Conversations with Daniel Meng

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Meng

Hi Daniel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a 22 year old college student and content creator with the life goal of making food more accessible for everyone, and I believe that teaching others how to cook is the best way to achieve that.

I started cooking when I was eight years old—not out of curiosity, but out of necessity. With my parents working late, I had to figure out how to feed myself as endless bowls of Cocoa Krispies weren’t gonna cut it forever, and what began as a necessity quickly became an obsession.

In middle school, I was selling fried rice out of a crockpot in homeroom and auctioning off chocolate chip cookies the size of frisbees to my classmates. In high school, I found joy in hosting dinner parties, turning strangers into friends over a shared meal. Now, as a college student, I run CHEFS (Culinary Health and Education For Students) at Tech, which aims to make food and cooking more accessible for Georgia Tech students through cooking workshops, grocery and restaurant trips, potlucks, and more.

I also create cooking content for my Instagram account, @mengseats, because I recognize that many people, such as my fellow college students, struggle with limited time, money, and experience when it comes to cooking. There’s a lack of resources that truly teach people how to cook in an accessible, practical way. I don’t believe everyone needs to love cooking, but I do believe that everyone deserves access to healthy, delicious food, and my cooking content is my way of making that a reality.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’d love to say it’s been a smooth road, but nothing worth pursuing in life comes easy. As a busy college student, balancing content creation and running CHEFS while keeping up with academics, job applications, and personal relationships has been incredibly challenging, especially when time never seems to slow down.

I’ve had to make sacrifices, whether it’s hanging out with my friends less or cutting into my study time to keep everything running. Despite these challenges, I have absolutely zero regrets. Making food and cooking more accessible is something I’m deeply passionate about, and knowing that I’m making a genuine impact—whether through CHEFS by helping Georgia Tech students or through my cooking content that reaches people around the world—makes every sacrifice worth it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create video recipes that are simple enough for anyone to make, regardless of time, money, or experience constraints. I specialize in Asian cuisine, specifically Chinese food, but I actually believe cooking is often too structured and bounded by traditions and cuisines. People should feel free to cook with whatever they have available instead of being limited by specific ingredients or recipes. That said, making content that encourages this mindset is challenging because most people gravitate towards more structured recipes, but I hope to change this perception in the future.

Although I’m proud of the content I’ve created, I hold myself to extremely high standards. I honestly can’t pinpoint one singular video I’m most proud of because I know I have so much room for improvement, so that moment will come far in the future. However, I’m most proud of is the impact I’ve made, as observed online and in real life when people tell me my videos are entertaining or, more importantly, when they actually go out and make my recipes.

What sets me apart from other cooking content creators is the accessibility and approachability of my recipes. A lot of creators make fancy, over the top, impractical dishes that might taste good but are often unhealthy, completely unapproachable for the average person, or made purely for shock value. Sure, those videos might get more views, but I care more about actually getting people to cook.

I’d also say my provocative sense of humor makes my content stand out (I’m praying my future employers don’t find my videos). As a college student, I’m in unique a position where I can resonate with and appeal to a younger audience, especially since people around my age consume the most content and struggle the most with the constraints I mentioned earlier when it comes to cooking. Plus, humor keeps people engaged—if they’re entertained, they’ll keep watching, and I’m still accomplishing my main goal of teaching people how to cook.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
For cooking specifically, a YouTuber I highly recommend is LifeByMikeG. He doesn’t just share beginner friendly recipes, but he focuses on cooking frameworks that make home cooking more accessible. His content covers a wide variety of cuisines while heavily emphasizing nutrition, time efficiency, affordability, and sustainability, all of which align with the values I incorporate into my own cooking content.

Anthony Bourdain’s books, shows, and interviews have not only shaped my perspective on food, but also on life in general. He was never just a tourist in the countries he visited; he immersed himself in the culture and made it his mission to teach viewers about the authentic history, traditions, and ways those elements manifested in the local cuisine. Although I place less of an emphasis on authenticity in my cooking, I share the same passion for educating others about food. He was also extremely open-minded, embracing the unknown and taking every opportunity that came his way, and those are principles I try to live by.

As for apps, Google Calendar is essential for managing my busy schedule. I also love Notion, which I use to organize CHEFS and my cooking content. It’s incredibly useful for visually laying out my projects, documents, and schedules, with the added benefit of customization and seamless interconnectivity between everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mengseats.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mengseats/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-meng/

Image Credits
n/a