American food influencers have significantly impacted food trends by introducing millions to new dishes, ingredients, and restaurants.
Influencer marketing in the food industry is highly effective, with over 80% of consumers being influenced by online recommendations. Brands are increasingly partnering with these top U.S influencers for authentic and engaging promotions.
In this blog, I have gathered the top food influencers in America on influencer marketplaces and social media to help you save time. Let’s start!
Top American Food Influencers to Follow in 2025
Which top American food influencers should you be watching this year? Below, we spotlight 15 of the best creators in the U.S. across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube (five on each platform).
We’ll look at their focus areas, follower counts, engagement, brand collaborations, audience demographics, viral moments, and why these social media American food influencers will be influential in 2025.
A. American Food Influencers on TikTok
TikTok’s short-form videos have launched a new generation of food stars. Here are 5 of the best TikTok American food influencers to watch in 2025:
1. Keith Lee (@keith_lee125)
Our first food TikToker is Keith Lee. He is a former MMA fighter turned straight-talking food critic with trustworthy, down-to-earth reviews.
- Content Type: Short TikTok videos where he taste-tests restaurant dishes (often from small family eateries) and rates them. His slogan is “Let’s try it.”
- Niche: Honest Food Reviews
- Followers: 16 million
- Engagement: 5-10M views per video
- Brand Collaborations: Uber Eats in 2023–2024
- Audience: US Adults 20–40
- Viral Moment: Boosted sales of a struggling Las Vegas taco shop
- Average Views/Likes: Each review video often sees 5–10 million views and hundreds of thousands of likes. For example, his TikTok review of an Atlanta wing spot garnered over 7M views and 1M likes in 2024.
2. Nick DiGiovanni (@nick.digiovanni)
There are many influencer types, but Nick DiGiovanni is a Harvard-educated one who combines legitimate cooking skills with fun, viral content. He rose to fame as a MasterChef finalist and has since built a huge following across TikTok and YouTube.
- Content type: High-energy videos featuring gigantic food creations, world-record attempts (like the world’s largest cake or fastest chopped onion), molecular gastronomy experiments, and step-by-step recipes for popular dishes. Nick’s content is fast-paced and visually engaging to keep younger audiences hooked.
- Niche: Culinary Challenges & Entertainment
- Followers: 17M TikTok, 22.8M YouTube
- Engagement: 5-20M views per video
- Brand Collaborations: Heinz, Wilton, Google
- Audience: Gen Z, Millennials
- Viral Moment: Guinness World Record for the largest cake pop
- 2025 Influence: Innovative cooking entertainment
- Average Views/Likes: Nick’s TikToks commonly reach 5–20 million views. On YouTube, his videos easily surpass 10M views
3. Tabitha Brown (@iamtabithabrown)
Tabitha Brown is often called the “internet’s favorite mom” for her warm, encouraging persona. She shares plant-based Southern recipes and inspirational life advice, showing that vegan food can be comforting and accessible.
Her catchphrase “That’s your business” and her soothing voice have made her well-loved online.
- Content type: Tabitha shares TikTok and Instagram videos where she cooks vegan versions of classic dishes, like carrot “bacon” or jackfruit pot roast. She also posts taste tests, reviews of vegan snacks, and moments with her family.
- Niche: Vegan Cooking
- Followers: 5.2 million
- Engagement: 1-5M views per video
- Brand Collaborations: Target, Whole Foods, McCormick
- Audience: Diverse, family-oriented
- Viral Moment: Carrot bacon recipe
- 2025 Influence: Mainstream vegan advocacy. Her role as an American food marketing influencer will likely grow through product lines and perhaps TV projects.
- Average Views/Likes: Her TikTok recipe videos typically see 1–5M views and thousands of likes and comments.
4. B. Dylan Hollis (@bdylanhollis)
B. Dylan Hollis skyrocketed on TikTok by baking bizarre recipes from historical cookbooks (think Great Depression potato candy or 1970s Jell-O salads) and reacting humorously to the results.
- Content type: Dylan creates quick baking videos where he shares old-fashioned recipes and narrates quirky instructions in his lively style. He taste-tests each dish with expressive reactions and fun catchphrases like “Oh wow!” His videos are both educational and entertaining with his energetic delivery.
- Niche: Retro Baking/Vintage American recipes with a comedic twist.
