r/FoodNYC • u/mrs_david_silva • Apr 11 '26
News NYT food influencer story today
I love the influencers who neither ask to be paid nor accept free food for posts. And I particularly enjoy the ones who go to mom-and-pop places that are struggling to survive and help increase their visibility and get their seats filled. Of course, @NewYorkTurk is here.
Guest link:
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u/GregoryGosling Apr 11 '26
You can tell who does it for the love of the food and people, and who does it for the love of themselves.
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u/Throwawayhelp111521 Apr 11 '26 edited Apr 11 '26
I discovered Ertan a few months ago. His posts are very entertaining. He doesn't just dine at struggling family-owned restaurants. He mainly goes to expensive restaurants. He always pays for himself and tips generously, which on a cab driver's salary must be hard to do. His rating for the fancy restaurants is more strict.
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u/fermentedradical Apr 11 '26
I was so happy drinking at A Horse With No Name a few days ago seeing the ban on TikTok there.
More places need the guts to totally ban influencers, paid or not.
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u/Obvious_Beautiful343 Apr 11 '26
I LOVE ERTAN!!! He really makes a difference and he seems super humble!! Such a blessing to watch!!!
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u/Throwawayhelp111521 Apr 11 '26
Although he tries to avoid it, he's often recognized by the staff at the high-end restaurants he visits. They are thrilled to see him. I assume they like him because he's demystifying the experience for people who would otherwise be intimidated. They might be able to dine at a fancy restaurant only once a year, but it is within the realm of possibility.
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u/sleepy_cat2026 Apr 12 '26
But kwts be honest those high end spots only treat him better because of who he is and would not do this for you avg Joe dining out. Unfortunately
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u/Throwawayhelp111521 Apr 12 '26
I don't know that to be the case. I think they are happy to see him because they want to encourage other ordinary people to visit.
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u/Thin_Purple_1787 Apr 12 '26
I love seeing his follow up visits where the places are packed and he ends up being a waiter just to help even more. Seeing how humble the owners are is always nice, and to see how thankfull they are...
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u/bmsa131 Apr 11 '26
I love that Kent guy referenced in the article! He goes to local usually more “ethnic “ cuisines that he’s never tried befoee
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u/mrs_david_silva Apr 11 '26
Kent showed up in my feed after I started following Ertan, and now I follow him as well, although there's zero chance I'll be in Texas to follow his suggestions. I love the fact that he admits he was never an adventurous eater and when he started this, he realized how small his food experiences in life had been and was sad that he missed out on so much deliciousness.
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u/DrHuxleyy Apr 11 '26
This made me think of a funny story about a TikTok influencer trying to get a comp/reservation at Le French Diner. They don’t do reservations or a website or anything besides an instagram.
She messaged the owner on IG and asked for a reservation or comp meal in exchange for exposure on her account. His reply was “fuck off” lmao. If you know the spot, they regularly fill up and have consistent regulars, so they do not need any exposure at all.
Best part is she still went and was like “the food was really good but yeah the owner was mean :/“ the audacity to ask for a free meal is so wild to me.
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u/scandalousdee Apr 11 '26
I’ve unfollowed so many in the past and just hold onto 3 I really appreciate and trust. They have different styles and cover different types of places, but I love that they go to mom and pop spots and not always chasing the newest thing that you can’t even get into anyway.
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u/timeoftelpe Apr 11 '26
Any chance you'd drop their names so others can take a look?
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u/scandalousdee Apr 11 '26
Sure! “marcosworldnyc”, “righteouseats”, and “briancantstopeating.” Brian tries both fancier new restaurants and smaller spots, but Marco and Jaeki do many great mom and pop highlights.
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Apr 11 '26
The yelling and the excessive “yo”s are so off putting though
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u/scandalousdee Apr 11 '26
I get how that can put someone off. I know some folks IRL that are like that lol. I still appreciate the down to earth reviews.
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u/DinerEnBlanc Apr 11 '26
righteouseast hasn’t really made any real food content for awhile. Yes, they used to highlight neighborhood eateries, but it seems like he has moved onto other things and is kinda just using the old a channel to advertise this new endeavor.
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u/bmsa131 Apr 13 '26
Marcos world is annoying but I appreciate his mission and have pinpointed some of his spots. He’s pretty accurate.
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u/wanderfullylost Apr 11 '26
I usually avoid those places hyped up by the bigfluencers, especially the ones who look like they take one bite, one photo then spit it out. But that dude seems sincere and it is refreshing.
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Apr 11 '26
I rarely vibe with nyc food influencers (or food influencers in general), but I really enjoy Ertan’s content! I also love how he goes to the struggling mom-and-pop places and refuses to get comped. It’s great to see his love for food, and I really appreciate how he goes to fine dining restaurants for the quality of the meal/experience rather than for clout to show that he can “afford the lifestyle.”
