It all started with a craving for Filipino food. While living in Germany, Bebs Manaloto-Lott found herself with a little extra time, and a hungry husband to feed. “I started cooking Filipino food for me and Armin. And at the same time I was writing it down. I started Foxy Folksy as a hobby. It wasn’t really all about food. It began as a lifestyle blog, more about giving facts, giving practical tips. Foxy kasi nga savvy at the same time practical,” she shares. “But right now mas nagli-lean sya sa food. You know, Kapampangan. Mahilig kumain!”
Armin Lott, who manages Foxy Folksy together with his wife, loves Pinoy cuisine. He even remembers the first time Bebs made him try Filipino food. When asked what the dish was, he answered, “Bagoong!” Bebs shares that her German hubby also enjoys the Kapampangan buro with mustasa, but the most requested dish in their home is chicken curry.
Now, the husband and wife team is back in the Philippines, and focusing on Foxy Folksy as their full time job. On TikTok, their account already has 51.7K followers and 567.5K likes. The delicious dishes that they feature, and the easy to follow instructions that come with them, are largely what makes Bebs and Armin a success online.
Based on her content, you would think that Bebs was a graduate of Culinary Arts, but she’s actually self-taught in the kitchen. “I’m not a chef. I’m not a learned cook. I learned everything from experience,” she says. “Actually, here in the Philippines, I took Accountancy. My last job was a Financial Analyst,” she adds. “Although, my parents, we had a canteen in front of the school. So, yun din siguro. Kaya malaki ang influence ng foodsa akin kasi I grew up si Mama mahilig magluto. Mga tita ko, lola ko mahilig talaga maluto.”
On their experience with TikTok, the couple says that it has been a good way to reach younger audiences. They’ve even received messages from students who plan on using their recipes for school projects.
The Foxy Folksy creators need not look far to find inspiration to produce good quality content. The appreciation they receive from their audience is more than enough. “One time meron pa kong nareceive na email. It was so long. She’s undergoing depression. I didn’t see myself as a funny person pero pag binabasa raw nya yung blog ko natatawa sya. Yun lang, yung ganoong bagay. Parang…Wow! It gives sense to what we’re doing,” Bebs shares. “Kahit sa pagse-share ng recipes. We receive a lot of comments from people who don't know how to cook or bake but are able to do it on their first try. It motivates us to do more.”
For budding content creators who also wish to make it big on TikTok, this is what Bebs and Armin have to say. “Best advice is consistency. You have to have a schedule. If you want it as a job then you have to treat it as a job.” But beyond this, heart matters, too. Bebs adds, “Hindi lang you just do it for the money. You have to show that you love what you’re doing.”
Follow @foxyfolksy and other amazing food creators on TikTok today. Simply download the app on iOS andAndroid devices to get started.
