Sam Wu – advancing a passion for food
The SMU family is made up of diverse personalities from all sorts of backgrounds, each bringing their own perspectives and experiences which contribute to enriching the university community.
Students, faculty, and staff – all have their own reasons for joining SMU, and naturally, they all have their interests and passions that are also a big part of their lives.
Finding an Outlet for Dual Passions
Like Sam Wu, who is Senior Associate Director at Alumni Giving, SMU Office of Advancement. Outside of his work, Sam is also really passionate about food – just see his food adventures on Instagram.
Food has always been a big part of Sam’s life, even before joining the SMU family. He started his food adventures on Instagram at the urging of a friend back when he lived in Hong Kong.
While he didn’t start out with the intention to reach an audience beyond his friends, his content was well received, and he has even been invited to review some restaurants in Hong Kong.
His posts on Instagram have provided Sam with a way to combine his twin passions of food and writing into a creative outlet. He has come to realize how important credibility is when giving food reviews and also to accept that taste is subjective.
Sam generally does not charge for his food reviews as he feels that this would make his thoughts come across as less authentic. Furthermore, he only accepts invitations to review food that truly interests him and doesn’t post unless he really enjoyed it.
“I don’t want to slam restaurants or post about negativity. Hence I only post about food that I have myself tasted and enjoyed,” he affirms.
Unique Opportunities that Have Added Flavor
Sam’s love for food has opened doors to unique opportunities. For example, in 2013, he was invited to take American host and supermodel Millana Snow around to explore street food for a travel series called The Vagabond Project.
Sam has fond memories of introducing Millana to street food like chicken feet, and the series won a Webby Award in 2013. “Knowing that I contributed to this series is thrilling,” he muses.
Besides this, Sam has also had the chance to be part of a judging panel for an article in The Straits Times, which explored unusual pairings of different beverages with champagne in “new” cocktails. He’s also a regular on Radio Shiok, a weekly segment on 91.3FM.
While his involvement does not earn him any extra dollars, Sam expresses that it has added flavor to his life. “I get to collaborate and meet with interesting folks, which has made my life more colorful and fun.”
Advice for Aspiring Passion Followers
Sam generally keeps his life as a foodie Instagrammer on the quiet, but his colleagues and other SMU alumni do occasionally ask him for food recommendations.
When it comes to advice, Sam emphasizes time management. “I only attend restaurant invites if I have the time and if it doesn’t interfere with work. I write my posts or create my reels only at night or weekends,” he explains.
“Ultimately, I encourage people to use social media as a creative outlet as it is deeply fulfilling and helps in maintaining good mental and emotional health. This contributes to a cheerful demeanor and mindset at work!”
