Top Food Influencers in the UK

Key Takeaways

• For food brands, finding influencers with sway in your niche is powerful. Food influencers are trusted sources of culinary advice and product recommendations.
• We ranked the 10 biggest food influencers in the UK by follower count. We also ensured their followers are credible and at least 25% are based in the UK.
• The most-followed UK food influencers who fit our parameters are Bored of Lunch, The Meal Prep King, and Thomas Starker.

Who are the biggest food influencers in the UK? Our methodology

The Kolsquare database stores insights on influencers with 5,000 or more followers on at least one social media platform (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X, or Snapchat).

The rankings in this article are based on follower counts. But we also provide the data you need for influencer marketing campaigns, including:

• Credibility score /100: Kolsquare's credibility score ranges from 0 to 100 and indicates the authenticity of an influencer's audience. Higher numbers, anything above 75, indicate that mostly real people subscribe to their channel. Scores lower than 75 suggest that the audience may partly consist of bots, inactive followers or paid-for followers.
• Engagement rate: This figure reveals how much sway the creator has over their audience. The engagement rate is calculated by comparing the number of interactions with a creator's posts, including comments, shares, likes, and other similar actions, with their follower count. High engagement rates indicate that the influencer has a significant impact on their audience and, consequently, their purchasing decisions.
• Earned media value (EMV): This data helps you define a reasonable budget for your influencer collaboration. It estimates how much the buzz generated through the influencer's content would have cost through traditional channels.

To identify the food influencers capable of launching powerful UK campaigns, we selected only creators with over 25% of their audience in the UK.

The 10 best UK food bloggers, according to Kolsquare data

This is a list of the top food influencers by follower count. While these food bloggers are all incredibly popular, their niches, audiences, and content styles vary significantly. You must evaluate whether their values and content align with your branding.

Here are the top food influencers with huge followings in the UK:

#1- Nathan Anthony - @boredoflunch - Meta influencer and famous foodie

• Interests: Food & Drinks, Inspiration & Lifestyle, Culture (Art, literature...)

Followers:

• Instagram: 2.7M
• TikTok: 1.3M
• YouTube: x

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (65%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 90/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.16% | Instagram Reels: 0.34%
• TikTok: 0.88%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: €31.8K
• Instagram Reels: €33.3K
• Instagram Stories: €5.5K

Nathan Anthony is a popular influencer who shares recipes for quick meals that fit into people's busy lifestyles. He's a food blogger for the average home cook, centring common, low-effort cooking methods with air fryers and slow cookers. His novel recipe for air-fried Cream Egg croissant balls reached over 26M views on Instagram. Anthony's audience is highly credible and mostly women, primarily aged 25 to 34.

Of Irish origin, Anthony previously worked in finance before growing his channel during the COVID-19 lockdown. He now regularly appears on daytime TV shows, sharing cooking tips and recipes. Anthony has also written cookbooks, including "Bored of Lunch: Healthy Slow Cooker," "Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book," and "Bored of Lunch: 30 Minute Meals."

#2- John Clark - @themealprepking - Healthy food influencers Instagram

• Interests: Inspiration & Lifestyle, Well-Being and Health, Culture (Art, literature...), Food & Drinks

Followers:

• Instagram: 1.47M
• TikTok: 2.5M
• YouTube: x

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (55%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 88/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.11% | Instagram Reels: 0.49%
• TikTok: 0.87%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: €15.9K
• Instagram Reels: €27.1K
• Instagram Stories: €2.96K

John Clark, known on social media as @themealprepking, is a food influencer who posts meal prep recipes. His goal is to help people plan convenient, healthy meals at a low cost. As a result, Clark focuses on keeping his recipes nutritious rather than simply visually striking.

Clark's weight-loss journey drew many viewers to his channel. He became an advocate of meal prepping because it enabled him and his partner to lose a combined 15 stone. One of his most popular videos shows his hyper-organised fridge packed with prepped meals in Tupperware boxes. It has over 23M views on TikTok.

