Our hashtag #girlsonfood has over 12K uses on Instagram! 

Thank you so much to our readers for using this tag!

I have been looking through all the images and saw that there were so many bloggers/photographers/influencers that I wanted to get to know a little better. So, I created a column where I interview the folks behind some of most the interesting pages.

Through the uses of our hashtag, I found Kat Peterson of @kmlpeterson. With her incredible photography skills and impeccable taste in food, I had to pick her brain on food photography! I have a feeling we’re going to see more of her images on more professional sites soon. 

GOF: When did you start your Instagram page?

KP: I first started Instagram back in June of 2015 when I got my first smartphone. I was really late to the technology game!

GOF: Why food + craft beer?

KP: Around the same time (2015), I went to my first taproom and feel in love with the craft beer culture. While I don’t post as many photos of beer as I once did, it’s still something I really enjoy. As far as food goes, it became a way for me to connect with other people when I was going through a difficult time in my life and in a sense, reinventing myself. Having group dinners with friends and exploring new restaurants was my way of practicing connection, relationship, and friendships.

GOF: What camera do you usually shoot on?

KP: I use a Canon 6D. I started with a borrowed Nikon about two years ago and then switched to a borrowed Canon Rebel before finally purchasing my own camera back in December. It’s been a big learning curve with the new camera and sometimes I feel like I haven’t even tapped into half of what it’s capable of. So LOTS of practice!

GOF: What do you think separates the Minneapolis food scene from others?

KP: I don’t have any personal knowledge on other cities around the US but as far as the Twin Cities go, I see a lot of connection and collaboration between restaurants and people. The chefs are approachable and responsive to curiosity about the industry and although we have chefs that are probably considered local celebrities, they are still down to earth and seem to love interacting with guests in their restaurants.

GOF: Are there any St Paul/Minneapolis feuds?

KP: Ha, definitely! Until a few years ago, Minneapolis was the hot spot for dining and there weren’t a ton of great places in St Paul. The St Paul dining scene has since exploded and there are now so many restaurants worth crossing the river for.

GOF: Was being a “foodie” always a part of your life or did it come later?

KP: I’ve always had a love for food and remember trying to cook my way through my Mom’s Betty Crocker cookbook one summer. But I didn’t realize how crucial food had become or how pivotal Instagram has been in changing my life until this past summer.

GOF: Is there one item of food you’d like to see less of on Instagram?

KP: Not really. Even though “food porn” isn’t my style of photography…the drippy, gooey, 5,000 calorie meals… I still like to look at it! A photography trend that I’d love to see end is the over saturation and sharpening of images. If it doesn’t look like food anymore, I don’t want to eat it.

GOF: Do you prefer cocktails, craft beer or wine with a meal?

KP: That depends on the meal! In general I’d say that I prefer beer but I’ve had a lot of fun trying new wines. I’ve discovered that I’m definitely a fan of Cabernet . I’ve also been practicing cocktail photography, which is probably the most challenging thing for me to photograph.

GOF: Do you give restaurants a heads up you’re coming in or do you prefer anonymity?

KP: I get this question a lot and it bothers me to think that there are actually people that inform a restaurant that they are coming in. I’m not a celebrity or a food critic and I don’t want a dish that isn’t available to the general public so there’s no reason for me to contact them. With the exception of events, all the food on my feed is available at the restaurant for anyone to enjoy and I want to showcase the same dish that they would be served.

GOF: What’s one of the coolest experiences that’s come from your food photography?

KP: Last Fall the Arizona office of tourism invited me out and took me around the state to various restaurants, farms, and breweries. It was so awesome! I learned so much about agritourism, met some amazing people, and of course, ate a lot of food! This has led to other opportunities and I just recently shared this experience on Ready & Roam.

Be sure to follow @kmlpeterson and @girlsonfoodblog and use that hashtag #girlsonfood to be featured someday!