As well as showcasing perfect holidays and home renovations, Instagram continues to influence what – and how – we eat. From the way that dishes are plated for maximum effect to the way we approach sustainability, food influencers are often the first to spark new trends in ingredients and gadgetry. What began as casual recipe sharing has developed into a bustling ecosystem of culinary creators who meld their passion with storytelling, community building, and visual wizardry.
As we round the corner on the last quarter of 2025, the Instagram cooking scene is richer and more diverse than ever before. This list checks on 15 top Instagram food influencers who are inspiring millions, as well as a few rising stars to keep an eye on.
Yumna Jawad (@feelgoodfoodie)
Yumna Jawad has built a following of more than five million people with a focus on simple, feel-good food. Her recipes are based on classic Mediterranean staples including grains, fresh vegetables and lean proteins, and adapted for keen amateur cooks. Yumna’s captivating Reels double as easy-to-follow tutorials and make her one of Instagram’s most approachable foodies.
Tieghan Gerard (@halfbakedharvest)
A moment on Gerard’s feed will have you hankering for home-cooked comfort food; a rustic aesthetic combines with indulgent recipes to make her one of the app’s true powerhouses. Once you’ve watched her make Baked Cinnamon Apple Butter French Toast, you won’t rest until you’ve tried it – and there’s much more where that came from. Accessible indulgence is the order of the day, and you’ll find endless inspiration here.
Poppy O’Toole (@poppycooks)
A blend of humble home cooking and endearing humour makes Michelin-trained chef Poppy O’Toole one of the platform’s viral gems. Britain’s self-appointed Potato Queen delivers recipes that anyone can follow, but which take some practice to do really well. Yes, the humble spud forms a large part of her kitchen efforts, but an undeniable skill with one-pot dishes will keep you watching and give you endless ideas for evening meals.
Carleigh Bodrug (@plantyou)
Plant-based and zero-waste are two of the hottest terms in kitchen-related social media – and Plant You will make even the most hardened carnivore think twice about what comes through their kitchen. Carleigh Bodrug delivers sustainable eating that doesn’t compromise on taste and indulgence; her sweet potato brownies may cause some raised eyebrows, but one bite will reassure even the most cynical diner that climate-conscious cooking can be a delight.
Joanne Lee Molinaro (@thekoreanvegan)
There’s something hugely impactful about The Korean Vegan’s blending of softly-spoken narrations and footage which cuts between slices of her Korean-American life and kitchen visuals. If all that you know of Korean cuisine is kimchi and ramyeon, then prepare for an eye-opening experience as Joanne brings you recipes for meals like budae jjigae with a vegan twist and a side order of family history.
Matty Matheson (@mattymatheson)
Instagram culinary feeds aren’t all lovingly-posed images of delicate food prep and immaculately plated light bites. Matheson, known to millions as handyman Neil Fak on FX’s The Bear, is a dab hand in the kitchen and his rambunctious energy makes his feed a must-follow. Fitting in with his chaotic energy, his skills run the gamut from Vietnamese pho and banh mi, through pizzas and burgers, to classic Italian pasta dishes.
Linda Lomelino (@linda_lomelino)
Offbeat Scandinavian visuals are something you might more readily associate with a gritty crime procedural, but Linda Lomelino’s Instagram efforts are very much in keeping with that moody aesthetic. Like a true Swede, she celebrates cinnamon bun day with a batch of perfectly-prepared kanelbullar, and her skill with traditional pastries (and less traditional, in the case of her chocolate cake with matcha frosting), is unmatched on the platform.
Eitan Bernath (@eitan)
Globe-trotting and boundlessly enthusiastic, Eitan Bernath brings a breathtaking mix of approachable and easy recipes with a multicultural flair. He’s younger than many on this list – one reel has him trying out a 1994 Zinfandel that’s eight years older than him! – but his clear-eyed love for cooking and friendly collaborations with an eclectic mix of foodies makes Eitan’s feed accessible for audiences of all ages and skill levels.
Justine Doiron (@justine_snacks)
Some cooking feeds can be hard to follow, with the chef’s “this is simple” narration fitting jarringly with super-fast visuals that have you reaching for the pause button every few seconds. Justine Doiron is a much-needed antidote for that approach, with first-person, chatty explanation of her wholesome, simple recipes. Each dish manages to combine a sense of occasion with genuine achievability, which is no small matter in the short video format, and dishes such as her creamy sage spaghetti squash are well worth following.