He has authored several bestselling cookbooks, including "The Meal Prep King Plan" and "Prep Yourself Slim," which offer a variety of batch-cooking recipes. Despite his success, Clark has faced controversy over comments in his live videos. Nevertheless, his audience continues to grow. He is most popular among audiences aged 25 to 34.

#3- Thomas Straker - @thomas_straker - London chef food influencers

• Interests: Food & Drinks, Well-being & Health, Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 2.7M
• TikTok: 2.4M
• YouTube: 460K

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (72%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 90/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.18 | Instagram Reels: 1.13%
• TikTok: 1.13 %

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: €30.8K
• Instagram Reels: €60.7K
• Instagram Stories: €5.45K

Chef, food influencer, restaurateur, and author Thomas Straker creates aesthetically pleasing and advanced recipes. Rather than pushing for accessible and convenient recipes, Straker slices and dices with skill to create aspirational, delicious meals.

Originally from Herefordshire, Straker moved to London to pursue his dream of becoming a chef. There, he worked at prestigious restaurants, such as the Michelin-starred European restaurant Elystan Street in Chelsea.

During the TikTok lockdown, when restaurants were closed, Straker shared recipes on social media that grew in popularity. He is known for his series, All Things Butter, which celebrates butter as a versatile kitchen essential.

After many years as an employee, Straker now has his own restaurant, Straker's, in Notting Hill, which has many glowing reviews. Recently, he branched out and started a food business, ALL THINGS COTTAGE CHEESE. His audience is mostly between 18 and 34.

#4- Oli Paterson - @elburritomonster

• Interests: Inspiration & Lifestyle, Food & Drinks, Music

Followers:

• Instagram: 1.52M
• TikTok: 968K
• YouTube: 442K

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (33%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 83/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: x | Instagram Reels: 1.81%
• TikTok: 2.44%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: x
• Instagram Reels: €54.5K
• Instagram Stories: €3.05K

Oli Paterson is a top food influencer who creates visually impactful recipes. Mainly focusing on burgers, sandwiches, and, of course, burritos, Paterson pushes the boundaries of these common foods, often with unique fillings. One example is his cheese-wrapped steak burrito recipe, which has over 7 million views on Instagram. His audience is primarily men, mostly aged 25 to 34.

Paterson gained popularity through lockdown after working odd jobs and becoming a food blogger. He takes his career seriously, sharing with his childhood school, "Making engaging videos is no random process, and getting consistent views is down to the pacing, shareability, and quality of the content."

#5- Ryan and Sophie Taylor - @candyworksuk - Influencer Food Brands

• Interests: x

Followers:

• Instagram: 31K
• TikTok: 1.8M
• YouTube: x

• Location: Leeds, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (79%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 89/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: x | Instagram Reels: x
• TikTok: 0.01%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: x
• Instagram Reels: x
• Instagram Stories: x

CandyWorksUK creates jaw-bending content featuring wacky, sweet-based recipes. Most of the videos feature freeze-dried sweet recipes that combine many products, such as syrups, branded sweets, frosting, and chocolates, to create novelty results.

CandyWorksUK is the business account for the popular sweet shop of the same name, which sells pick-and-mix sweets.

Originally launched by Ryan and Sophie Taylor, the business's TikTok account now has over 1.9 million followers and more than 60 million likes. Their video, featuring freeze-dried sweets requested by the audience, has over 20 million views.

#6- Martyn Odell - @lagomchef - Food waste influencer TikTok

• Interests: Inspiration & Lifestyle, Food & Drinks, Family

Followers:

• Instagram: 328K
• TikTok: 1.2M
• YouTube: x

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (42%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 85/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: x | Instagram Reels: 0.67%
• TikTok: 0.62%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: x
• Instagram Reels: €4.54K
• Instagram Stories: €906

Martyn Odell is a chef and food waste activist who shares funny, chaotic, and eco-conscious recipes. He follows up on his beliefs, raising money for charities that give surplus food to those who need it.

Providing practical advice about minimising waste, he focuses on recipes that use foods that most people store in their cupboards. He encourages people to use their leftovers and to understand the basics of cooking. The majority of his audience is on TikTok, where he has over 1M followers. The majority of his audience is women.

