“American YouTuber, baker, actress, author, businesswoman, singer and podcast hostess.” So Wikipedia describes Rosanna Pansino: Her channel, launched in 2010, rose to become the most popular baking channel on YouTube –it now boasts 14.8 million subscribers. Her first book, The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook, is a New York Times bestseller with 3.5 million copies sold. Baketopia, the baking show she hosted and executive-produced for HBO Max proved a critical success. Whom else to ask about cooking videos and social media? We sat down with Pansino to explore the creator economy, the importance of authenticity and the resurgence of long-form content.
Let’s start from the beginning. What, or who, got you interested in cooking?
I was introduced to baking as a kid by my grandmother, and it became one of those happy places for me early on. I baked for friends and family for special occasions. I enjoyed making themed treats but it wasn’t until I started YouTube that I really started to enjoy detailed decorating.
What does baking mean to you?
I love that food, especially baking, can be comforting and nostalgic, but it is also playful and creative. Food is one of the universal languages. Everybody eats, and in our family food was one of the things that brought everyone together. I also love learning. I have been trying new recipes for 15 years and still learn something new every week. Lately I’ve been testing over 40 recipes a month, there is always something new and interesting to try!
You started your YouTube channel in 2010. Tell us about those early days and your “Nerdy Nummies” series: did you have a vision for the channel? What were the challenges?
I started YouTube as a way to get more comfortable in front of the camera. At the time I was doing commercials and guest roles in Los Angeles, but I wanted to be more creatively fulfilled. In the beginning it was very DIY. I used an inexpensive little flip camera and edited every episode myself. I had no idea what I was doing and it showed… but that’s also what made YouTube so special.
“Nerdy Nummies” actually happened organically on my channel. At the time I was vlogging, and one of the vlogs was about making themed treats for an E3 party I was hosting. E3 was a big gaming convention and so I made the desserts Mario-themed. That was the first time on my channel that my fans really began requesting more of that type of content. Eventually I realized there had never been a geeky themed baking show before.
The biggest challenges were learning everything while doing it: filming, audio, lighting, editing, recipe testing, and figuring out how to make it consistent week to week. I had never done something like that before, so it took a while to figure out, but I always wanted to get better and better.
‘The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook’
Fast forward to a decade later: yours became the most popular baking show on YouTube, with millions of followers and tons of accolades. What is the secret of Rosanna Pansino’s success? What sets your content apart?
I’ve never tried to “crack” the internet or cater to a specific platform algorithm. I’ve always focused on making the kind of videos I would want to watch. One thing I truly stuck to was being consistent. I didn’t miss a single weekly upload in almost 15 years.
My channel just had one of its best years in a long time and I think it’s because in a world filled with AI Brain Rot, people are craving authenticity. I’ve always enjoyed making long form content, even in the era of TikTok, but there has actually been a major resurgence this year of people watching longer form content. It’s really exciting to see that format make such a big comeback.
Let’s take a closer look at your YouTube videos: Some are about tasting and ranking; others are about trying out recipes and recreating menus. Walk us through each format.
- Tasting and ranking: This is a format I’ve really come to enjoy on my channel for several reasons. First, I’m just genuinely curious. There are so many trending and viral foods popping up every month and I can’t help but wonder if they’re actually delicious or just all-hype. Also, with food being so expensive these days, I like to try a bunch of things at once so my viewers might know which food is worth their time and money.
- Testing viral recipes or gadgets: I’ve lost count of how many hundreds of kitchen gadgets I’ve tried for my videos, but I truly never know what to expect. The food world is always trying to invent new gadgets to make life in the kitchen easier… but I must say so many of them are just complete fails. I have to thank my friend Justine (@iJustine) for putting up with testing so many of them with me over the years.
- Recreating and how-to recipes: DIY and recipe videos will always have a special place in my heart. Educational content was one of the first major content categories to blow up on YouTube originally. While the majority of the most successful chefs on YouTube now upload recipe tutorials to a separate channel instead of their main one, I still enjoy teaching people how to have fun with their food as often as possible.
How many hours of work does it take to film a cooking video? Let’s pretend we’re a fly on a wall in your studio.
When it was just me, I would spend about 60-80 hours a week per video. I did all of the brainstorming, shopping, test baking, prep baking, filming, editing, posting, and promoting myself. The first people I hired was a cameraman and then an editor, because those were major bottlenecks for me. As time went on, I grew my team and was able to make more content than I ever could on my own.
