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Former restaurant owner and chef Naomi Pena finds a way to fulfill her dream to be seen in front of a camera through food vlogging.

Before she became a popular food vlogger, Naomi used to be seen daily in the defunct popular game show titled Deal or No Deal--as one of the 26k Girls members who handle the briefcases that contain the amount of cash prizes.

However, she had to put her dream to become a celebrity aside to continue her studies, which eventually led her to become a chef.

“Actually, gusto ko talagang lumalabas sa TV kaya dati nag-e-extra ako sa TV, nag-Deal or No Deal ako as 26K girl. Nag-GMA nga rin ako. Gusto ko sa TV talaga, gusto ko yung exposure sa camera. So, noong nag-chef ako, gusto kong magkaroon ng cooking show. Noong nag-cooking show ako, kasama ko si Chef Rosebud [Benitez], na-enjoy ko siya, sa Quick Fire. Noong lumabas ako doon, gusto ko rin magkaroon ng cooking show rin,” Naomi related to GMANetwork.com in a short chat recently.

Since opportunities are limited for chefs to be on television, the aspiring TV host was encouraged by a friend to start her own show on YouTube.

“Sabi ng friend ko, 'Mag-YouTube ka na lang.' Kasi six years ago, naging okay yung YouTube, so nag-vlog ako, sumabay ako. Kaya noong una, puro cooking contents kasi nga gusto ko may cooking show ako. Ako parang, 'Uy, oo nga, 'no? Para akong may sariling channel na ikaw lang ang bida.' Pero medyo mahina ang views and subscribers ko kasi, siyempre, hindi naman ako ganun kakilala o artista para umangat agad.”

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A post shared by naomi peña (@itsmenaomip)

While doing content for her YouTube vlog, Naomi was also busy with her restaurant business. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she had to close it down. It was also this time when she had to rethink a new strategy to widen her reach not only on YouTube but also on other social media platforms.

“Ang ginawa ko noon, sumabay ako sa uso, which is yung trending, yung mukbang,” Naomi recalled.

“Sa YouTube pa lang, may mga nag-i-invite na sa akin. 'Tapos, nagmu-mukbang ako sa restaurants nila.

“Pero last year, nag-start ako sa Facebook ng food reviews na short video lang. Kasi, pansin ko sa Facebook gusto nila portrait, kaya iniba ko na lang ang content ko. Pero sa YouTube, ganun pa rin, nagluluto ako, nagmu-mukbang ako, halo-halo.”

Now, Naomi has about 350, 000 subscribers on YouTube, 23, 0000 followers on Instagram, and more than 915,000 followers on Facebook.

While Naomi fails to enter show business, she feels more fulfilled in what she's currently doing.

She reasoned “Kasi ako mahilig talaga ako kumain. Nae-enjoy kong kumain, nae-enjoy kong mag-travel 'tapos tumikim ng iba't ibang dish sa iba-ibang country. So, nae-enjoy ko siya and, at the same time, kumikita ako, di ba? Naging happy ako sa work ko.”

She also became popular in this venue, especially when she became a trending topic for eating one tray of balut.

“Yun ang hindi makakalimutan ng mga viewers ko sa akin. Kapag nakikita nila ako, 'Naomi, ikaw yung kumain ng balut. Tinatawag nga nila akong 'Balut Queen.' Hindi lang pala sa akin memorable, pati sa viewers ko. Kasi, kapag lumalabas ako, yun agad ang [tawag] sa akin, balut”

Aside from self-satisfaction, Naomi also noted how food vloggers help small businesses.

“Sa totoo lang, noong una, hindi ko in-expect na kapag mayroon ako vinlog na food, susuportahan din ng viewers ko. Like, o-order sila o pupuntahan din nila yung restaurant. Hindi ko ine-expect na ganun.

"One time, nagulat ako, may vinlog ako, nag-message yung owner, 'Ms Naomi, thank you.' Nagte-thank you kasi grabe daw yung dumog ng mga tao sa kanila. Yung order daw sunud-sunod. Alam mo yung simpleng black kutsinta lang na vinlog ko, grabe daw yung dating ng order sa kanya. Parang nakaka-touch, nakaka-fulfill na mayroon kang natutulungan na ganun.”

Likewise, Naomi is happy that many Pinoys are becoming food vloggers.

“Alam mo, sobrang patok na patok siya ngayon. Halos lahat na ata ng vlogger, nagpo-food vlog sa totoo lang. Kahit nga mga arista nagmu-mukbang, nagpo-food vlog na rin.

“Lahat talaga pwedeng maging food vlogger, e. It's up to the people na lang kung sino ang mas panonoorin nila, kung kanino sila mas nag-e-enjoy, kung sino ang sa tingin nila ang may credibility pagdating sa food review.”

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A post shared by naomi peña (@itsmenaomip)

Before the interview ended, GMANetwork.com asked if she still has plans to pursue showbiz, Naomi answered, “Parang ngayon na naging vlogger ako, parang nagagawa ko naman. Parang okay na ako sa pagba-vlog kasi nakikilala na rin naman ako, e.”

MEANWHILE, HERE TIKTOK CELEBRITIES WHO ALREADY APPEARED ON TV SHOWS: