I landed in Montana with a one way ticket to South Korea.
I had met my ex in South Korea, and after a few stops in between, we eventually ended up in Montana without knowing a single person. We initially lived in Livingston, where I eventually decided to go my own way. After the breakup, I moved to Bozeman and decided to give it a shot. It has now been a little over four years since I made that move, and what started as an unexpected chapter has become home.
My first Big Sky Eats post went live in September 2022. At the time, I was also working a full time corporate job. Big Sky Eats started as a passion project, but I quickly realized I was putting far more time, energy and creativity into it than I was into the job paying the bills. I had found something I genuinely cared about.
Food has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in a Latin household where cooking was one of the ways my family showed love. Growing up in New York and traveling extensively gave me an appreciation for food as a way to experience culture, people and place. I have always been curious about what happens beyond the plate: who created the dish, why they opened the restaurant and what makes an experience memorable.
There wasn't really a blueprint for building a food and lifestyle platform around Bozeman and Big Sky, so I started showing up. I went to wine dinners, attended events, introduced myself to chefs, restaurant owners and marketing teams, asked questions and followed up. A big part of building Big Sky Eats has been having the courage to ask the right questions and the curiosity to keep going.
One of the most exciting parts of what I do is watching the entire state of Montana become increasingly sophisticated as a culinary destination. There is incredible talent and dedication coming from chefs across the state. We have chefs receiving major recognition, earning nominations and winning awards, along with many others who I believe absolutely deserve that same recognition.
From Bozeman and Big Sky to Livingston, Whitefish, Missoula and communities throughout the state, restaurants, hotels, ranches and hospitality groups are raising the bar. One of my favorite things to see is how many restaurants source locally whenever they can. That connection to Montana ranches, farms and producers is part of what makes dining here special.
Montana does not need to become New York, Los Angeles or Paris to have an incredible culinary scene. The best experiences still feel distinctly Montana, and that balance between sophistication and authenticity is what makes this moment so exciting.
Creating in Montana is also different from creating in a major city. Here, relationships matter. You see the same people at events, build genuine connections and become part of the community you are documenting. My involvement with Restaurant Week in both Livingston and Bozeman has been especially meaningful because I have been able to use the Big Sky Eats platform to create awareness for local restaurants and encourage people to experience their own communities.
And what people see on Instagram is only a fraction of the work. Behind a thirty second Reel can be hours of pitching, negotiating, contracts, creative strategy, filming, editing, studying the algorithm and building systems. I am often experiencing a dinner, hotel, food festival or ranch stay while simultaneously thinking about the story I want to tell.
Big Sky Eats has grown from a food focused Instagram account into a creative business, working with brands across the nation, travel and lifestyle. I also love incorporating a sense of fashion into my content, bringing food, travel and personal style together.
My favorite things to feature are still curated dinners, food festivals, ranch stays, new hotels and restaurants. I love discovering something special and bringing my audience along for the experience.
Looking ahead, I'm building a creators network for people who love being part of the scene and experiencing what Montana has to offer. There is so much happening across the state, from incredible restaurants and food festivals to events and experiences that deserve to be seen. I feel a responsibility to help get the word out from a local perspective because the more we support these events, the more opportunities we create to keep bringing great experiences to Montana.
When I think about arriving in Montana with a one way ticket to South Korea, I could never have imagined where it would lead. Big Sky Eats has given me a career I never planned on, a community I never expected and the opportunity to help tell the story of a state that is changing in exciting ways.
I am incredibly grateful to my followers, restaurant owners, chefs, managers, marketing teams, the hospitality community, my friends who supported me from day one, my team, the leaders who trust me and the entrepreneurs who have opened doors along the way.
I started by sharing the places I loved. Now I get to help shape how people experience Montana.
I am excited to keep following the appetite and see where it takes us next.
Follow along with Big Sky Eats on Instagram, @bigsky_eats, for new restaurants, curated dinners, food festivals, hotels, ranch experiences, Montana adventures and everything delicious in between.
"Big Sky Eats started as a passion project...but [it turns out] I had found something I genuinely cared about."
"One of the most exciting parts of what I do is watching the entire state of Montana become increasingly sophisticated as a culinary destination. There is incredible talent and dedication coming from chefs across the state."