- Followers: 10.2 million
- Engagement: 5-20M views per video
- Brand Collaborations: Bob’s Red Mill
- Audience: Millennials, Gen Z
- Viral Moment: Cookbook “Baking Yesteryear”
- 2025 Influence: Nostalgia-driven baking trendsetter
- Average Views/Likes: Each of Dylan’s TikToks often gets 5–8 million views, with top hits reaching 15–20M+. It’s common for his videos to gather 1M+ likes.
5. Max “The Meat Guy” Grinberg (@maxthemeatguy)
Max the Meat Guy is known for his carnivorous creations – from dry-aging steaks in unusual ingredients to grilling epic tomahawk ribeyes. If it’s meat, Max can turn it into mouth-watering content.
- Content Type: Satisfyingly primal cooking videos, often filmed over a grill or smoker. Max shows off techniques like achieving the perfect steak sear, smoking brisket for 12 hours, or crafting giant burgers. He balances food porn close-ups of juicy meat with clear cooking tips, all delivered in a friendly, excited tone. Occasionally, he’ll do taste-test challenges (like comparing expensive Wagyu beef to regular steak).
- Niche: Barbecue, grilling, and all things meat
- Followers: 6M TikTok, 7M YouTube
- Engagement: 2-10M views per video
- Brand Collaborations: Weber, Traeger, Snake River Farms
- Audience: Predominantly male adults 18-45, BBQ enthusiasts
- Viral Moment: Unique dry-aging steak techniques
- 2025 Influence: As live-fire cooking and gourmet barbecue continue to trend, Max will remain one of the top American food influencers in this niche.
- Average Views/Likes: His TikTok recipe clips often hit 2–5M views, with top videos (like a perfectly cooked tomahawk steak with melting butter) reaching 10M+. On YouTube, his long-form videos average 1M+ views each.
B. American Food Influencers on Instagram
Instagram is a visual feast for food lovers, and these five American food influencers on Instagram have mastered the art of food photography, Reels, and community building in 2025:
1. Tieghan Gerard (@halfbakedharvest)
Tieghan Gerard is the creator of Half Baked Harvest, a hugely popular food blog and Instagram account known for its beautiful imagery of cozy yet creative dishes.
She’s an American food blogger turned influencer whose recipes range from rustic breads and pastas to healthy bowls.
Tieghan’s content often pairs recipes with lifestyle elements (like table settings or her serving the dish), creating an aspirational yet attainable vibe.
- Content Type: High-quality photos and short recipe reels showcasing her latest creations. On her feed, you’ll see decadent desserts dripping with chocolate, colorful salads, seasonal family-style dinners, and behind-the-scenes shots of her cooking in a charming mountain kitchen.
- Niche: Elevated comfort food and vibrant recipes.
- Followers: 5.5 million.
- Engagement: Usually 3-5% per post, which is high on her scale. 100k+ likes per post.
- Brand Collaborations: Le Creuset, KitchenAid
- Audience: Largely female (around 80%) and in the 25–45 age range, based in the U.S.
- Viral Moment: Hot cocoa bombs trend in 2022
- 2025 Influence: Tieghan will continue to be a dominant force in Instagram American food influencers.
- Average Likes/Comments: A typical @halfbakedharvest post might get 100k+ likes and 1k comments, especially if it’s a particularly indulgent dessert or a seasonal dish near holidays.
2. Yumna Jawad (@feelgoodfoodie)
Yumna, known as Feel Good Foodie, shares approachable dishes that are nutritious without sacrificing flavor. Her content often features Mediterranean-inspired recipes (drawing from her Lebanese heritage) as well as trending health foods presented in a simple, inviting way.
- Content Type: A mix of bright overhead recipe shots and quick instructional videos. Yumna’s Instagram is filled with smoothie bowls, colorful salads, one-pot dinners, and guilt-free desserts. She also posts useful cooking hacks (like how to store herbs or budget grocery hauls). Many of her videos are Reels with step-by-step captions, making it easy for followers to replicate recipes.
- Niche: Easy, healthy-ish recipes and cooking tips.
- Followers: 4.7 million. She also has a presence on TikTok but Instagram is where her community is the strongest.
- Engagement: 50k+ likes per post
- Brand Collaborations: Bob’s Red Mill, Almond Breeze, Vitamix
- Audience: Health-conscious women in the U.S. between 18 to 40.
