We were so excited to receive so many amazing entries. We picked our top 10 finalists and went on our Instagram to ask our followers which one they LOVED. Eilleeneats' Eggstra Viet beverage, which consisted of whipped egg yolk and condensed milk combined in an airy foam on top of the legendary VA VA VIET, was declared the winner of the 2022 VA VA VIET cup. MMM talks about taking a drink to a whole new level.
But who is @Eilleeneats? We had the chance to interview her and find out more about her, her winning recipe and how her idea came to be.
When did you start your Instagram page @Eilleeneats?
I started my food Instagram back in September of 2020! It hasn’t fully been 2 years yet but I’m glad to have experienced so many opportunities, met many wonderful foodies in the Toronto food community, and help businesses in any way I can!
What inspired the Eggstra viet?
I really enjoy Vietnamese Iced Coffee in general because it’s so creamy and STRONG! Egg coffee is a drink traditional to the Vietnamese coffee culture and it’s also very unique too - who would’ve thought egg yolks in coffee would be so good and creamy!! I took a look at Toronto Pho’s drink menu and saw that they didn’t have their own version yet so I decided this would be a fun incorporation to their Va Va Viet line.
If you had a dinner party and could invite anyone 4 people in the world who would it be?
I’m not gonna lie, I dread being asked this question for any interview LOL. If anyone knows me, I’m a huge fan of EDM DJs in the rave community HAHA. Obviously I would invite my top 4 DJs for dinner so they can put on a private music show for me and COLLAB? I would invite Illenium, Dabin, Seven Lions, and Slander. (Slander is a duo but I’m not cheating) Can I invite more? I’d also invite JVNA, ARMNHMR and Mitis.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have 1 item from our menu everyday what would it be and why?
Definitely #P01: Phở Đặc Biệt (House Special Beef Noodle Soup)!!! I can eat pho everyday and I like how the House Special has a bit of everything! I also really enjoy Bún Bò Huế and Bún Riêu but nothing beats the classic phở.
With so many bloggers and Instagrammers out there trying to make it as an influencer, what’s the best advice you can give them?
Be patient. With the foodie community being so saturated out there, it can get hard for someone to be noticed. I’m not a big blogger compared to the many others out there that are, but I have my fair share of business collaborations. I like to keep a certain aesthetic for my feed so that when people look through my page, everything flows through nicely. I realized that this is what businesses liked and they would message me because they want to be part of this aesthetic.
Reels are also the way to go these days with the new Instagram algorithm. They take a lot of time and effort to make, but they also have the best reach for audience. When you’re a small blogger, it’s hard to get paid partnerships because it’s so easy for a business to just gift you their product. But people don’t realize how hard content creation actually is. We have to drive/commute to the restaurant, take photos/videos, edit, write a detailed and researched caption review (hardest part), and engage with our audience afterwards. I spend hours on my phone and so, negotiating paid deals is something that I’m currently struggling with and I’m sure a lot of bloggers are on the same boat.
What's next on your culinary adventure—where to go? Is there anything on that menu that you can't wait to sample?
I don’t have any set plans yet in terms of travelling - my friends and I talk a lot about travel plans but it’s rare that it makes it out of the group chat. Can anyone relate? I really want to visit Asia when borders open back up again to the public specifically Japan or Korea! I had my first omakase experience recently at Ato Japanese Restaurant for their lunch promotion and that made me want to try other omakase experiences! It was so cool and the sushi is freshly made in front of you.
What are some random facts about @Eilleeneats we MUST know?
Apart from being a foodie, I’m an avid gym-rat (have to compensate for the calories I eat) and I’m a full time registered dental hygienist! I recently started another Instagram page for my Teeth Whitening business. Foodies, I know you eat and drink a lot of staining foods so check out my page @whitening.byeilleen if you’re interested! I’m doing a launch promotion for the month of July, inquire with me!
Thanks Eilleen! We are ecstatic about the Eggstra Viet and have enlisted her to assist us with the process and taste testing.
We'll keep you updated on how things are going!
Thank you to everyone who participated!
