The Next Course: Nick Ryan @nck.ryn Interview

I have been making videos on the internet for over 15 years and have been doing it fulltime for almost a decade! Watching the industry evolve and seeing fresh talent emerge never gets old. That's why I'm launching a new series called "The Next Course,” and interview series to spotlight rising creators who are making waves in the community. They will also have to opportunity to turn the tables and ask me questions too, hopefully helping them on their journey!

But here's the best part: I want your input! Every creator I feature will come straight from your suggestions. So, let me know in the comments who you think deserves the spotlight next, and keep an eye on my IG stories where I’ll be crowdsourcing ideas there too. I can't wait to discover the next generation of creators with you! First up in the series is Nick Ryan @nck.ryn

Name: Nick Ryan

Handle: Nck.Ryn

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Occupation: Law school student

How would you describe your content? I’d describe it as friendly and approachable. I want people to feel like they’re getting a recommendation or seeing life in New York through a friend.

Why do you make food content? I think I’ve been a foodie my entire life. I’m from Queens originally and grew up in one of the most diverse areas in the world where trying new foods was common growing up. Fast forward to college, my friends were always relying on me for recommendations on places to eat and things to do, so I thought why not just start posting these recommendations to help other people discover the city through my eyes. Almost three years later and I’m still having fun doing exactly that.

What’s the piece of content you are most proud of? I think my cookbook club series is what I’m most proud of. I host a monthly(ish) food club called The Creators Table where I partner with creators, chefs, and more to create a table centered to their niche/brand and invite their community to gather together in person. I started this originally as a cookbook club and recently rebranded into this (with the goal of partnering with people in the food industry who don’t have a cookbook) and it’s really taken off. I’ve been able to work with some of my foodie idols like Dominique Ansel and Sarah Fennel of Broma Bakery, and it’s truly one of my favorite things to do. I’m doing one in June with Edy Massih of Edy’s Grocer with more to come soon on our instagram regarding that. @thecreatorstable.nyc

What’s the piece of content that has performed the best? I have a bit of a sweet tooth and my content does skew on the sweeter side (I also find going to bakeries and cafes alone is much easier (and more affordable on a student budget) than it is for me to go to restaurants alone. Anyways this leads me to trying bakeries and cafes pretty often when I travel. I was in San Diego about two years ago when I had heard they had the number one rated bakery in the country, Izola Bakery. I made a video about my time there and it was my first food review to get over a million views.

What camera do you use? IPhone 16 Pro Max all the way.

What’s a type of cuisine you haven’t explored that much of, and want to dig deeper into? I’d really love explore Latin/Hispanic food beyond just Mexican restaurants. It’s something I’ve been meaning to tackle for a while, and I do have a list ready to hit some spots in queens, it’s just a matter of when. That and Filipino food! I grew up with a lot of Filipino friends and remember going to their house to have some of the best food of my life. I’d love to explore that scene more and highlight what I think to be, one of the best cuisines.

What social media platform do you like the most? I’m relatively new to Instagram but I prefer it more than TikTok at the moment. I think it’s much easier to build community there and be a little more personable whether that be through instagram stories or DM’s.

Why do you post online? Being in law school and pursuing a legal career means my career will arguably not allow me to be too creative and expressive with my work.

What do you want out of this? I’d love to see how far I can take this and see what I can do to somehow mix my education and professional career with my passion for the food and hospitality industry. I don’t know what that looks like yet. Liquor regulation? Real estate law focused on working with restaurants? Talent manager? I don’t know, but I’m excited to see what I can do with it.

Why do you think people follow you? I hope people follow me because they feel like they’re getting recommendations they can trust or seeing the city in a new light that may have been unbeknownst to them prior.

Any questions for me? 

Why did you start creating content? I’ve been making videos since high school, so maybe 2003? And then starting posting videos on the internet the year I graduated college, so that would 2009!

Who are your inspirations in the industry? I worked very closely with Bobby Flay when I worked in TV, and obviously he is a giant in the food and food media world, but I think you can’t help but be in awe of someone with such self made success, no matter the industry.

What do you do when you’re in a content block? I really don’t feel that way ever, I think being in NYC helps, where there are endless stories to tell, and if I think I need a little bit of a change of pace, the travel really helps with that as well!