The 5 Best Food Channels on YouTube

Though beauty, comedy, and news-centered YouTube channels get a lot of press, food-related YouTube video creators shouldn't be overlooked. Food-Tubers, as they are affectionately called, focus on entertaining, recipes, travel, and all things culinary. Their popularity is on the rise, and understandably so; YouTube provides an interactive and visual platform that is perfect for showcasing food in all its forms. However, parsing the sea of videos can be daunting, so we dove in and did the research for you. Here, the five Best Food-Tubers on YouTube.

SortedFood

Four life-long friends met up in a pub after some time apart and realized that all but one was seriously lacking in culinary skills. Horrified at the junk food his friends were eating in college, then chef-in-training Ben Ebbrell began scribbling down simple recipes in the hope of encouraging his mates to learn the basics of cooking. About five years, 600 recipe videos, two book deals, and nearly one million subscribers later, these friends are now Streamy Nominated, international YouTube celebrities beloved for the sheer deliciousness of their recipes, as well as their infectious enthusiasm and camaraderie. 

Whether they are collaborating with Jamie Oliver, researching chocolate production in Ireland, or making hilariously awkward food-related music video parodies of Jay-Z's "99 Problems", these friends always manage to make cooking entertaining and educational. Best of all, the staggering breadth of their coverage includes Mexican, Brazilian, Caribbean, Argentine, and Spanish cuisines, among many, many more!

Must-See Videos: Tapas Platter, Churros with Chocolate Sauce, Brazilian Coxinhas. 

Next up, meet our go-to travel expert, foodie, and language geek!… [pagebreak]

Byron Talbott

Clearly, there is something magical in the water at the Talbott house, because both Byron and his wife, Rachel, are talented YouTubers in their respective categories. Inspired by Rachel's passion for Beauty, Lifestyle, and Mommy vlogging on her CheckInTheMirror channel, Byron began making cooking and how-to YouTube videos. A veteran of critically-acclaimed restaurants like Thomas Keller's Bouchon and Gordon Ramsay's The London West Hollywood, Byron has adopted a cut-no-corners dedication to his craft which comes across clearly in his eponymous channel.

His horchata recipe, for example, calls for roasting, steeping, and cooling a mix of rice, cinnamon, and almonds in a labor of love that takes up to 12 hours to complete, but is all the more satisfying because of it. His half a million subscribers enjoy his easy to follow instructions on classic, mouthwatering American recipes, and you will too!

Must-See Videos: Acai Bowl, Homemade Horchata, Modern Tostadas, Buñuelos. 

Sonia's Travels

Before you go anywhere, be sure to look up Sonia Gil's videos on traveling! This self-proclaimed traveler and language geek is out to fix the way we travel by always asking "is there a better way?" Apparently, there is a better way to sightsee, and she's found it.

Her videos vary from general guides like packing and how to save on airfare, to destination-specific videos that cover over a dozen cities, among them Amsterdam, Barcelona, and NYC. With tips on just about every aspect of travel including social customs, planning, clothes, and food, this woman is a veritable travel compendium. 

Must-See Videos: Travel Domincan Republic: Best Beach in the World, A Real Taste of Rio, Latin America Tipping Guide.

Click on for insights into international sustainability and local Texan cuisine!… [pagebreak]

Hilah Cooking

Good news for cooking beginners, Hilah emphasizes the "no muss, no fuss" approach to cooking; all overly-complicated techniques and expensive hardware are explicitly forbidden on her channel. Instead, Hilah, once referred to as the anti-Gwyneth Paltrow, focuses on the everyman and aims to make homecooking approachable while exploring Texas' many culinary influences, from Southern BBQ to Mexican to German.

Must-See Videos: Flour Tortillas, Mexican Pizza, Gorditas, Chicken Flautas and Guacamole.

Perennial Plate

The Perennial Plate is the brainchild of filmmaker/freelance writer Mirra Fine and chef/activist Daniel Klein, former chef at some of the world's top rated restaurants (Mugaritz, The Fat Duck, and Craft). Though they make amazing food, their focus is on "adventures in sustainable eating." Video topics include destination explorations, recipe how-to's, social justice, and regional history.

Here you'll drool over minute-long foodporn videos composed entirely of Mexican street food, explore the metaphoric significance of mate in Argentine culture, and learn how making chocolate in Central America is an act of defiance against an increasingly petroleum-concerned generation. As you might have guessed, this team gained its following due to its honest reporting and ambitious undertaking. They've already received two James Beard Awards for Excellence and continually expand their scope, adding new locations to a repertoire that currently includes Vietnam, Argentina, South Africa Mexico, and Sri Lanka, to name a few.

Must-See Videos: Con Sentido, Vegetarian Tamales, One Minute in Mexico, Act of Resistance.