Entrepreneur: Jenny Martinez
Biz: Happy Bellies By Jenny & Jenny’s Kitchen
Tilt: Bubbly chef cooks up Mexican food
Scene: TikTok (3.1M), YouTube (115K), Instagram (331K)
Snack Bites:
- Jenny shot to TikTok stardom after her daughter uploaded two clips with her birra and quesataco recipes.
- She produces content in Spanish and English to help her videos appeal to a wider audience.
- Major brands like Spam and Bounty have worked with Jenny on sponsor partnerships.
Why We’re a Stan: Jenny’s easy and natural delivery of Mexican recipes gives her an authentic content tilt that draws millions of viewers. Creating in both Spanish and English, she connects with audiences familiar with the cuisine and attracts newcomers who aren’t as knowledgeable about the dishes.
The Story of Jenny Martinez
Harnessing the power of storytelling, Jenny Martinez cooks up TikTok content that reflects her rich family history and cultural Hispanic heritage. In 2019, the content entrepreneur with now over 3M followers attracted a huge audience after her daughter uploaded a clip of her making Birra, a popular Mexican beef stew.
She explains how she became a household name to Mario Lopez on Access Hollywood: “I got over a million views overnight. As soon as I saw my phone blowing up, I ran to my daughter, saying, ‘O my gosh, look what you did!’”
She adds, “So, everyone wanted to know how to make a quesataco (a quesadilla-taco combo). We uploaded another video, and that went even more viral. So, it’s thanks to TikTok that I’m here.”
#ContentCreator Jenny Martinez combined a quesadilla and taco to create a quesataco on TikTok and her view notifications blew up. #Stan #ContentBusiness Click To TweetAfter the quesataco video, Happy Bellies By Jenny continued to post clips of her cooking skills on the app, spotlighting quick and easy-to-follow videos of Mexican staples like ceviche de jaiva, capirotada, and huevos rancheros and her take on well-known classics, such as hamburgers and stuffed potatoes. In both English and Spanish, every video is packed with mouthwatering dishes and a fun, upbeat personality created by her or a family member making a guest appearance.
Jenny occasionally creates longer cooking visuals on YouTube, taking three to 20 minutes to explain a delicious recipe. This month she also ventured into vlogging, recording a behind-the-scenes look at the TikTok clip for her beloved jalapeno cream cheese dip. Her second most followed account, Instagram, is a mix of the two. It’s filled with short-form content and glimpses of her personal life.
Partnering with high-profile brands
Over three years, the bubbly, warm online chef has garnered attention from famous internet creators and real-life celebs. Outside of her interview with Mario Lopez, restauranteur Gordon Ramsey did a reaction video with Jenny to execute a Bounty sponsorship deal.
She’s also hosted a segment on the Telemundo show Acceso Total. She connected with the Spam brand during the 2021 Olympics, preparing a brand-infused Summer Games Watch Party dish.
Jenny’s hosted a #LearnOnTikTok segment, cooked live her famous sweet potato pie on the Tamron Hall show, and Amazon’s Alexa made an appearance on her Instagram account in an #Ad. All in all, the 47-year-old mother of four continually finds ways to increase her brand awareness online and in the everyday world.
#ContentEntrepreneur Jenny Martinez expanded her TikTok content to do deals with brands like @Spambrand and @Bounty. #Stan #CreatorEconomy Click To TweetGrowing an audience with bilingual content
Last year, Mashed surveyed almost 600 people about their favorite TikTok chefs. Jenny won 12% of the vote. She creates her content in Spanish and English. As Jenny told pop culture site In The Know: “Many people are not really familiar with some of the ingredients, but by me explaining what it is in English, it opens the door to a lot of people who have never tried Mexican food.” Featuring her food on TikTok allows her to reach a younger audience for the recipes passed down to her from her mother.
From TV appearances and managing her social media account, Jenny clearly puts her heart into all of the content she creates. She beautifully melds her cultures into most of her posts, videos, and sponsorship videos, making each easy and quick dish for anyone scrolling through her feed. She tells In The Know, “Some advice I would give to my followers would be just to start. You don’t have to be an expert in cooking. Start following my recipes. I try to make them as easy as possible.”
About the author
Shameyka McCalman is a wordsmith whose work often centers around fashion, art, and other creatives of color. She earned her communications degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and enjoys sifting through clothes in local vintage shops, frequenting nearby plays, and gazing at exhibitions on view in museums.
