Engineer, UCF alumnus runs renowned food blog

The world of food blogging is one that may contract your wallet while expanding your waistline, according to UCF alumnus Ricky Ly. Ly runs a food blog called Tasty Chomps, where he lets his mind unwind after a day of work at a civil engineering firm in Oviedo. The Central Florida Future had the opportunity to speak with Ly about his adventures as a food blogger in the City Beautiful.

Central Florida Future: Tell me a bit about yourself.

Ricky Ly: My name is Ricky Ly, a proud UCF alumni. During my time at UCF, I was able to serve as SGA Senator for the College of Engineering and Science (Vice Chair of the FAO Committee), SGA multicultural affairs coordinator under Hollinger-Berkowitz, president of the Asian Pacific American Coalition and a charter member of Pi Delta Psi Fraternity. I also had the opportunity to write for the Central Florida Future in the past. Currently, I am the food writer for TastyChomps.com the Orlando Food Blog and have my articles featured in Asia Trend Magazine. I am also a member of the Asian American Journalists Association.

CFF: When did you start Tasty Chomps? Why? Why do you enjoy food blogging?

Ly: I started Tasty Chomps about two years ago. I love writing, and this allows me to use the creative side of the brain and balance out the reason and logic of engineering work. I love finding new or different places to eat and exploring different cultures through food. I also enjoy highlighting and promoting small mom-and-pop, local-type places that are not well known, but serve great food. There is much more to Orlando than just Disney theme park food and Olive Garden. Just look around, try something new. Who knows? You just might like it.

CFF: Where do you work when you aren't blogging?

Ly: I work at a local civil engineering firm in Oviedo, Fla., specializing in stormwater resources. I love my job and love helping find ways to better people's quality of life through civil engineering and design.

CFF: Why are you interested in food?

Ly: My love affair with food began when I was quite still a suckling baby. I remember my very first memory as a drooling toddler, taken by my parents to dim sum on Sunday mornings and the sweet taste of the soy sauce on some wet and slurpy shrimp rice paste. I love culture and, a lot of times, we can find the essence of a culture in their foods. Who doesn't like to eat?

CFF: What recognitions have you received for Tasty Chomps?

Ly: I have been voted Best Local Blog by the Orlando Sentinel Best Bets of 2010, Best Food Blog by the Orlando Sentinel Orbbies Web Blog Awards for 2010 and the covetous, yet fickle, No. 1 ranked Orlando Food Blog by Urbanspoon.com. Through my blog, I have been asked to consult businesses and even political figures on how to effectively use social media and blogging. Restaurants and public relations firms also have, on occasion, contacted my blog to invite me to check out their new grand openings or new menu items. I have recently been also asked to speak at the Central Florida Bloggers Conference (http://centralfloridabloggerconference.com/) on July 16, 2011 here in Orlando.

CFF: Where do you want to go with Tasty Chomps? Do you hope to one day get paid for blogging?

Ly: I am pretty happy with Tasty Chomps right now. I was once asked to interview for a pilot show for Food Network, so that was quite an honor even if I'm not going to be on TV any time soon. I like eating, but as with everything it must be done in moderation.

CFF: What are your favorite places to eat in Orlando? What is your favorite meal in Orlando?

Ly: My favorite place would have to be Hanamizuki Japanese restaurant off of International Drive, tucked inside a run-down shopping center next to the Sleuth's Mystery Dinner theatre joint. They have the most amazing shio butter ramen noodle soup and fried rice for lunch. Their food is simple, authentic and, above all, tasty. Near UCF, I would recommend trying out Anmol Indian Cuisine for their lunch combo with lamb or chicken korma (an almond-based curry) with naan bread, lentil soup, basmati rice all for around $7.95 or so.

CFF: How much time do you spend blogging and researching food?

Ly: I spend an hour or so at night, every night getting photos cropped and posts ready for publishing.

CFF: How do you describe the Orlando food scene?

Ly: The Orlando foodie scene has grown quite considerably in the past few years. With the advent of blogging, social media and smart phones, more and more people find it easier to share their thoughts and views on where to get the best dish or the newest foodie craze in town; whereas before, a locale would depend on just one or two traditional mainstream media personas to share their findings on restaurants. The past few months especially have been eventful as the food truck scene has finally arrived to Orlando with new food truck owners serving up everything from gourmet local cuisine to Korean tacos to barbecue and soul food and much more. (There are weekly food truck meetups downtown and around Orlando, too.)

CFF: Have you met any celebrities in the food industry?

Ly: I have met both Heather McPherson and Scott Joseph (current and former food critics for the Orlando Sentinel, respectively). I haven't met him yet, but Andrew Zimmern (host of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel) follows me on Twitter. I hope to meet Anthony Bourdain one day.

CFF: Do you have advice for future bloggers?

Ly: I think the best advice if you are thinking of starting a blog is to make sure you pick a subject that you really love and that you can keep writing about. It takes time and effort to put together a successful blog, and you want to enjoy what you are writing about [and] working on. The most important thing is to start and, once you do, keep up on it on a regular basis.