Hello, Pot Heads!
If you didn't already know, my name is Caitlyn (call me Caity). I am the aspiring chef, blog writer, video editor, and personality behind The BIG Yellow Pot brand. If you are reading this, you can assume that it is November 1st! The countdown is FINALLY over.
Today is Launch Day for The BIG Yellow Pot YouTube channel! I am unbelievably excited and grateful for the opportunity to bring you ALL along with me on this journey. The BIG Yellow Pot has a slogan. From day one of this journey, this slogan has helped me form a plan to expand my knowledge of cooking/food in hopes that I could share it with others; our slogan has been "One pot, One Mission" from the very beginning and it hasn't changed. This YouTube launch is instrumental in helping me succeed in that mission. It is my goal to bring your home to the bright side of foodie culture and fall in love with cooking again. It is also a goal of mine to hone my chef skills to the professional level while sharing my knowledge with you all. We are largely learning together and I wouldn't have it any other way. So, welcome!
As for the channel, all physical cooking and demonstrations will be housed on YouTube. The blog will be the place to learn and get details such as measurements and methodologies, where you can find notes for what I would change, and much more! The BYP blog is heavily interactive but I will also be posting short Reels and photos on Instagram as well. Don't worry, though; if you don't have an Instagram profile, the blog has a live feed of my Instagram page so you won't have to make an account to be included! Think about it this way… YouTube is class and the blog is homework. If you are more visual or more of a note taker, there is something for you either way.
Speaking of channels, I have recorded a Q&A video to jump start Launch Day! Please head over to the channel and learn more about The BIG Yellow Pot and what is to come.
For the OGs — the blog is where this journey started, so you KNOW I got something special on here. This post is all-exclusive with extra questions and anecdotes from this journey!
I will also be there live to interact with you guys and see what you think of the channel.
All you need is an email and the ability to read; I will do the rest of the work for you :)
Q&A | The BIG Yellow Pot YouTube Channel
Who are you?
My name is Caity, I am a 26 year old multifaceted individual with a love for gastronomy. Not only do I love food, I am interested in homesteading, gardening, nutrition science, and food scarcity issues such as food insecurity. All in all, I am obsessed with food in every way. I have been cooking with my family since I was about 7 years old and I decided to pursue a higher level of culinary arts when I was in college.
What is the origin of The BIG Yellow Pot?
The idea for the BYP brand came after receiving a large Dutch oven from a coworker named Jewel. Ironically, she was just that — a gem and a beautiful person who was instrumental in providing hope and guidance for young people at our place of work. She is a business owner and very frank, so she didn't let us defer any of our dreams. It was her gift of the Le Creuset Dutch Oven that made me realize that I have to start investing in myself and in my talents. Selling food from my house was cool but I wasn't in love with it and I hated my job at the time. She lit a fire within me that I can't say anyone else did at the time. My brand at the time was Caity Crews Cookin' but the more I cooked with the pot and elevated my skills, I decided The BIG Yellow Pot was more fitting and a clear symbol of what happens when one person believes in your talent.
What can you expect from the channel? And how often will we get new videos?
I mean, really, what CAN’T you expect? As explained in the video, my videos will fall within 5 categories. They are as follows:
BIG One Pot Meals
'Caity Tries'
BYP Meal Prep
Restaurant/Product Reviews
AND Special Content (vlogs, holiday content, and anything I feel like sharing.)
I do take suggestions on Instagram every now and then but otherwise, those are the categories I have chosen to really get people in the swing of practical food knowledge.
As far as the frequency of new content and videos, I am deciding to not make a schedule. In the past when I planned everything, something always ruined the plan. I have been planning and recording since September, so it is my hope that there won't be any long gaps or pauses in creating like earlier this year. HOWEVER, I am human. I work full time (and love my job, might I add). So there will definitely not be a set schedule just to save myself from stress. Turn on notifications for Instagram and make sure you click the bell on my YouTube channel so that you won't miss anything!
Why such a long break from posting/the blog?
Life happens. If you want to know more about this in detail, please see the last two previous posts. They are on the blog and explain a little of what I have faced from January til now. Rather than focus on what I didn't do, I took the time to gather resources, equipment, technology, and to be completely honest MYSELF. Thank you for still being here, though; that means a lot.
How can we find recipes?
They are all here and will be posted as links in the description of each video. They are absolutely free, and so is becoming a member. If you are a member and are subscribed to the blog, you will get each post emailed to you which will save some clicks.
Social media? TikTok?
I have yet to embark on the TikTok journey. I really only use Instagram and Facebook. I do have a Pinterest with direct links to the blog here. Other than that, I am very much an old school type of person. Social media has lost its appeal to me, so I really will only use it for promotion and short Reels via Instagram. Once I get settled on YouTube, YouTube Shorts and Tik Tok may look more appealing.
Why YouTube?
Simple. Nobody wants to watch a 9 minute video on Instagram. Social media is usually for quick and digestible information or videos. I need a place to take my time; YouTube is the perfect home for this type of content.
The questions and answers above will NOT be in the video and are exclusively for those of you who may have not known me before the YouTube – everyone else who has been anticipating this. So, I asked my usual audience to ask me questions for the channel. Those questions are below.