- Viral Moment: Healthy baked feta pasta
- 2025 Influence: With wellness and home cooking trends still going strong, Yumna is poised to remain one of the top American food influencers focused on healthy recipes.
- Average Likes/Comments: Many of her posts receive 50k+ likes. A Reel could have anywhere from 500k to 5M views depending on virality.
3. Nadia Munno (@the_pastaqueen)
Nadia, The Pasta Queen, has captured hearts by sharing her Italian family recipes (especially pasta dishes) with a dramatic and humorous flair.
She’s originally from Italy but is now an American resident, making her a unique Instagram food influencer who brings Old World cuisine to the New World audience.
- Content Type: Short-form cooking videos (both on Instagram Reels and TikTok) where Nadia prepares classic Italian dishes – carbonara, cacio e pepe, lasagna – all while delivering over-the-top commentary in her charming accent.
- Niche: Authentic Italian pasta and comedic storytelling.
- Followers: 5.1 million
- Engagement: 1-5M views per Reel, Her engagement rate is impressive given her follower count, often 5%+ on Instagram which indicates a very active fan base.
- Brand Collaborations: Barilla, All-Clad
- Audience: Food enthusiasts 30-50
- Viral Moment: Lazy Lasagna
- 2025 Influence: Expanding traditional Italian cooking, for brands, The Pasta Queen is royalty when it comes to Italian food marketing – anyone wanting to promote sauces, cheeses, pasta, or even wine might collaborate with her for an authentic yet fun approach
- Average Likes/Comments: Her Instagram Reels can easily see 1–2M plays on average, with the biggest hitting 5M+. Typically, posts receive 30k–60k likes.
4. Derek Wolf (@overthefirecooking)
Derek Wolf has turned his passion for cooking over open flames into a massive social following. His brand Over The Fire Cooking showcases primal, flame-kissed recipes – from campfire steak techniques to grilled tacos – often set against rugged outdoor backdrops.
- Content Type: Rustic food porn for the outdoor enthusiast. Derek posts tantalizing photos of meats grilling over wood fires, gooey cheese pulls from cast-iron pans, and creative barbecue recipes. He also creates Reels demonstrating techniques like how to build a perfect cooking fire or smoke a whole chicken on a spit. His content often includes tips on seasoning and marinades, reflecting his expertise (he has his own line of spice blends).
- Niche: Live-fire cooking, BBQ, and outdoor cuisine.
- Followers: 3.4 million
- Engagement: 20k+ likes per post
- Brand Collaborations: Cowboy Charcoal, Lodge Cast Iron
- Audience: Skews male (about 70%) and ages 25–54. A large segment are in the U.S. South and Midwest.
- Viral Moment: Popularizing plancha grilling
- 2025 Influence: Outdoor cooking expertise
- Average Likes/Comments: A typical post may receive 20k+ likes
5. Hajar Larbah (@moribyan)
Hajar, known by her brand name Moribyan, is a first-generation American (of Moroccan and Libyan descent) who creates vibrant recipe content fusing her cultural heritage with a California flair.
- Content type: Bright, engaging cooking videos and infographics. On Instagram, Hajar shares everything from how to make traditional dishes like shawarma and falafel bowls to “Americanized” fusion creations like tajine-inspired tacos or baklava oatmeal bites. She’s very educational, often breaking down complex recipes into easy steps. She also posts quick cooking hacks, nutrition tips, and taste tests (for example, trying all flavors of a new protein bar and ranking them).
- Niche: Modern Middle Eastern and North African inspired recipes with a healthy twist.
- Followers: 2.5 million
- Engagement: 200k–400k views per Reel
- Brand Collaborations: Spice Tribe, Ninja Kitchen
- Audience: Mostly younger adults (18–35), a fairly even mix of women and men, largely U.S.-based but also significant followers in the Middle East/North Africa and Europe.
- Viral Moment: High-protein Snickers smoothie bowl
- 2025 Influence: Hajar (Moribyan) represents the new wave of social media American food influencers who blend cultures and health-conscious cooking. In 2025, she is likely to further expand her brand – perhaps launching a spice or sauce line.
- Average Likes/Comments: Her top-performing Reels (like a one-pot creamy chicken couscous) can get over 1 million plays and 100k likes. More typically, recipes see 200k–400k views and 20k+ likes, with hundreds of comments.
