Food historian Claire Dinhut (aka Condiment Claire) says she'd never have been given the opportunity to write The Condiment Book without TikTok. Photo: Supplied
Growing up, historian Claire Dinhut dreamed of one day hosting a food travel show in the style of Anthony Bourdain.
Now, as Condiment Claire, she shares fun food facts, recipes and her own adventures with almost 1 million followers on TikTok.
Ahead of arriving in New Zealand for the launch of The Condiment Book, she tells Mihingarangi Forbes about her gratitude to the platform and why dijon mustard is her ride-or-die.
After graduating from university, Dinhut was on the right track to becoming a Bourdain-style food TV host. She was in Mexico City filming the pilot of a show about how grandmas around the world make the best food, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
Back home in California, with her show cancelled, Dinhut was approached by a streaming platform seeking a TV host. But their interest soon evaporated when they discovered her only followers were friends and family.
Although she'd never thought of working in the social media realm before, Dinhut realised that to do the work she was passionate about she had to jump in.
"It's still a very odd thing for me to wrap my head around, but nowadays just having a following really gives you legitimacy almost more than education."
Although social media is "weird", Dinhut says that without TikTok she'd never have been given the opportunity to write and publish The Condiment Book last year.
The food category of condiments - which includes dips, sauces, dressings, salts, spices, and butter when added for flavour - appeals to her for its sustainability and versatility.
Not only can you make your own condiments from produce that would otherwise go to waste, Dinhut says, they can transform tired leftovers into what tastes like a whole new meal.
Glass jars with hard-to-reach scrapes of sweet spread or nut butter left over on their walls can become a pre-flavoured container for a chia seed pudding, yoghurt bowl, marinade or salad dressing.
A glass jar of mustard near its end can become the starting point for a salad dressing or a pre-seasoned vessel in which to shake up some eggs you then scramble or in which mash up some chickpeas for homemade hummus.
While Dinhut will eat yellow American mustard on a hot dog or New York pretzel, dijon is her absolute favourite mustard and all-time favourite condiment.
As a child there was always a jar on the dining table, she says, and now the taste delivers immediate comfort when she's feeling a little homesick on her travels.
Photo: Supplied
Currently exploring the tastes of Australia, including the restaurant chain Fishbowl and the frozen yoghurt chain Yo-Chi, Dinhut will soon be heading to Aotearoa.
Here she'll appear at the (sold-out) launch of The Condiment Book in Auckland on Wednesday, hopefully sample some feijioas, and investigate Māori cuisine.
She's also keen to follow up on some of the many foodie recommendations her Kiwi followers have sent through.
"I've never been to this corner of the world before, and to be able to share that with people who don't have the ability to travel is really special.
"I love getting comments and messages being like 'You allow me to travel from my couch'. That's why I do this. It makes me so incredibly happy to have these authentic experiences and learn about these different places firsthand and not gatekeep that to myself."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
