It’s been a busy couple of months. I launched Small Town Socialite Southern Illinois, announced my plans for Coffee with The Socialite events, and I also started a podcast on YouTube called Community Chat with The Socialite. What can I say, I’m consistent with my branding! And, I hope it goes without saying that my brand is all about community-building, highlighting small businesses, and small town life.
Late last year I secured my YouTube channel name @smalltownsocialite, because even at that time I knew I wanted to share content on YouTube, I just wasn’t sure what it would look like. As I’ve met more people and shared their stories, I’ve realized that some people’s stories are just better captured through conversations.
I also realize that people are busier than ever and might not have time to read an article, but can put a podcast on to play in the background while they get some steps in on the treadmill, unload the dishwasher, or are spending time doing meal prep in the kitchen. The goal with Community Chat with The Socialite is to continue to share the stories of people that are making an impact in their local communities, in big and small ways.
So far, I’ve released episodes of conversations with small town food reviewer KG, and watch the bonus episode, where he interviewed me! I also sat down with private chef and caterer Meg Lang, and Jessyca Tello, a graphic designer who recently moved to WashMo from Texas. I’m in talks with possible future guests and right now, I’m starting slowly, aiming to release an episode every other Sunday or so.
The next episode is slated to release on Sunday, Sept. 20 and it’s actually going to be a solo-cast, where I’ll go into a little more details about the podcast, the kind of people I’m looking to interview, and some future plans for the podcast.
I hope you’ll subscribe to my YouTube channel and catch the latest episode featuring Jessyca from Digital Designs by Jessyca.
If you live in Franklin County and follow some of your favorite local restaurants on social media, odds are you’ve probably seen a food review video about it posted by a local page called Ksmilesfoodpeople Gibson. The man behind the account is Kordel Gibson, but most people call him KG, or “the food review guy.”
He’s built a following by sharing videos of the various dishes he tries at area restaurants, as well as by showcasing the dining options that are locally owned in small town Missouri. His content features restaurants in Pacific, Belle, Rosebud, St. Clair, Washington, Union, Hermann, Sullivan, and beyond. In fact, KG isn’t just the food review guy, he’s the small town food review guy, a distinction that sets him apart from other Missouri-based food influencers, and a feature that he has no intention of changing.
KG’s videos feature food reviews on items the average person is likely to order, like chicken wings, burgers, or desserts. Photo via Ksmilesfoodpeople Gibson on Facebook.
“People tell me that I could get a lot more followers if I would go to St. Louis and try the restaurants there, but I don’t want to do that,” he shares.
And while some social media based foodies tend to focus their content on trying the most “extreme” eating challenges or the biggest, most calorie-dense options available at restaurants, KG sticks to the menu items that the average person is likely to order.
Over the years, he has made videos about trying baked goods from cottage bakeries, breakfast foods, ice cream, coffee shops, barbecue, burgers, and just about everything in between. And because there’s no certain kind of food or establishment that he wants to review over others, it allows him to also put his focus on the people who own the restaurants he visits.
Although there’s lots of food reviewers and influencers throughout Missouri, and some of those influencers with a massive following have made visits at local restaurants, they don’t seem to have quite the same impact as the review videos that come from KG. Maybe that’s because he has a different method, or to put it in foodie terms, a secret sauce that isn’t easy to replicate.
His charismatic, narrative style pulls viewers in and the tantalizing shots of food, and his natural, conversational interview approach sets people at ease and helps them open up. The end result gives viewers a unique, behind the curtain experience that you don’t often find in other food review videos. A true people person, KG shares that the real stars of his videos are the folks behind the business.
KG shares snippets of his everyday life on his social media accounts and often posts pictures with daughters. Photo via Ksmilesfoodpeople Gibson on Facebook.
“I don’t like just going to places and eating the food. I like sitting down with the owners and talking to them. That’s my favorite part,” KG explains.
Drawing inspiration from a Food Network legend
Inspired by Guy Fieri, the TV personality that shows both the food and the back of the house experience on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” KG started filming restaurant reviews two years ago. While his followers can’t get enough of his candid takes on the local food scene, take a quick scan of any of his social media profiles and you’ll notice that his content is about more than restaurants.
KG’s social media posts consist of positive messages, slices of his personal life, including his fitness routine and the time he spends with his two daughters. On more than one occasion he’s shared photo evidence of his “girl dad” moments, like when his daughters have acted as stylists or makeup artists and dressed him up with clothes, accessories, makeup, or painted toenails.
The girl dad proving he’s a good sport by posing for a picture after his daughters dressed him and did his makeup. Photo via Ksmilesfoodpeople Gibson on Facebook.
While on the surface these content areas might seem unrelated, they represent what’s truly important to KG and lend an authenticity that keeps his audience engaged and feeling like he’s an internet friend they just haven’t met in real life yet.
For daily doses of positivity, humor, people, and food content, follow KG on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. On Sunday, July 26, I’m releasing two videos that are snippets of an hour long conversation between me and KG. You can watch me interview him and catch me a little flustered when the tables are turned and I get interviewed by KG. Both videos will be published on YouTube and will kick off a new podcast series I’m launching that focuses on conversations with people making an impact in the community, so be sure you’re following me on YouTube to find out more!