C. American Food Influencers on YouTube
Longer videos and in-depth content allow YouTube influencers to really dive into recipes and food adventures. Here are five of the best American food influencers on YouTube who are dominating the platform in 2025:
1. Joshua Weissman
Joshua Weissman is an American chef and author known for his entertaining yet educational YouTube videos. He often takes on fast-food or viral dishes and shows viewers how to recreate them better at home, emphasizing from-scratch cooking. He’s known for witty commentary and a playful, sometimes sarcastic tone.
- Content Type: Highly produced recipe videos, typically 10–20 minutes long, where Joshua’s personality shines. His popular series include “But Better” (remaking fast-food items with home cooking) and “But Cheaper” (making restaurant-quality meals on a budget).
- Niche: Gourmet cooking made approachable, with a side of humor.
- Subscribers: 9.99 million
- Engagement: New videos typically hit 1–2 million views within days, and the like counts are in the tens of thousands.
- Brand Collaborations: Anova, Made In
- Audience: Millennials, Gen Z males
- Viral Moment: “But Better” series recreating fast-food dishes
- 2025 Influence: Joshua is poised to join the elite club of YouTube chefs with over 10 million subscribers, solidifying him as one of the top American food influencers on the platform In 2025.
- Average Views/Comments: On average, his videos easily surpass 2–3 million views. It’s also common to see 8,000–10,000 comments on each video
2. Andrew Rea (Babish Culinary Universe)
Andrew Rea, known online as Babish, is the creator of the Babish Culinary Universe (formerly Binging with Babish).
He’s famous for taking iconic dishes from pop culture (like the Krabby Patty from SpongeBob or ratatouille from Ratatouille) and making them in real life.
He also runs a series on cooking techniques and simple recipes, aiming to educate viewers.
- Content Type: Cinematic and soothing cooking videos. Andrew’s signature style includes overhead shots of ingredients, a calm voiceover narration, and no-frills presentation (we usually just see his hands and torso, not a talking head).
- Niche: Recreating foods from movies/TV and teaching cooking fundamentals.
- Subscribers: 10 million+
- Engagement: 1-4M views per video
- Brand Collaborations: Blue Apron, LG
- Audience: Broad age range, food and pop culture enthusiasts
- Viral Moment: Recreating famous movie dishes
- 2025 Influence: Expanding media presence. As far as American food influencer marketing goes on YouTube, Babish’s blend of entertainment and education keeps him extremely relevant and influential.
- Average Views/Comments: Each Babish episode often amasses 1–4 million views. He has surpassed 2.9 billion total views on his channel.
3. Rosanna Pansino (Nerdy Nummies)
Rosanna Pansino is one of the OG YouTube food influencers, having started her Nerdy Nummies baking show over a decade ago.
She combines her love of gaming, comics, and pop culture with creative baking projects – think superhero cupcakes, Minecraft-themed cookies, and elaborate celebration cakes.
- Content Type: Fun, bubbly baking videos that often feature vibrant costumes or set pieces. Rosanna’s videos are very family-friendly and upbeat. She might dress as a Disney character while making a cake inspired by that movie, or have guests from the YouTube community join her for collaborative bakes.
- Niche: Pop Culture Baking
- Subscribers: 14.6 million (She also engages fans on Instagram (4M followers) with behind-the-scenes content.)
- Engagement: 500k–1M views per video
- Brand Collaborations: Wilton, Pillsbury
- Audience: Young, female-skewing, family viewers
- Viral Moment: Princess Cake series
- 2025 Influence: Continued influence in baking
- Average Views/Comments: Many of her baking tutorial videos average around 500k to 1M views, with some hitting multi-millions especially if tied to a trending topic.
4. Emmeline “Emmy” Cho (Emmymade)
Emmeline Cho, known as Emmymade (formerly Emmymadeinjapan), carved out a unique niche on YouTube by trying all sorts of foods, from survival ration packs to century-old canned goods, and by demonstrating unusual recipes from around the world.
She also does plenty of normal cooking, but always with an adventurous twist or a curiosity-driven angle.
- Content Type: Soft-spoken, engaging videos where Emmy often samples something and reviews it, or attempts a peculiar recipe step-by-step. For instance, she’s done videos reviewing military MREs from different countries and has baked a cake from a 1940s cookbook.
- Niche: Taste-testing international and nostalgic foods, DIY culinary experiments.