Dan Pelosi (@grossypelosi)
No rundown of food channels or feeds would ever be complete without a dedicated Italian cuisine enthusiast. That’s where Dan Pelosi comes in with a compendium of family recipes spliced with excellent community engagement – his relationship with his 209,000+ followers mirrors that of a huge collective. It’s not a totally conventional take on the classics – his Prosciutto and Cheese Lasagnetta is a deconstructed lasagna which might be as good as the real thing – but it’s Italian enough to satisfy most palates.
Samantha Schnur (@thenaughtyfork)
Right there in the bio it says “I’ll start my diet tomorrow”, and that accurately sums up the vibe of a collection of must-try bites that include a Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese Hotdog that fits at least three cravings at once. There’s not much here for anyone looking to start clean eating, but if you’re looking for a dish to make Cheat Day mean something, you’re sure to find it here. It’s easy to take cooking too seriously. This feed does very much the opposite, and is well worth a follow for that very reason.
Shereen Pavlides (@cookingwithshereen)
You don’t have to be able to cook from scratch to be a kitchen whiz, but if you want to whip up something special you should be following Shereen. Her convincing delivery and fast-moving visuals lean towards pasta options, and you’ll find it hard not to try her tips for making perfect pappardelle once you’ve seen how delicious it looks. It’s a gratifying journey from pantry to fork that will bring out the master chef in anyone, and that’s testament to how engaging she is as a host.
Maya (@fitgreenmind)
21-year-old Maya Leinenbach is a German food vlogger who focuses on vegan cookery, having struggled to find good vegan food in rural Saarland – where carnivorism rules the roost. This inspired Maya to create her own recipes, and her engaging delivery (in very fluent English) has seen her close to 3million followers on Instagram. You probably didn’t know that you need to try Tofu Katsu Curry, but a few minutes scrolling here will have you convinced of that, and several other recipes that may have otherwise passed you by.
Gennaro Contaldo (@gennarocontaldo)
There is a prevalent feeling that Instagram is a young person’s game, but it’s not one that should survive contact with Gennaro Contaldo’s feed, which is a helpful reminder that slow cooking is a joy in itself. There is a delightful vein of authenticity that runs through his posts, which focus on picking quality ingredients and giving them time to simmer into something special. His expertise for making Campanian classics has seen him become a mentor to Jamie Oliver as well as a partner chef to Antonio Carluccio.
Rosanna Pansino (@rosannapansino)
She refers to herself as a “fun-sized baker”, and yet her small stature is belied by her huge enthusiasm for culturally relevant sweet treats. Recent efforts have included a home-made take on the Dubai-style kunafa chocolate bar and an almost eerily accurate Minecraft cake. As you scroll through the delights on offer, you’ll find yourself saying “I want to try that” at a rate of roughly five times per minute – and her step-by-step instructions make it easy to do precisely that.
Ones to watch
While the above names are some of the more established food feeds on Instagram for a reason, there are plenty of others who have built a growing following and are also well worth your attention. Below, we’ll look at some who could give you a few ideas to try out in your own kitchen.
Erica Eckman (@everythingerica)
This is not solely a food channel: Eckman is a CEO who invests in brands she believes in, many of which are food-focused. And she does like to get in the kitchen and show off her own chops, which aren’t half bad. Avocado toast on a hash brown is a particular delicacy.
Nadia Caterina Munno (@the_pastaqueen)
Despite the channel name, Munno is not a one-trick pasta pony; she’s equally comfortable creating a stuffed meatloaf or limoncello tiramisu. She also, and we’re aware this isn’t the point, but definitely has a very cute dog, so bear that in mind.
Kevin Curry (@fitmencook)
In this case, the cooking seems mostly to be done by one man, but he certainly is fit, so we’ll let the handle go. The dishes are mainly low-carb and high-protein as you might expect, but the sheet pan pineapple chicken looks good enough that you’d feel tempted even if it wasn’t heathy.
Sadia Badiel (@pickuplimes)
Honestly, we’d probably have included this just for the @ – it’s a brave pun and it works. The food looks super tasty too, with a Mediterranean potato salad a particular highlight. Sadia offers summery plant-based recipes that are as healthy as they are delicious.
