When Jane Ko launched A Taste of Koko in 2010, she didn’t set out to become one of Austin’s original food influencers — she just wanted to find her path.
“I started A Taste of Koko when I was at UT Austin,” Ko said. “I realized early on I probably wasn’t going to do higher education like my peers. I wasn’t good at academics or sports, so I started looking for other opportunities.”
Inspired by national blogs that showcased food, home and design, Ko taught herself to build a website. At first, she focused on recipes she could afford as a college student. Within two years, Austin restaurants began inviting her to media tastings — a phenomenon that was new at the time. She often found herself sitting next to professional journalists, despite not having a traditional journalism background.
“I relied a lot on shooting photos because I wasn’t a strong writer,” she said. “That set me apart really quickly, especially when Instagram launched. I had this specific filter and food flat lay style. People would find a photo online and say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s one of hers.’”
Over the years, Ko expanded beyond food into travel, home design and real estate. She became the face of major campaigns for brands like IKEA and Carvel Cruise Line, and even represented Miami tourism in The New York Times. In 2021, she raised $160,000 for local relief efforts during Austin’s winter storm Uri.
Now, Ko is focusing on projects that reflect her current passions, like interior design and vacation property development. She helped renovate Sunday House, a trio of historic vacation rentals in Fredericksburg and works with Howdy Homes in Austin on new construction interiors.
“I think posting when I want to is the attitude I’ve taken this year,” she said. “When I started, I was 20. Now I’m 36, and you can’t expect someone to be exactly where they were for 15 years.”
As Austin’s food scene matures, Ko continues to influence the culture in a new way — on her own terms.
"People would find a photo online and say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s one of hers.’”