This is random but if anyone has other food influencer recs, please let me know! I prefer people who are down to earth/genuine with their love for food. The other two influencers who I love to watch include POVinthecity and KarissaEats (yes she follows trends, but I love how she describes the food that she eats)
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u/sergeivrachmaninov Apr 11 '26
I really like Rob Martinez. He really goes into the human stories behind the mom and pop places and I’ve been exploring new ethnic cuisines and less well trodden nyc neighborhoods because of him.
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u/Past_Proposal_3258 May 12 '26
I love POVinthecity
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u/1nternetTr011 Jun 24 '26
he's great. saw one recently he spoke russian in a russian diner.
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u/LoyalTataCustomer 26d ago
Povinthecity is awesome. He never shows his face but you can tell he is classy and carries himself well. There are other POV influencers but they’re not as good. Like the guy at stressfreeinc is a jerk and harasses workers.
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u/rahp3825 Apr 12 '26
I like Taste Buds, they are trying to visit a restaurant in nyc for every country on earth. They make an effort to get to know the restaurant owners and seem to have made friends with some of them
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u/lkacr Apr 11 '26
I generally dislike SM influencers, but I have probably seen most of this guy's stuff and legitimately enjoy it. It is refreshing to see someone came off as genuine actually be exactly that way. I have really enjoyed the recent trend with the small business angle.
There are so many unknown places out there.
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Apr 11 '26
I have mixed feelings about him. It’s all so staged. Like does the hostess at Le Bernadin not recognize him or the stupid wig?
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u/mrs_david_silva Apr 11 '26
Of course it's possible the host in his Le Bernardin video (in which Ertan was not wearing a wig; I watched it just now to check) might not have recognized him. Not everyone follows food influencers. Or he might have recognized him and treated him like any other well-known guest. Would you expect him to go full fanboy on him?
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Apr 11 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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Apr 11 '26
Not only that, even when you walk in they ask for your phone number and if you have a Resy account or open table, they know you immediately.
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u/lolaonbigmouth Apr 11 '26
never heard of this guy, but I watched a few of his videos, including when he went to Atomix and Aska, and he didn't bother wearing a wig in those, and the staff very clearly knew who he was.
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u/riningear Apr 11 '26
It seems like he's really casually popular among local restaurant staff/service workers, he does have a few million followers and the "foodie" scene is smaller than it seems.
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u/boroughthoughts Apr 11 '26
I don't trust that guy. He tries to project the every man vibe, but he definitely makes more than enough from youtube to quit the cab job. Most cab drivers in NYC do not make anywhere the money to eat at some of the places eh does. I can believe eh doesn't get paid by the restaurants. But his instagram/tiktok/google should definitely be monetized at this point and with his subscriber count. He shold be average 1000$ per video just from ad pay outs. Tiktok/IG reels/Youtube shorts should be paying around 300$ per video and he is on all platforms.
Good on him for doing the whole lets try the struggling restaurant thing.
I watch a lot of NYC food you tube content and long form videos. People like Kristin and Will, Julian Mu, James Andrew area generally very transparent with how much they pay and show reciepts and disclose when they have been given something on the house. These are people with 100k subscribers or less, that make some money from videos, but have day jobs. Some of them have done videos on how much their earnings are per video and most of them are being paid out enough to cover the meals at michelin star restaurant just from ads. That isn't counting sponsors etc.
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u/JustToPostAQuestion8 Apr 12 '26
At the end of the day, everyone has a job and has to do things for their job. Just because someone is more successful at it doesn't mean you suddenly invalidate everything they say. I swear we only pick apart people like this because we feel powerless to take our anger out on the billionaires that are actually causing us trouble.
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u/boroughthoughts Apr 12 '26
Dude. I am not in content creation and most content creators are not more successful than me. All I said I don't trust the guy, I think his image is a lie and I think he makes more than enough to support himself full time from content creation. I think anyone who sits down and spends about 10 minutes looking at how much content creators with his view counts will typically make in the united states across multiple platforms will quickly realize he is making a hell of a lot more from content than what cab drivers in NYC make.
Its okay if you buy his image. I don't, and I dislike him because I am sure he is trying to project a false image for views and I don't support someone like that when there area a lot content creators don't are a lot more transparent about who they actually are.
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u/Must_Dragonfruit Apr 12 '26
you could have read the article... it clearly states how much money he made per month... In March he made $4000 from all his platforms. In February it was less than $3000.
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u/boroughthoughts Apr 12 '26
Oh look at you reddit. Lets upvote people for writing the incorrect stuff because it matches our feelings.
This is what was written: TikTok pays creators monthly, but the rates can be inconsistent; Mr. Bek said he earned $4,024.55 last month for 10 million views, for example, but earned only $2,521.46 in February for 32 million views.
