Why you must watch Beryl Shereshewsky on YouTube

I can’t explain how many hours I have spent watching food vlogs created by Beryl Shereshewsky on YouTube. Though in the past years, an enormous haul of cooking videos have blown up all over the web, I have never been a fan of mindless vlogging. I am a quality-over-quantity kind of person, especially with regard to the kind of online content I consume.  And right now, I want you to know all the reasons to tune in and watch Beryl Shereshewsky’s YouTube channel.

Though not a big fan of cooking, I have always been a big foodie. And since I love watching food videos, it was no wonder Beryl Shereshewsky quickly popped up on my recommendations. Three minutes into the first video, I was sold. And now, I watch her videos almost every week and find it rather engaging. 

So, let me confess it today, I am obsessed with this YouTube channel, and that’s okay! 

Why should you watch these vlogs? 

I do not know this writer, producer, videographer, and YouTuber personally, of course! I only know her through a screen, yet another stranger who admires her work in the online world. Her storytelling voice is what grabbed my attention ever since I clicked on her first video (a random one that the YouTube algorithm casually suggested). 

Formerly employed as a producer at Great Big Story, a media house, Beryl Shereshewsky lost her job when the company closed down during the COVID-19 economic crisis. But the New Yorker with an adventurous palate decided to use her love of food as a window to the world through her YouTube channel. She aimed to particularly highlight people whose tales weren’t necessarily being told before. Needless to say, the unique plot development of her videos appealed to my short attention span. 

Now let’s get to the specifics of why I’d recommend this channel to someone:

1. Beryl Shereshewsky has a unique concept that many YouTubers lack (yes, I SAID it!)

The concept behind the channel is that Beryl Shereshewsky recreates dishes sent in by her viewers from different parts of the world. You will find a brief clip of the viewers narrating the recommended recipe too (talk about personal touch!). 

Each episode follows a single theme, usually an ingredient. The video then explores said ingredient’s various interpretations across the globe (creative layers and elements at their best).

Beryl’s viewers send her recipes and share how they discovered them and their experiences with the food. This makes for a fascinating addition because these individuals often reveal an emotional link to the food. And you know how well emotions connect with a viewer when conveyed well.

2. The recipes are the real heroes!

Beryl Shereshewskey works with traditional recipes that are mostly unknown in the global sense. These recipes are not all commercially viable and therefore, people from all over the world would not know them. What I love the most is that Beryl delights in the idiosyncrasies of each culture. She lists the ingredients and links the recipes for the food she showcases, making it accessible to all her viewers. 

She is also clear and honest in detailing her process for the viewer. If she used any substitutes or makeshift techniques, she shares exactly that. And when she does not have a traditional ingredient or cooking equipment that the recipe demands, she is up front about the adjustments she made. 

3. The diversity of the stories Beryl Shereshewsky presents

The stories involve everything like pregnancies, college life, migration, and other unique circumstances. I found the episode titled “Cooking with Moms Around the World” so wholesome that I rewatched it more times than I care to admit.  

In another video about strawberries, it turned out that the similarity between the Ukrainian version and the Mexican Mennonite version of a dish suggested a common historical origin. When the Ukrainian-born Londoner who sent the recipes claimed that cooking had helped her deal with the political unrest in her country, I realised how therapeutic the love for food can be! 

4. Partaking in different cultures

Let me tell you, I am a traveler by heart. While my 9-to-5 doesn’t allow me 10 vacations in a year (I also don’t have the guts to quit and become a full-time travel influencer), Beryl’s vlogs soothe the itch to some extent. 

Simply put, the channel somewhat continues what Beryl Shereshewsky started on Great Big Story before it went down. We now see more voices like Uncle Roger or Vincenzo’s Plate rise in protest against Western interpretations of BIPOC food. Beryl merely chooses to highlight and preserve foods from world cultures. In particular, her concern is those in danger of being erased or misinterpreted. For instance, in her ‘How the World Celebrates Ramadan,’ Beryl celebrates iftar food. She claims that there is a “huge lack of positive Muslim representation in the media in general,” as she features a video of Muslims from Canada, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Algeria, Jordan, and the United States. She also discusses the virtues of compassion, patience, and community that the month represents.  

5. Can’t ignore the ‘mukbang’ appeal in Beryl Shereshewsky’s videos

If you’re not a fan of recipe videos and only want to see the final dish on the plate, she won’t disappoint you. Beryl is a keen taster, identifying vibrant flavours as they hit her. It’s a treat to watch when Beryl enjoys the finished product. Her knowledge of food is evident in the way she describes the flavour profile, almost like a masterchef. The only difference would be that she is a less technical (thank goodness!) and a more friendly version than a pro. Plus, you realise she is a person with whom you can hang out over food…even if across a screen. This soothing mukbang-like quality (which has been one of YouTube’s mainstays) is sure to entice someone like me who despises kitchen work. 

What else can you expect from Beryl Shereshewsky? 

• The channel features a series of YouTube shorts that showcase lesser known food facts.
• In the background, during her intro, a featured work of art keeps changing each episode. Beryl talks about the artist and explains what resonated with her about the art as she enjoys the dish. Given her eclectic taste, this is quite the segment to look forward to!  
• She acknowledges foods she doesn’t like and continues to bravely experiment with them, in true foodie style. Especially foods that are commonly associated with negative connotations.

So, if you love food and frequently look for meaningful YouTube videos that make you think, reflect, and feel, definitely check out Beryl Shereshewsky’s channel (658K subscribers and counting). If you are already a subscriber, let me know which vlog(s) you loved the most.