Imagine opening your own restaurant. What would you name it and what kind of cuisine would you serve? from Carina
Many of you know this – I do not want to open a restaurant. I won't say I will NEVER do it, but I want to focus on education later in my culinary journey. My end goal would be to have a homestead and small farm. The fast pace chef life with a line and tweezers is cool for some but it doesn't attract me. Home-cooked meals that are made low and slow with lots of love symbolizes more of what is my life speed!
However, if I DID have a restaurant, it would be a mix between Bruegger's Bagels and McAllister's Deli – maybe a little flare added to match the vibe of a New York bodega. There is just something really beautiful about a nice deli or a simple and light lunch place. I love smoothies, bagels, parfaits, a nice salad, or a stacked sandwich. Believe it or not, even though I LOVE fancy cooking, these are often the types of meals I make for myself the most. I don't have a name but it would definitely be a breakfast/lunch type of place that closes at 3pm.
Would you ever consider making cocktails? also from Carina
I feel like if I don't make cocktails then I am letting my mother’s legacy down. Carina knows all too well that my mom has been a gifted bartender for years. Alcohol isn't my thing after college. BUT I cannot help but think of all the opportunities I am missing if I disregard mixing drinks. So, in short, YES. I do have a small Special Content series about drink mixing. I am also considering doing more smoothie content, mock-tails (for people like me who don't drink), and even a Caity Tries video that allows me to learn how to be a bartender from a professional. Stay tuned for that!
What are you most looking forward to about this experience? from Shainah M. Andrews (Shainah is a fellow chef, writer, linguist, educator, and creative mind. She has two cookbooks, two spoken word albums, and is a freelance creative. Please check out her socials in the comment section. I have left them for you to explore.)
Ah – man. I don't even know. When I started this whole journey, it was simply because I couldn't go to culinary school upon the start of the pandemic. I thought that by teaching others I could learn how to grow as a chef. I think I am looking forward to the knowledge I will gain as this channel grows. There is still so much that I don't know. There are cuisines that I haven't tried and tools that I haven't purchased. So I think I am most excited to learn with my following.
If you could only make 1 meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? Shainah M. Andrews
I would probably just eat a big salad. I love salad – always have since I was like 4 or 5. My go-to toppings are bacon, banana peppers, sharp cheddar cheese, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with 1/2 spring mix & 1/2 romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing. I could eat it EVERY DAY. Sometimes I eat salad with grilled chicken or just by itself.
What made you create a YouTube channel since you already have an Instagram, Facebook, and blog? Shainah M. Andrews
One pot, One mission.
It really stems from there. My content didn't feel like one band, one sound. I feel like although I have a mission to bring people back to being conscious about their food decisions and cooking abilities, it just wasn't organized.
I had all these separate pieces that didn’t really work as a cohesive machine. YouTube centers that for me; it will become the visual starting place. After you see a video, if you want to attempt it, the blog will become the written place to get recipes, details, and notes. Instagram and Facebook will be used for marketing and announcements such as giveaways and shorter content such as Reels and photos. YouTube made me see that I can have a brand and concept. The other pieces are just additional resources to keep that machine running.
Favorite food to eat? Favorite food to cook? from DJ
Believe it or not, my favorite food or dish would be Caesar salad or chicken wings. My favorite type of food to cook is and has always been anything Asian. When I say Asian, I am referring to Korean, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, South Indian… You get the point. Asian cuisine has the best balance of flavors and textures for me. It is also the most challenging.
What is your favorite dish that takes you the longest to make? What is your favorite that takes the shortest amount of time? Jonathan AKA PME.jib (music is featured in my Reels and on my channel, so please follow and download his music)
As far as a dish taking long, I guess anything slow cooked. I was craving short ribs for the longest time and those took about 4 hours – 1 hour to prep and 3 hours of slow cooking. I'm sure I have made things that have taken longer but I can't think of them right now. The shortest and my most favorite dish, again, is always going to be a fresh salad.
What is your favorite meal when you don't feel like cooking? Elizabeth Marie (gorgeous content creator and YouTuber – please follow her as well)
Truth be told, I love frozen dumplings. I also have been into making salmon or tuna with spicy mayo, sticky rice, and sesame seeds. I roll that up into a nori strip (dried seaweed) and snack on those. When all else fails or my pockets are looking empty, I always keep the ingredients to a good cup of ramen or a quick salad. Honestly, if I have to do the dishes myself, I never feel like cooking lol.
What's your dream career in the culinary world? Shainah M. Andrews
I don't believe that I have one set dream. I think a lifetime of learning and cooking does well by me. I can see myself in a test kitchen, as a farm-to-table meal prep provider, as a TV personality, or even a YouTuber who posts anything I feel. I have also considered teaching community classes to adults on how to prepare meals for themselves or family. A career or job, to me, doesn't mean one thing forever. It means constant progression with multiple themes, skills, and topics. As long as I never stop learning, I think I will always be excited to get up in the morning and work.
A final word...
Thank you all for reading and getting to know me and my brand. The BIG Yellow Pot blog launched today last year! It has been 1 year of this journey, so please say HAPPY ANNIVERSARY and continue to grow with me on this journey! I appreciate every question and every opportunity to share my passion with you all.
Best Wishes,
- Caity C. <3
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