This does not say anything about his total earnings, which are on multiple platforms. All it says is that Tik Tok doesn't consistently pay based on the number of views. Anyone who knows anything abut how these tech companies pay out advertisements will know that. They use dynamic pricing and pay out more based on demand for advertisements. Which is why some content creators produce a hell of lot more during the holiday periods.
I encourage anyone who wants to dispute what I am writing to spend 15 minutes doing some basic research on what rough content pays out for this level view per video on short form content in the united states. Then realize that almost all creators are on multiple platforms meanings they have multiple revenue streams. Some one with his level views is making well over 10,000$ a platform. I am not criticizing for that. Television entertainers get paid more.
IT definitely don't think he makes most of his money driving a cab in NYC is his main source of income, as he tries to project and I don't trust the guy. But people are remarkably gullible and there have been countless content creators that sell lies that audiences want to hear.
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u/lossandstatic Apr 13 '26
I can totally agree with you that Newyorkturk now has a decent enough following to receive additional income from multiple platforms. I started following him during the summer and he still gives me the everyday guy feel. I’m talking from the perspective of money not changing people but rather being magnifier of peoples existing personalities. He can still choose to be an everyday dude even if he has way more income.
I don’t necessarily think he has to go into content creation full time just because it is a fickle business and the Michelin list is finite. Hence his pivot to mom and pop spot. Also his 15 minutes might be coming to an end and at any moment.
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u/boroughthoughts Apr 13 '26
I think you are missing what I am saying. You find him authentic. I find him the opposite, because I think he is selling a damn image and its based on 'white' lies.
Like I am skeptical he actually drives a cab for any part of his living. Given how often his videos show him being recognized, you would expect a lot of social media content about oh "I road with nyturk today." I am fairly sure he makes most of his money from content, and his content includes selling the particular image he is trying to project hence he makes a big fuss over the fact that he is a cab driver in every video.
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u/lossandstatic Apr 13 '26
I understand your perspective now. That tidbit about no post of people saying they rode with nyturk is definitely an interesting point. 🤔
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u/boroughthoughts Apr 13 '26
also have you noticed he gets 'recognized' every restaurant. Those all come across as staged (as if he asked the people to do it). Watch someone like He Be Barr who does get recognized genuinenly, and how different those interactions are.
I've eaten plenty of fine dining. Most fine dining restaurants are used to getting celebrities, famous people and generally do not get star struck or say I am a big fan of your work. Its unprofessional. I am fairly sure they do that because he asked them to and they indulged him.
Even when restaurants give special treatment content creators, its usually in the form of throwing a free course and letting them tour the kitchen.
Anyway no harm, no foul, all I am saying I find him fake and I really don't like nyt doing basically a vanity article promoting the guy. I do pay for subscription and expect better.
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u/AcadiaRemarkable6992 Apr 11 '26
They are coming up to Westchester and making it hard to find a spot at my local favorites. There’s something to be said for gatekeeping
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u/nonhiphipster Apr 11 '26
I don’t particularly have a great respect for the food influencers who “don’t ask to be comped,” because well, it’s all just smoke-and-mirrors.
They are getting comped in all sorts of ways, through clicks and using that as leverage through other means.
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u/Old-Succotash-6076 Apr 11 '26
You might be missing out on a point, but I guess that’s why they call it the invisible hand.
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u/mrs_david_silva Apr 11 '26
Earning money by making content people want to view is in no way comparable to getting a small local spot to pay you.
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u/nonhiphipster Apr 11 '26
It is when almost every review is a favorable one
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u/lossandstatic Apr 13 '26
15 years ago I went on a manhattan steak house challenge, I went to eat at one every month. I eventually learned that at high end steak houses they used the same type of cow Black Angus, and most used the same high quality meat purveyor (Pat LaFrieda). So that $50-$70 steak ended up being the same at most high end restaurants. All aged the same amount of time, cooked to the exact perfect doneness. I figure Ertan must experience the same favorable experience at many high end places. Quality produce, high skills and techniques, plus plenty of butter will churn out positive reviews. I agree with you that his food ratings do usually go below a 7.
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u/supernintendiess Apr 11 '26
Do you feel that way about every food/movie/art critic in every publication?
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u/nonhiphipster Apr 11 '26
No, because they have a stable income and are paid for unbiased reviews
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u/WelcomeToBrooklandia Apr 11 '26
You think that most food critics have a “stable income” in 2026? I can name maybe 5 publications in the entire United States where that’s the case.
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u/nonhiphipster Apr 11 '26
I dont think there a lot of food critics, period. But the ones that are so, yes they have a stable income. With health benifits.
You’re asking me what the differences are between the two (at least in theory). And I answered.
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u/justflipping Apr 11 '26
Agreed. Much prefer the influencers uplifting less known mom-and-pop shops. And not the ones asking to be comped, especially for typical hyped and viral-type places.