What is the story behind your blog’s name?

In continuation from my appetite which got matured during my US long stint, I continued to hog a lot if the food connects to me and then I thought I would share my experiences as a foodie on things that people should/must explore. I wanted to come up with a name that’s not region specific but gets to readers in a funky way. I hog and I blog and hence GastroHogger was born. Hence the tag line as well “KEEP HOGGIN… KEEP BLOGGIN…”

Why did you decide/inspired to start a food blog?

I was sharing my feedback/review in YELP in the USA and then in Zomato & Facebook after I moved back to India, but then I couldn’t explain myself into a restrictive space. I wanted more space and thought freedom to give my readers the wholistic experience than just say eat this & that and it costs this much. I want readers to relish the food that I got to as if they were there. If it doesn’t connect your 6-7 hrs. per blog is in vain.

What’s your blog about? Who reads it? How long have you been blogging?

My blog is not a super luxury style blogging site to promote a whole lot of agenda. It’s plain n simple a common man being a foodie sharing his dining experiences in a wide cadre of restaurants in and around Hyderabad. Its foodies in various Facebook foodie groups, friends, colleagues who read and give their feedback on visiting those places. I start this as a smalltime hobby or rather pass time in 2015 and then it just evolved like any other passion would do. It just grew in me to be consistent, transparent and expressive up until now and I hope I continue being a common foodie.

What do you think food blogging will look like in 5 years?

I think the era of detailed blogging is fading. My turnover per month has also gone down to sheer pressure of how to get your word fast and blogging somehow hasn’t been able to catch up. I feel it’s the era of #Instabloggingwhich is now the buzz. Even a textual writer like me is forced to be in Instagram and active to be a relevant blogger. Slowly I think blogging will or should move into a cuisine based / food exploration space where you talk more about history, the connection between cuisines, share your knowledge. I hope people still take up blogging and I do know many chefs – home chefs – bakers do but I want general bloggers as well to keep up to this. Evolution is unpredictable but I hope we still get to hear “bloggers” in the next 5 years.

Do you have any special blogging tip for new bloggers?

Definitely not an expert in it but as a person who has done the journey for the last 4 years.

• Don’t take short cuts. Read and understand about food before writing/reviewing any food or place.
• Express freely without any judgmental criticism. Content should be satisfactory
• Never get judgmental as a food critic because there is always someone who is more knowledgeable about you. BE HUMBLE
• Identify a tag name and handle that you can connect and emote. Don’t take names that’s generic and just to show you are a blogger in hyd or XYZ. The name is your identity
• Focus on quality of content than no. of blogs. Yes, initially you will head rush but then take it slow as you set in
• I know it’s costly but once you get your website done, please get a domain and publish regularly.

ABOUT Gastrohogger by Karthik Gandhi | Hyderabad |

Karthik Gandhi, 35, an IT Manager by profession but a hardcore foodie at heart has a big appetite and hogs a lot. With blog brand name as GastroHogger, he shares his experiences on all places he visits and food promotions/festivals from restaurants all around the Land of Biryani. GastroHogger is all about being a sharing experience to a common man who loves food and connects the vibe on it.

It’s not about fancy, fine-dining experiences alone but to show how Hyderabad still considered as developing a city in F & B sector has got diversified in recent years and how much the city has to offer. Each blog should give a wholistic and complete experience to the reader to understand the restaurant or festival 100%.

If you got to do it, do it 100% or not. Being a family man with wonderful 3 daughters, time management becomes a big hurdle to keep the job – family – friends – food at a harmonial balance and GastroHogger does it with ease. the technique is simple: Apply the best practices from work into your blogger space and vice versa. I do it when I like to do it and don’t wait for the right moment. Having a passionate hobby enriches your thought much which many don’t understand.

I take my blogging hobby a bit more serious because I keep re-inventing myself for my challenges and keep reading a lot before I write. This reading has enabled or rather enhanced my reading skills to understand food and cuisines across the world. This exposure has enabled me to talk more sensible feedback/criticism on food in multiple forums which get understood and sensible. If you are not right, you are not an authentic food reviewer. I also keep my experience and writing to more to say if I liked/loved a dish or not. I don’t comment or project myself as a food critic which takes ages of maturity and dedication into space which I can or never will be accomplished until I might think of it full time in near future. With wife handling the kids, I can a good balance between all these tasks in front of me and still be SANE !!

I feel love towards food should evolve in yourself and you start respecting anything and everything around it. Being arrogant and ignorant to food always irate me and so does senseless and illogical feedback given to restaurants(be it owners, chef, and their team). You need to understand food to talk about food. I strongly suggest just like any profession or work you do; you should also dedicate time to keep on learning/reading about food, cuisines, their history, cooking techniques which will revolve around how HISTORY & FOOD are inseparable forever. The utmost respect and connection with food is eternal and if food is religion, then I’m a THEIST 😊

I ROCK INDIA