Tik Tok chef sensation @Sad_Papi (aka Brandon Skier), has experienced an incredible rise since jumping over to the TikTok scene two years ago. As you may know, Brandon has +10 years of restaurant experience in Michelin star fine dining. His last kitchen experience was Auburn (pre-pandemic), and his journey to TikTok began as a creative outlet to refuel his passion for cooking. His Sad Papi handle has now amassed close to 2M “papitas” and has grown into platforms where he shares educational food content and recipes while also giving insider tips from his days in a traditional kitchen.
<code><p class = "tiktok-embed">https://www.tiktok.com/@sad_papi/video/7051762758274207022</p></code>
Skier’s direct and honest approach in the kitchen has inspired premium condiment brand, Sir Kensington’s to collaborate with him this month on a delicious Vegan Mayo-inspired “Shattered Potatoes with Vegan Green Chili Aioli” dish. It is all about taking something simple, like potatoes, and showcasing ways to level up with high-quality ingredients and bold sauces.
We spoke with Brandon last week to talk about the partnership, and discuss his meteoric success.
<code><p class = "tiktok-embed">https://www.tiktok.com/@sad_papi/video/7042425442074135854</p></code>
ONE37pm: Great to be talking with you! Your career spans 10 plus years, and you’ve been able to parlay that success onto social media. Could you just talk a bit about your journey?
Brandon: I had been working in restaurants for over 10 years. We couldn’t keep up with the pandemic, and restaurants weren’t hiring. Nobody knew the direction the restaurant business was going, and that’s when I discovered TikTok. I was encouraged to start posting my chef videos there. I didn’t know that you can make a living doing this!
ONE37pm: You were able to transition your career through the course of this pandemic where you began to use TikTok as a creative outlet for your cooking. How was that revamp?
Brandon: I feel like through the course of this pandemic people have obviously been on their phones a lot more, and TikTok is a great platform for people who are skilled. When I first started I didn’t know how to do anything on it. I learned how to edit and film, and it paid off.
<code><p class = "tiktok-embed">https://www.tiktok.com/@sad_papi/video/7036920358678646063</p></code>
ONE37pm: You have a pretty cool collaboration with Sir Kensington’s to kick off the new year which is a delicious recipe using their mayo products. How did that come to be?
Brandon: This was a great opportunity for content creators who are vegan and sharing plant based recipes. We took something simple—a chilli dish with potatoes, and we just crafted this really fun idea.
ONE37pm: What else do you have planned for 2022?
Brandon: I’m working on a lot of stuff. We are writing tons of recipes for a book, we’ve got a website in the making, and I’m just making sure I stay busy.
You can keep up with Brandon via TikTok.
