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Following the recent launch of his cookbook, Andy explores what it means to be an independent chef, food journalist, and video producer, and--of course--cook, who's already gained a reputation as an influencer in his industry. "My approach to creating media is that it needs to contain stories, perspectives and a sense of passion to ensure that there's a purpose behind it."

Websites as an experience that is carefully curated experience

Andy discovers the roots of his love for food to his early years of. "My parents immigrated into California from Iran in the late 1970s, and with them, they brought their food culture of their homeland," he says. "I consider that those practices in the kitchen as well as the tastes, recipes that my extended family was always having me around are factors that instilled my early passion for cooking and food." He decided to pursue cooking and food writing as a profession due to the fact that this love "expanded to a deep, ever-evolving curiosity about everything food related."

"This site is both for people who are familiar and unfamiliar with my work" Andy says. "I want to make sure the people are aware of my experience, and also engage with current and future content that the site will produce." A portion of the new material Andy is planning to develop includes his things I Love page. There, he gets the chance to showcase his favorite food and lifestyle brands while expanding the limits of his well-known name a bit. "While my cooking and writing have been a large part of my work for some time now," Andy says, "I will soon be working advantage of new opportunities to appear on the site."

The lessons learned from the very first year as an author

In the past year, as he was writing and publishing his debut book, Andy has also been exploring how to work independently. That includes the process of building his brand and building an environment that supports his work as a writer.

"I believe that my conviction in the way I prepare and publish about food have pretty much stayed the same," Andy says, referring to his style of working with the brand he has now, in contrast to the way he did things prior to his independence. "I think my aesthetic--while it has been something very clear for me at an individual level, it is now open and an integral aspect of what I do. It is easier to express myself in the present."

What is Andy's second advice to budding creators? The artist suggests being careful about which projects you want to tackle, as often as you can. "Take to projects and collaborate with those who inspire your and allow you to gain something from," Andy says. "But be aware that not every project might fulfill this requirement, and that's okay! The point is to keep growing."

Are you inspired by Andy's tale? Begin building your own name by following Andy's story .