- Subscribers: 3.07 million
- Engagement: Can be considered high
- Brand Collaborations: Bokksu, Anova
- Audience: Diverse, curiosity-driven viewers
- Viral Moment: Survival ration reviews
- 2025 Influence: Continues curiosity-driven food adventures
- Average Views/Comments: Many Emmymade videos average around 500k to 1M views.
5. Matt Stonie
Matt Stonie is a famous competitive eater (winner of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2015) who has translated his eating feats into wildly popular YouTube videos.
- Content Type: Challenge videos, typically under 10 minutes, where Matt attempts to consume a massive quantity of food or completes a bizarre eating challenge. Examples: eating 100 McDonald’s chicken nuggets in one sitting.
- Niche: Competitive eating and food challenges.
- Subscribers: 16.4 million
- Engagement: The engagement is off the charts in terms of viewership, though his content doesn’t lend itself to as many comments or likes proportionally (viewers often just watch in awe rather than interact).
- Brand Collaborations: Mobile games, restaurant promotions
If you still haven’t found that one influencer that suits your business the best, my suggestion is to check out free influencer marketing tools, which usually have a database of millions of influencers. - Using these platforms, you can easily filter influencers to find the best one. My suggestion is Ainfluencer.
- Audience: Young males, extreme entertainment seekers. Likely teens to 30s
- Viral Moment: Massive smoothie and nugget challenges
- 2025 Influence: Continues extreme food entertainment
- Average Views/Comments: Many recent videos easily hit 5–10 million views.
The Best Platform for Finding American Food Influencers – Ainfluencer
If you’re a brand or marketer wondering how to collaborate with American food influencers, look no further than Ainfluencer.
Ainfluencer is the world’s first DIY free influencer marketplace – an AI-powered platform that connects brands with a vast network of social media influencers, including thousands of food content creators.
It’s essentially a one-stop solution to find influencers for American food promotion and manage campaigns from start to finish.
The platform is completely free to use for both brands and influencers, removing the cost barrier that many other marketplaces have.
What makes Ainfluencer the best platform for finding American food influencers in 2025? Here are some key features and benefits that set it apart:
- AI-Powered Matching: Uses smart algorithms to match brands with influencers based on niche, location, follower count, and engagement rate, saving time on manual searches.
- Detailed Audience Insights: Provides data on influencer audience demographics, engagement, and past performance to ensure a good fit for your target market.
- Easy Communication & Campaign Management: Features built-in chat and tools to create, manage, and track campaigns directly on the platform.
- Secure Escrow Payments: Holds payments in escrow until deliverables are met, ensuring trust for both brands and influencers.
- Global Reach: Offers video translation into 20+ languages to expand campaign reach internationally.
- Affiliate Tools & Shopify Integration: Enables tracking of sales and commissions through unique codes and links, with seamless Shopify integration.
- Curated Lists & Ambassadorships: Helps brands find influencers for long-term partnerships and manage multiple collaborations.
- Unlimited Campaigns: Allows unlimited free campaigns, making it scalable for businesses of all sizes.
Sign up on Ainfluencer today and connect with the best American food influencers for your business.
Conclusion
In 2025, American food influencers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube will be key players in shaping consumer dining habits and food trends.
Their influence, built on trust, can turn a viral recipe or review into real-world success for businesses.
Ainfluencer, a free AI-powered platform, streamlines the process by helping brands find the right American food influencers, manage campaigns, and track performance, making it easier to tap into this engaged foodie community effectively.
FAQs
Let’s review some frequently asked questions about this topic:
Q1. How Do I Find the Right American Food Influencer for My Brand?
Look for influencers whose niche (e.g., healthy eating, restaurant reviews) and audience align with your brand’s goals. Tools like Ainfluencer make this easier by using AI to match you with influencers based on location, follower demographics, engagement rates, and more, saving you time and guesswork. You can also use food influencer marketing agencies, but that will be expensive.
Q2. What’s the Best Way to Collaborate With Food Influencers?
Start by defining clear goals—like boosting brand awareness or driving sales—then reach out with a personalized pitch. Platforms like Ainfluencer simplify this with built-in communication tools, secure payment systems, and campaign management features to keep everything organized and effective.
Q3. Are American Food Influencers Suitable for Small Businesses?
Absolutely! Influencers come in all sizes, from micro-influencers with a few thousand local followers to mega-stars. Small businesses can partner with niche creators for affordable, targeted promotion, and Ainfluencer’s unlimited free campaigns make it scalable as you grow.
