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Have you been wondering who is behind all those eye-catching videos we've been sharing on our Instagram Reels and TikTok during the past three months or who is that blonde femme fatale popping on our feed lately? Her name is Genni, she's into healthy + plant based snacking just like we are and we absolutely adore her. Scroll down to get acquainted. 👋
Warning: This interview discusses an eating disorder and may be triggering for some readers. Reader discretion advised.
Breakfast, lunch or dinner? Breakfast
Savoury or sweet? Definitely savoury even though I post desserts more often.
What are your top three ingredients? My top three ingredients are: nutritional yeast, hemp seeds and masala.
Best part of living in Bulgaria? The nature. It’s so beautiful.
Quote you live by? In order to change how you feel you have to change how you think.
Where is your happy place? Wherever my family is.
Your current obsession? Such an interesting question. My current obsession are Golden Lattes.
What’s your most-used emoji? ✌🏻
Your go-to song? My go to song is Tumble Girls by G-Eazy. It’s my all time favourite.
I think everything tastes better with: a touch of love
I couldn’t live without: helping people
What is your favourite snack? My favorite snack lately is Smartbite thins with almond butter and vegan feta. So good! Omg!
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with us Genni. Could you introduce yourself to the Smartbite community? Who are you and what’s your story?
Hello sweethearts! My name is Genadia Momchilova. I am a 24 years old girl from a small town in Bulgaria, Europe. Born and raised here in Bulgaria, I have learned a lot about food, ingredients, nutrition and the love for nature from my grandmother.
I am one of four kids, the oldest one. So as you can guess I grew up very fast as I had to take care of my younger siblings. At high school I was the girl who always got A+ grades but somehow got in trouble on a regular basis because I tried to protect someone else. So yeah this is me.
How did you get into the world of food content creation? What made you start sharing your food creations on social media?
Love this question so much!
I got into the world of food content creating once I got back home from America. The truth is that the time I spent in the US changed my mind, influenced my dreams and my passions in different aspects. I was living in Newport, Rhode Island. It was the best place—so beautiful, so peaceful. I still believe I’m gonna return there one day because I felt in love with that place.
One week before returning to Bulgaria I bought a camera and while flying home I decided to pursue content creation. I already had a background in nutrition and fitness. Plus I was always passionate about cooking healthy meals and eating right. So all of this came together just like magic.
What inspires your delicious and healthy foodie content?
My inspiration is my family. They inspire me in every aspect of my life. It's because of them that I can appreciate real, whole food ingredients.
Food content has exploded on TikTok over the last year, with lots of really quick recipe content flooding the ‘for you’ page. You are quite active on TikTok too.
Yes! This is so true. When I was starting as a food creator on TikTok it wasn’t really popular to share recipes. So my following grew pretty quickly. But I guess with time it’s getting harder to grow as fast as we'd like.
But I will tell you one thing: if you have a dream follow it. Work hard. Every day. It’s gonna be worth it. Start now, not tomorrow. And be consistent.
What tips would you give to foodie creators wanting to join TikTok? Which other Instagrammers and TikTokers inspire you?
There are so many good foodies on both platforms hah! I would say @veggiekins.
You are our main video recipe developer and we are so excited to have you on board. What are your 2 cents of advice to all budding food creators who would like to work with brands?
I’m so happy and thankful to be your content creator. Thank you for this opportunity.
Hmmm... Always be honest and always share your vision and ideas with the client even if they don’t agree with your ideas fully. because otherwise may the content you create won’t be that wonderful. Don’t work for money, work for joy. That means work only with brands you love and use daily.
In what ways has your wellness focus impacted the way that you cook?
It started way back in 2015 when I was diagnosed with eating disorder. The next 3 years were a nightmare for me and my family. I knew that if I don’t want to help myself, no one will succeed to help me with this huge problem. A mental problem. So one day I had a dream a really realistic dream , speaking to myself: If somehow I disappear who will take care of my younger siblings, with who are they gonna share all the stuff going in this crazy world, with who? I woke up and the same day I bought a gym membership and started training my minds, doing yoga , cooking healthy, writing little notes to myself for the success I was making through the days. After 6 years here I am , more healthy then ever , more confident and kore powerful, trying to help people with the same problems and trying to inspire to search for real food.
Name a dish you always wanted to make but haven’t had a chance to make yet.
I have always wanted to make a Turkish dessert called Baklava with pistachios - but the layers are pretty hard to make. I guess someday I will make time to try it out.
You share occasional fitness content too. Why is an active lifestyle important to you?
Yes that’s right. I do share fitness content to inspire more people and to show them that they can workout from home and it’s still better than without a workout. It’s really important to me to stay active because it’s making me more concentrated, more confident, healthier, stronger and definitely gives a discipline you cannot get from other activities.
Picture this, you’re living your most perfect day—what does this look like? This is the best question. In the morning I always do picture my perfect day - in advance to try and work for today as a perfect day. So for example this morning I pictured this as a perfect day:
7 – 8 am: wake up
8:30 am: meditation
9 am: walk to get a coffee and meet a friend for a nice walk, talk and a brunch
1 pm: gym time
4 pm – 7 pm: doing some work
8 pm: dinner with hubby and watching comedy TV series
11 pm: bed time
Now what’s your actual typical day look like?
Ahhh my actual day looks like this:
6 am: I wake up, drink a glass of water and meditate for 10 minutes trying to talk to my inner voice while being thankful for what I have.
6:45 am: I make a strong coffee with a bit of almond milk and start planning my day from all the things I have to shoot to all other activities
7:30 am: I get in my daily workout either at the gym or at home
9 am: I take a shower and make breakfast
11 am – 6 pm: Shooting + meetings
7 pm: Dinner time. I also drink some matcha and go for a night walk while discussing with my husband how our day was
10 pm: Doing some photo/video editing work on my laptop
11:45 pm: Going to the bed
What do you do when you’re overwhelmed?
When I’m overwhelmed I go for a walk in the mountains and try to climb somewhere with high altitude so I can do air yoga and meditate. If I don’t have the chance to go out, I just take a cold shower. This way I feel super refreshed and like I washed out this negative energy from the body.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
“Learn from your mistakes, because if you don't, they will keep happening.“
You are based in Bulgaria. What are some must try dishes for anyone visiting your home country?
Oh we have so many! But the bestest of the best are Banitsa, Musaka with potatoes, Mish-mash and Sarmi. I am certain that if you decide to come to Bulgaria you will most definitely put on weight. All the dishes are so delicious because Bulgarians grow their own food.
Where do you see yourselves in 10 years?
It’s a good question. I think I won’t answer this question right now , because to be real. I always try to imagine where I see myself in the next month and having goals for a shorter time so I can achieve them more easily.
We can’t sign off without asking one last question: What is your favorite Smartbite snack?
I was waiting for this question! My favorite Smartbite snack is Amaranth Protein Plus Crispbread.
Thank you so much Genni! Where can people find you?
Thank you Smartbite team! You can find me on Instagram and TikTok.
WHAT IS SMARTBITE COLLECTIVE? Smartbite Collective shines a spotlight on changemakers in our community that live according to Smartbite principles. We started Smartbite Snacks because we want to live our lives on our own terms while creating a positive change around us. We don't wait for things to happen, we get up and happen to things. Roadblocks don't discourage us, they fuel us. We believe that life is what you make it, how you impact it and also how you look at it – rice cakes are just rice but wine is just grapes. To us simplicity, boldness, kindness and giving a shit (yes, we said it) are everything and when we meet someone who embodies all of the above, you bet we'll ask tons of questions.
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