summer and most people are looking at getting summer bodies. How do you balance being a foodie and a personal trainer?
The most important thing is calories. If you track it correctly, you can have your cheat meals here and there.
Any pearls of wisdom for young aspiring lifestyle and content creators?
Don’t let online hate bring you down. If someone is hating on you for no reason, you probably doing something right. Plan your whole week of content in advance and find a friend who creates similar content as you.
Most importantly, take a step back and reflect on how much you've grown.