Steinhardt sophomore Skyler Bouchard writes reviews of restaurants in a fun, casual tone that offers a foodie’s perspective on dining options for NYU students. Her blog, foodbyskyler.tumblr.com, has reviews of all types of eateries, from the Bowery Hotel to Pop Burger, making it appealing to all readers no matter what their budget.
Bouchard’s inspiration for the blog came when she moved to New York and realized there was no need to wait to get into the food reviewing trade.
“Growing up, I loved eating and entertaining,” Bouchard said. “So when I moved to New York, one of my personal goals was to eat at every single restaurant in the city, and my career goal was to be an entertainment news broadcaster. Not too short of a month ago, I had this epiphany that I could try to turn both of my passions into one.”
Bouchard’s love of food has its roots in her French-Canadian background and her family’s enthusiasm for culinary excellence.
She has an uncle who is a chef at restaurants in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and another uncle who is a wine connoisseur. However, her greatest influence has been her father.
“[My father] loves a good dining experience and, luckily, has always brought me along to enjoy some of the best meals of my life,” Bouchard said.
On the blog, Bouchard’s recommendations seems to be from a trustworthy source rather than from a stranger. In addition to reviews, she often writes about her culinary activities and experiences such as how awkward it was to stand alone one night waiting for her friends to meet her at a restaurant.
Bouchard said her tone is intentional.
“I want readers to feel as if they can relate to me, not as if I think I know better than them,” Bouchard said. “I want them to get my personality through my writing so that they can read my reviews as if I am a friend giving them advice, because in the end, that’s basically what I am.”
Gallatin sophomore Dani Sepanek enjoys how Bouchard picks local and affordable restaurants that serve a variety of cuisines.
“This blog is my savior when it comes to finding new places to eat in the city,” Sepanek said. “She also gives an honest account of the complete dining experience and adds lots of photos and comedic touches making it a really enjoyable read.”
There are many food blogs on the Internet, but what makes Bouchard’s different is her perspective. Bouchard is a young woman, living in a city with some of the best chefs in the world. Her voice is a fresh and a welcome addition to the sometimes haughty world of food.
“A lot of food blogs are just that, blogs about food,” Bouchard said. “I want my blog to portray the experiences of New York City dining from a young woman and a college student’s perspective.”
Keerthi Harishankar is a staff writer. Email her at [email protected].