Many people have found success on social media by simply making videos of something they are passionate about. That’s the case for Owensboro nurse Matt Ramsey, who has more than 1 million followers on TikTok alone.
A self-taught cook, Ramsey’s videos are all about food.
Like many, Ramsey started posting on TikTok during the pandemic in late 2020. He worked with another nurse who had success in posting videos online of their hobby – woodworking – so Ramsey started doing the same with his cooking and had some videos do “halfway decent” early on.
“I got to 10,000 followers, so I actually made a video where I asked my wife how many followers I had to get to get a puppy. She said 100,000,” Ramsey said. “I had wanted a big dog for awhile, so we ended up getting a chocolate lab.”
Ramsey has worked in the Owensboro Health Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory for 15 years, which he said is kind of ironic given all of the food videos focus on comfort food.
Chopped Buffalo Chicken Sliders, Philly Cheesesteak Cups, and Bratwurst Smash Burgers are just a few of the dishes he has shared on his social media sites.
“I would like to emphasize I’m nowhere close to a chef,” he said. “I’m just a regular guy who likes to cook for his friends and families. I make mistakes. I didn’t grow up cooking, so it’s a lot of trial and error.”
His Weber kettle grill sparked his interest in cooking and he spent a lot of time learning from others on the internet.
His popularity on TikTok has also connected to him to other Owensboro personalities such as Jason Koger and Julius Maddox.
With his social media success, he has been approached with opportunities — such as being asked to audition for Next Level Chef, a cooking competition show hosted by Gordon Ramsey.
Ramsey’s advice for anyone wanting to be a content creator is to just start.
“Jump in and do it, but know you’re going to mess up,” he said. “There’s so much online to teach yourself and be persistent. If I’m one thing in life I’m persistent. That’s a big part of the job.”
You can find his cooking tutorials with detailed recipes on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook at @cookerofdeliciousness.