The food blogger began his culinary journey at 15 in London and has since worked across various sectors of the food industry, including restaurants, street food, cookery schools, and recipe development.

#7- Gino D'acampo - @iamginodacampo - Famous food influencer

• Interests: Sport & Fitness, Entertainment (cinema, TV, etc.), Humour, Gaming

Followers:

• Instagram: 2.42M
• TikTok: 1.8M
• YouTube: x

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (76%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 86/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: x | Instagram Reels: 0.46%
• TikTok: 1.2%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: x
• Instagram Reels: €25.9K
• Instagram Stories: €4.87K

Gino D'Acampo has been a household name in the UK for decades. He's known for his regular appearances on daytime TV shows like "This Morning" and for his own shows, "Gino's Italian Escape" and "Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip," with fellow chefs Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix. He's also a successful cookbook author and restaurant owner. However, D'Acampo has recently faced allegations of inappropriate behaviour. ITV temporarily suspended his TV shows, but has now resumed showing them. 

As a food blogger, each video often centres on a classic Italian dish. His playful humour and energetic approach to cooking highlight traditional Italian meals. His content features a mix of recipes and entertaining, often humorous videos. D'acampo's audience is 80% women. Most are aged between 25 and 44. 

#8- The Sandwich King - @itssandwichking - Fast food influencer

• Interests: Food & Drinks, Entertainment (cinema, TV, etc.), Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 339K
• TikTok: 453K
• YouTube: x

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (76%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 82/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.14% | Instagram Reels: 0.94%
• TikTok: 1.53%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: €3.74K
• Instagram Reels: €7.16K
• Instagram Stories: €937

With the tagline "NORTHERN BLOKE MAKING SANDWICHES," The Sandwich King is a UK-based food blogger dedicated to the niche of British sandwiches. His steak sandwich, featuring steak, fries, and relish, has amassed over 9 million views on Instagram. His largest demographic of viewers is men aged 18 to 25.

Specialising in creative, unique sandwich combinations, The Sandwich King offers innovative recipes such as the "spag bowl sandwich" and the "beans, pie, and mash" sandwich. He also features classic fillings, such as ham and cheese.

#9- Craig Harker - @dadlovesfood.travel - Foodie influencers

• Interests: Entertainment (cinema, TV, etc.), Food & Drinks, Nature & Environment, Travel,
  Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 4K
• TikTok: 187K
• YouTube: 20K

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (95%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 85/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.22% | Instagram Reels: 0.59%
• TikTok: 0.07%

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: €61
• Instagram Reels: €87
• Instagram Stories: €6
• TikTok: €530

Craig Harker is a popular food and travel vlogger. In his TikTok tagline, he describes himself as a "Foodie & Explorer." While he owns a pub in Stockton-on-Tees, Harker's content typically shows him travelling the world sampling local cuisine.

The foodie influencer's content includes challenges and reviews of unique and large food items, such as his attempt to tackle the UK's biggest bacon butty or Burger King burger with 36 patties. Harker also features raffles and discounts on his website.

#10- George Egg - @georgeegg

• Interests: Food & Drinks, Entertainment (cinema, TV, etc.), Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 116K
• TikTok: x
• YouTube: 7 K

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (61%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 84/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.16% | Instagram Reels: 0.18%
• TikTok: x

Earned Media Value:

• Instagram Posts: €1.32K
• Instagram Reels: €584
• Instagram Stories: €321

George Egg is a comedian and cook, famous for his unique blend of stand-up comedy and live cooking. He gained popularity with his "Anarchist Cook" and "DIY Chef" tours, in which he prepared food using unconventional methods and equipment.

During the pandemic, he launched the Instagram series Snack Hacker, featuring short, humorous videos in which he creatively reinvents snacks using familiar ingredients and clever food hacks. His content is entertaining and accessible. Egg's highly credible audience is majority male. Almost half (47%) of his followers are 25-34 years old.

A quick guide to influencer food marketing

Influencer marketing can be challenging, no matter the niche. To launch a successful campaign that hits targets, you need the right approach.

