"An old beetroot in the bottom of the fridge" turned passionate foodie Alfie Steiner into a viral sensation.
The former languages student had been posting his plant-based recipes on social media for two years when he turned the root vegetable into a dip.
Within weeks of posting the TikTok and Insta-friendly beetroot hummus on his Alfie Cooks channels, the 24-year-old had drawn "an unholy amount of followers".
"I am always cooking and taking photos so I started off posting recipes to my friends, then decided to grow it by making videos," said the former Yerbury Primary and UCS pupil.
"By January it had reached 2,500 followers, then an old beetroot in the bottom of the fridge changed everything. I don't even like beetroot, but decided to make a pink hummus, and realised I had all these different clips of me making dips like pesto, courgette dip, and tzatziki, which I put together as 'Take a Dip'.
"After a week my TikTok went up to 50,000 and in five weeks my Instagram grew to 700,000 - all because I made a pink hummus and did a passionate voice-over. It's crazy that my account has been seen across the world and since then is doing well - people like the passion and the style."
Alfie, who grew up in Tufnell Park and Archway, now hopes to capitalise on his 65,000 TikTok and 870,000 Instagram followers, and is planning an autumn series on budget-friendly no-waste soups.
"They are the most beautiful thing because you are taking simple, seasonal vegetables to the next level with a fancy looking garnish. I like getting creative with something simple. As people struggle with the cost of living crisis, it's delicious accessible food that won't break the bank."
Although not a trained chef, Alfie says "I have always been into my food."
And while he may order a vegetarian or pescatarian dish when eating out, all his recipes are plant-based.
"I think people are more flexible these days," he says. "It doesn't have to be black and white, but a flexible plant-based diet.
"I don't need animal products when I am making food, it makes me more creative in the kitchen, working out how to create flavours and textures that everyone loves."
He says his generation are more likely to find their recipes online than in books, and hopes his "doable dishes" and tips and tricks are an inspiration to "eat well and share the joy of cooking".
"I'm not a trained chef, it's my passion for food and cooking which comes across. I show how by using affordable ingredients and simple cupboard staples, you can create something delicious and healthy.
"Not everyone has the time or energy after a long week to slave away in the kitchen, but it's possible to put something together, starting with what you have and getting creative with it. I try not to overwhelm with too many ingredients or making it too complicated, and to show if you put a bit of time into it, everyone can do things they wouldn't have thought possible, like making hummus from scratch."
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