Hershowis thefirstadditionintotheexpanding
“BabishCulinaryUniverse”,a rebrandofAndrew
Rea’spopular“BingingWithBabish”channel.Just
weeksafterit started,“StumpSohla”is drivingan
averageof2.3millionviewsperpost,andadded
30,000newsubscriberstothechannelinone
day,accordingtoYouTubefigures.
“BingingWithBabish”startedinFebruary 2006
asa cookingprogramthatrecreatesmeals
frompopcultureandTVshows(thenamepays
homagetoa “WestWing”character).Over 14
years,Reahada slewofviralhits.TheMoist
Maker,a Thanksgivingleftoversandwichfrom
“Friends,”puthimonthemap,Reasaid.The
simpleItalianpastadishfeaturedin“Chef,”more
than8.6millionviews.Andthetitulardishfrom
“Ratatouille”is hismost-viewedvideo,withmore
than24.4millionwatches.
“We’redoingeverythingwecantonotlet
thepandemicinterruptourgrowth,”Rea
said.“BecauseI thinknowmorethanever,
notonlyarepeopleturningtoYouTubefor
entertainment,butalsojustforescapism.”
Sincethepandemicstoppedlifeinitstracksin
mid-March,theaveragedailyviewsofvideoswith
“cookwithme”inthetitlehaveincreasedbyover
100%,accordingtodataprovidedbyYouTube.
EarnestPettie,wholeadsYouTube’sglobal
trendsresearch,saidthatfoodtrendsatthe
beginningofthepandemicincludedsourdough
bread,thenDalgonacoffee,Basqueburnt
cheesecakeand,now,“island”cakes.Therecipe
fora successfulYouTubechannel,hesaid,is
includingpeopleina socialconversationthat
teachesthemsomethingneworhelpsthemfeel
betteraboutthemselves.
Image: Mary Altaffer