Here's a quick guide to finding the right food influencer and launching a strong influencer marketing campaign:

• Know your target market: Research your audience's preferences, habits, and behaviours to understand which types of food content they engage with most. This foundational step ensures your marketing efforts resonate with the right people.
• Find influencers: Look for influencers with engaged followers who match your target audience.
• Define your objectives: Whether you aim to increase brand awareness, boost sales, or enhance engagement, having specific goals helps you measure the success of your campaigns and guide your strategy.
• Create authentic content: Collaborate with influencers to produce genuine and relatable content. Encourage them to share their honest experiences in their typical style. Authenticity builds trust and resonates with followers.
• Track Performance: Monitor key metrics such as engagement rates, reach, and conversion rates. Use this data to assess the effectiveness of your campaigns. Regularly reviewing these metrics allows you to make informed adjustments and optimize your strategy.

Using Kolsquare simplifies influencer marketing by providing comprehensive tools to manage campaigns from start to finish. It offers a vast database of influencers, helping you find the perfect match for your brand. We have data about more than just the top influencers. We store information about micro and nano-influencers, the creators who typically have the highest engagement rates.

Book in for a demo today.

What is a food influencer?

A food influencer is someone who shares recipes, meals, reviews, and advice about food on social media platforms. Food influencers target many niches. They may share advice on healthy eating, fast food, or even working in the restaurant industry. It is essentially the modern name for a food blogger.

Many of the most popular food influencers begin their careers as chefs working in restaurants, then transition into food blogging. Others are simply foodie influencers who share their passion for food with their audiences.

Who is the biggest British cook influencer?

The most prominent British influencer and chef is celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, best known for his advocacy for healthy eating among children in the 2000s. With numerous cookbooks and a strong presence on social media, Jamie Oliver continues to inspire millions with his accessible and healthy recipes. However, many famous chefs share food pictures and videos on social media.

Here are some of the popular chefs who have become some of the best food influencers:

• Gordon Ramsey: A huge name on the food scene, cookbook author, and television personality, Ramsay is one of the biggest food influencers. His fiery personality and high culinary standards are showcased through his YouTube channel and other social media platforms, where he shares cooking tips, recipes, and behind-the-scenes looks at his restaurants.
• Nigella Lawson: With over 3 million followers on Instagram, Lawson's cooking still captures audiences' attention on a new platform. Her TV shows and cookbooks remain popular, and her social media presence keeps her connected to her fans.
• Paul Hollywood: The Great British Bake Off star now has over 600K followers on Instagram and over 500K on Facebook. Rather than creating a baking blog, Hollywood shares content about his personal life and charitable causes, such as Porchlight and the Big Cat Sanctuary.
• Nadiya Hussain: Best known for winning the sixth season of The Great British Bake Off, Hussain has over 867K followers on Instagram. She shares a variety of recipes and personal stories, maintaining a strong connection with her audience through relatable content.
• Tom Kerridge: A Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kerridge has over 500K followers on Instagram. He is known for his hearty British dishes and engaging personality, sharing both his professional cooking tips and personal weight loss journey​
• Gaz Oakley: Also known as "Avant-Garde Vegan." Gaz Oakley has garnered a significant following on social media, particularly on YouTube and Instagram, where he shares innovative, visually stunning vegan recipes. His creative approach to plant-based cooking and content about vegan lifestyles has grown his channel to over 1 million followers on Instagram.

Like Jamie Oliver, these chefs have successfully leveraged social media to expand their influence, sharing their culinary expertise and personal stories with a global audience. Their ability to adapt to new platforms while staying true to their culinary roots has made them enduring figures in the food world.

Many other popular creators, such as a food writer for the Daily Telegraph and MasterChef judge William Sitwell, have now also started creating content for social media.

Want to know more about the biggest influencers? Learn about the most popular YouTubers or fashion influencers,

Who is the most famous food influencer?

The most followed food influencer worldwide is Burak Özdemir, known as @Cznburak on social media. The Turkish creator has a massive following of over 68 million on TikTok, making him one of the platform's top influencers. On Instagram, he has over 54 million followers, and many of his Reels have 10s of millions of views.

Ozdemir is renowned for his engaging and unique cooking videos, in which he prepares traditional Turkish and Arabic dishes. His warm and charismatic lifestyle content, combined with highly skilled recipes, connects with viewers.

