Dr Foodie wants his ‘appetite’ back

From being called cringe to having his content consumed on binge, Dr Ahmed Ashfaq, AKA Dr Foodie (@dr.foodiehyd), has amassed over half a million followers on his food blogging page. After eight years of content creation, alongside being a practising orthodontist, managing his family’s cloud bakery, and pursuing personal goals, the food blogger’s plate seems to have become too crowded for his own consumption.

Dr Ahmed is honest about the internal tension and expression fatigue. He admits, “I am struggling at that end, yes. It’s just that it’s getting more work-based rather than passion-oriented or passion-driven content. It’s exhausting for your mind to be constantly viewing things with the lens of content, be it on a vacation or with family.”

“I get it. To be visible on Instagram, the only way is to keep churning out content. Otherwise, the algorithm itself won’t recognise me,” he reflects.

His decision to take a step back was intentional. The page may be undergoing realignment and who better to do it than an orthodontist, who knows what realignment of a smile is. In this case, his internal smile.

Behind the laughs of Dr Foodie, Dr Ahmed is methodical and detail-oriented. “If my content is not up to a certain level, I don’t feel like posting it. Before, I had a lot of freedom. Now, I must be responsible.” It’s not judgment itself that concerns him. “I’m aware of the responsibility of influencing properly,” he clarifies. “I don’t want to disappoint my followers or waste their money.”

Which is also why he’s selective about his collaborations. “I’m very, very, very particular about the collabs I choose. A deciding factor for me is if I would want to revisit the place and take my family and friends there; that’s when I would post about it. I will never in my life give a fake review for money,” he points out, adding, “The entire thing has become oversaturated now.”

Meaning? “Well, Hyderabad food bloggers have dug their own grave. Even if I maintain a standard and don’t take a collab, there are 300 to 400 people waiting in line to do it. Brands cost cut on this basis and both parties go ahead with it. It’s up to the people then to make their decisions wisely,” observes Dr Ahmed.

One might wonder if the man who made Hyderabadi voiceovers his identity is fading. Or that he’s bored of biryani? “Not at all! No. Never,” he smiles and that’s when his eyes spark. “I’m such a fan of the city, the food, and the people here. It’s personal for me to put Hyderabad on the map; have goals that are not just for my personal gains.”

After a pause, he adds, “There’s so much here beyond biryani and haleem. We have rich Telugu cuisine, home-style salans, traditional thalis, achaars, and pulaos that deserve equal attention.”

For now, Dr Ahmed is confident he’ll figure it out. “I just want to feel like myself (again) like I used to back in the day. I’m not moving away from Dr Foodie; just exploring different avenues for my page be it through travel, food beyond Hyderabad, and most importantly being consistent and having fun with it,” he shares. Meanwhile, he acknowledges the patience of his followers saying, “I load up on calories for you. Wait and watch; it’s gonna be awesome!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Asra Ghouse

Asra Ghouse[email protected]