This Chef's Unfiltered Approach to Food Found Success Online. Now, Her Grocery Store Brings Her Brand to Life: 'I Don't Want to Live on the Internet.' Alison Roman discusses her growing list of digital projects — and her Upstate New York grocery store, First Bloom.
By Shawn P. Walchef Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Chef and author Alison Roman expands her brand beyond the digital realm, opening First Bloom grocery store.
- The shop provides a physical space for Roman's audience to connect with her culinary world.
- Roman's pivot to platforms like YouTube showcases her dedication to authentic, unfiltered content creation away from the restrictions of traditional network media.
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Alison Roman is an author, chef, and digital creator known for her unfiltered, honest approach to food, lifestyle and storytelling.
She has successfully carved her own path in a media landscape that often favors formulaic approaches, taking the helm of her content and connecting deeply with her audience.
From her celebrated cookbooks to a popular newsletter, engaging YouTube presence and podcast, Roman has a gift for bringing people into her kitchen and, more recently, her brick-and-mortar grocery store.
Each platform Roman explores is an extension of her creative journey, one in which she's constantly learning, adapting and staying true to her distinctive style.
After pitching several shows to television, Roman quickly discovered the constraints of network media. Traditional shows felt burdened with bureaucracy, which pushed her to look for an alternative space where she could authentically express herself.
YouTube became the answer. For her, it's "the people's Netflix" — a democratic platform where the creator has complete control. Publishing her content on YouTube allowed Roman to bypass red tape and bring her ideas directly to an audience, sharing her love for food and meaningful connection.
"At a certain point, I was like, well, I'm going to do it myself," she tells Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media. "A tool like YouTube is very helpful because it makes it very easy for people to figure it out."
Podcasting, however, has presented its own set of challenges. In 2023, Roman launched Solicited Advice with Alison Roman, diving into a new medium that required a shift in her approach to hosting. Although she's a natural in front of a camera on YouTube, podcasting calls for a different kind of energy and focus.
"Podcasting is hard," she admits. "I don't fancy myself a podcaster…but it's something that I like doing."
Related: This Food Network Mainstay Feeds His Passion for Fast-Paced Restaurant Life in Just 3 Days a Month
Opening a brick-and-mortar store
Roman's latest project took her offline and into the physical world: She opened First Bloom, a grocery store in Bloomville, New York. Opening the store was a long-held dream, but the experience meant much more to her than just running a business.
First Bloom was a way to infuse a physical space with her creative energy and provide a memorable experience for her audience beyond what they see on a screen.
Roman brings a unique blend of creativity, resilience and authenticity to everything she does. From her hands-on approach to content creation to the tactile experiences she fosters at First Bloom, Roman continues to blur the lines between digital and physical spaces, connecting with people in ways that feel both personal and enduring.
"I don't want to live on the Internet," Roman says. "I don't want to live in an ephemeral (world). I don't want to live where things come and go in a day. I want to make things, and I want to have a real physical experience."
Related: How This Michelin-Starred Chef Overcame Loss and Hardships to Achieve Stardom
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