How do food influencers make money?

Food influencers have several revenue streams through which they can make money. They often collaborate with brands for sponsored content and brand partnerships, creating posts that feature products or serving as brand ambassadors.

Affiliate marketing also plays a significant role, allowing influencers to earn a commission on sales generated through their unique links. Additionally, advertising revenue from YouTube ads and website ads contributes significantly to their income.

Many food influencers branch out, launching their own product lines, such as cookbooks, branded merchandise, and food products. Events, appearances, and public speaking engagements further supplement their income, as do subscription services like Patreon or membership sites offering exclusive content.

Another lucrative avenue for food influencers is content creation for brands, which can involve recipe development, photography, and videography of content for advertising campaigns.

Collaborations with other influencers and brands expand the creator's reach and influence. These diverse revenue streams enable food influencers to leverage their creativity and audience engagement to build successful careers.

Companies working with influencers may involve various agencies and platforms that facilitate connections. Influencer marketing agencies pair influencers with brands that align with their target audience and values, oversee campaigns, and ensure compliance with industry standards.

Platforms like Kolsquare, AspireIQ, and Influencity offer tools that enable influencers to manage collaborations, track campaign performance, and streamline communications. These agencies and platforms play a crucial role in helping influencers navigate the complexities of brand partnerships, allowing them to focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with their audience.

How do I become a local food influencer?

Becoming a local food influencer involves a combination of passion for food, consistent content creation, engagement with your community, and strategic use of social media platforms.

Start by defining your niche and brand. Identify your unique angle, whether it’s local street food, fine dining, home cooking, or a specific type of cuisine. Develop a cohesive brand identity for your social media profiles, including a logo, colour scheme, and bio that reflect your niche. This will set the foundation for your content and help attract a dedicated audience.

Content creation is key. Invest in a good camera or smartphone and learn the basics of photography and videography to make your food look visually appealing. Maintain a consistent posting schedule using a content calendar to keep your audience engaged and attract new followers. The TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram algorithms all prioritise frequent posters.

Write informative and engaging captions that share personal stories, recipes, and helpful tips. Respond to comments and messages to engage with your audience, and use relevant hashtags and geotags to increase visibility. It can also be beneficial to collaborate with local or small businesses for giveaways, reviews, and sponsored posts in the early stages.

How many food influencers are there?

On the Kolsquare database, there are 166,027 influencers who post about food. 

How to become a food influencer on Instagram?

Whether you want to work as a full-time influencer or simply start food blogging for fun, becoming a food influencer on Instagram begins with setting up a professional and engaging account. It doesn't matter whether you attended a cookery school or are a home cook; persistence, personality, and a unique approach can build an audience over time.

First, create a new Instagram account or convert your personal account to a professional one. Choose a unique username that reflects your niche and is easy to remember. Ensure your username is both searchable and catchy. For your profile picture, select a clear and eye-catching image, such as your logo or a professional photo of yourself that aligns with your branding and appeals to your target audience.

Next, optimise your bio. Write a concise and engaging bio that tells potential followers who you are and what they can expect from your account. Include keywords related to your niche, such as "food blogger," "recipe creator," "healthy recipes," or "vegan chef." Add a call-to-action, like "Follow for daily recipes," to encourage people to engage with your content. Don’t forget to include a link to your blog or website if you have one, or use a link service like Linktree to share multiple links.

Your feed is the first thing new visitors will see, so make it appealing. Start posting high-quality food photography and videos that utilize lighting, whether natural or artificial, and various angles to showcase your dishes at their best.

Engagement helps you grow. Respond to comments and messages to build a sense of community. Use relevant hashtags and geotags to increase the visibility of your posts. Create a sense of community and a food network by engaging with other food influencers and your followers by liking and commenting on their posts. Your decision-making process should focus on what aligns with your brand, engages your followers, and expands your reach.

It's important to use Instagram’s features to diversify your content. Use Stories for more casual, behind-the-scenes content, Reels for videos, and Highlights to keep important content at the top of your profile.

Remember, launching a successful food blog takes time.