The Midwest often gets a bad rap for its seafood, even despite Chicago’s location beside Lake Michigan. Here to change that misinformed trend is digital creator and Chicago pescetarian Pooja Naik, who has dedicated her social platforms and blog “The Chicago Pescetarian” to highlighting the Windy City’s best seafood.
Since growing up in India and having lived in several countries, Pooja has made a name for herself as an advocate who shines light on food from various cultures. But from her travels, she has come to realize just how lucky Chicagoans are to have access to different cuisines all in one city.
Get to know Pooja in our interview below and follow her on Instagram to keep up with all her seafood adventures — they’re sure to be a shell of a good time.
1. Tell us about your platforms and their content. What gave you the idea to focus on seafood specifically for your blog?
“I run ‘The Chicago Pescetarian’ blog, which is also on IG, Tik Tok and Facebook. Although we are in the Midwest, we have really great seafood here – but I noticed no one was talking about it. I’m passionate about living a pescetarian lifestyle so I wanted to have a platform to share about it.”
2. What’s your favorite topic to cover on your Instagram page?
“Anything food, travel or lifestyle-related. I especially love talking about a new restaurant or dish I’ve discovered!”
3. Tell us about your background. What prompted you to start your social pages and blog?
“I’ve worked in marketing and have a diverse background, having grown up in India and living in a few different countries before moving to the U.S. So I wanted to market myself as a brand and bring cultural insights into things. Food is a great way to do that! Social media was just starting to evolve then and I was intrigued so wanted to give it a try.”
4. What’s been the most fulfilling part about running your platform?
“The DMs I receive with people telling me how they love following my journey, how they love that I cover pescetarian ideas which aren’t discussed by many, and how restaurants tell me they’ve seen an uptick in business with my posts. Just knowing that what I do is meaningful and can have a true influence has been fulfilling. I also enjoy being very honest about myself and my journey.”
5. What has been your favorite part about your career?
“Being able to have a creative outlet that also allows me to remain authentic. I’ve made so many new friends through this blog and just knowing that I’ve created my own community, in some way, of like-minded people is very rewarding.”
Courtesy of @chicagopescetarian
6. What would you say are the most underrated spots in Chicago that deserve more attention?
“That’s tough to say, because there are so many and sometimes that can change. Fish Bar, King Crab House, and Don Pez Fish Tacos are a few of my seafood favorites that deserve more attention.”
7. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve undergone in your career, and how did you overcome it?
“I would say being able to make people understand that while this is enjoyable and with great opportunities, it’s not without hard work. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. From having an interrupted dining experience to shooting content, to the time it takes to put together a post or reel. It’s time-consuming and it’s not easy to be out there for everyone to see what you’re up to all the time. It’s not just about getting free stuff.”
8. What other places do you cover outside of Chicago, and how would you say Chicago compares to other cities?
“I cover my travels and have travel-blogged in countries such as Iceland and Italy. Chicago is still my favorite food city in the world. We have so many cuisines to offer and that accessibility is something more Chicagoans need to treasure and take advantage of.”
9. The Chicago food scene can be incredibly overwhelming — how do you choose places to try and highlight?
“I try to be authentic during this process. I won’t go to fully meat-centric places, or I won’t post about a place without actually trying the food or product myself so I can share my actual experience. If I don’t like something I tried, I will leave it out. I focus on the positive parts of my experience and I do say no if I feel like it’s not a business that aligns with my philosophy.”
Courtesy of @chicagopescetarian
10. What are your top five favorite places in Chicago that you would recommend to someone visiting?
“It's tough to choose and also changes, but currently I love Kindling at Sears Tower, Tzuco, Avli on the Park, Aikana, and Suenos at Soho House.”
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