With around 4.4 million followers on Instagram and around 2 million on TikTok, you’re more than a mega influencer. Are there differences in the ways you communicate on Instagram or TikTok vs. YouTube? What are the secret ingredients for a successful foodie reel on each platform?
Each platform is definitely different in what performs the best, but at the end of the day people just want quality and enjoyable content. I mentioned this before, but YouTube has been doing a big push for longer form content again, which has always been my bread and butter. It allows you to tell a story and build that strong connection with your audience.
TikTok and Instagram also love food, though. Some of the most delicious recipes I’ve ever tried I found on TikTok. I recently started making content specifically for TikTok and my audience seems to love it. A lot of my original fans from 15 years ago have also switched to TikTok, so it’s been exciting getting to reconnect with them on a different platform.
I don’t think there is one secret to doing well on any platform. The main thing I would say is post your content on every platform that will take it, be consistent, do more of what is doing well, and always try new things. Just remember, a short video you post on TikTok might get 50 views, but it could also get a million on YouTube… or vice versa. You can’t take it personally, you just have to try and improve.
Rosanna Pansino • Photo: Michael Schmidt.
Looking back, which culinary shows have inspired you during the last 15 years? Is there a legacy of, say, Julia Child or Nigella Lawson amongst food creators?
When I started, I had not seen a geeky themed baking show online or on TV, so I decided to make one I wished existed. Julia Child is still one of my biggest inspirations. I have a photo I took in her kitchen in France (you can rent it on Airbnb!) because she was such a light.
I’ve always said that food needs to be more fun. In a world of wild beauty-brand influencer trips, major sporting events and fashion events, I think it’s time for the foodies to do it big. I’m always cheering from the sidelines any time I see someone follow their passion for food.
Speaking of foodie creators of your generation, you often collab with some. Who are the creators that pique your interest the most and why? What about cooking shows on cable TV and streamers?
When I started on YouTube, collabing was very common. There was a couple of years early on where it felt like every single person making videos on YouTube was moving to Los Angeles and everyone wanted to make videos together. People have started to stick more to their niche or clique these days, as so many people are chasing the algorithm, but I still love meeting new people and being creative together.
That’s one of the reasons I started my podcast Rodiculous. As I got to know more and more creators, there was no way to collab with all of them consistently… so why not have them hang out for a chat?
Hosting food shows on TV has also been really fun. I got to work with people like Duff Goldman, who had one of the best baking shows of all time on Food Network. At the end of the day, I’m always excited to do any project that lets me be creative with food.
Can you think of the sexiest foods, and the un-sexiest?
Sexiest: Nothing is sexier than a hand-made pizza. My Italian cousins ran a restaurant in San Francisco for years called “È Tutto Qua” and they made, hands down, the best pizza I’ve ever had. My family likes to make fresh pasta for the holidays every year as well!
Un-sexiest: Honestly, I’m not proud of it, but one of my favorite recipes in college was making a big pot of macaroni and cheese, then cut up a hot pocket into the mac, and lastly scoop it all up with Doritos. Not sure if that counts.
‘Baketopia’ • HBO Max.
How do you juggle so many creative activities at once? Singing, taping your podcast, writing books, hosting Baketopia on HBO Max…
I’m someone who genuinely loves making things, it’s the reason I started YouTube in the first place. I have an amazing team who keeps me going and have been very blessed with the opportunities I’ve had. I like to stay busy, even in college I had 4 different jobs to pay off my student loans. After 15 years there’s still 10 cookbooks I want to write, TV show ideas, endless video ideas, and I’d even love to write a movie. The challenge is trying to remember to get some sleep, because my brain is always going.
Would you give our readers a simple recipe we can all learn to impress a date?
My boyfriend’s favorite dessert is churros, so I made these ‘XOXO’ churros for my second cookbook, Baking All Year Round. He loves them and they’re perfect for that special someone!
About 8 cups of vegetable oil
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 large egg
Fine sanding sugar (red and white)
Heat oil, prepare dough, pipe into shapes, freeze, fry until golden, and decorate.
Fox Creator Studios has just announced several development deals with you and a few other foodie creators. Can you tell us more?
Yes, and I’m really excited about it. Fox launched Fox Creator Studios as a creator-led, digital-first division, and it’s debuting with a focus on food, with an inaugural roster that includes Gordon Ramsay and a group of food creators. With the explosion of long form content on YouTube this year, it is the perfect time for fun, new, and creative food shows. I can’t say too much yet, but I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’re working on!
