Exclusive interview with food and lifestyle blogger Valentina Ballerina

The 23-year-old Austrian Valentina Ballerina started with small snapshots of her delicious meals, she shared these photos on Instagram and her fanbase grew and grew – now over 40,000! Due to the ever-increasing demand, this year she decided to additionally publish a blog where the beautiful half-Italian writes about good food, sports, fashion, beauty, travel and moments and feelings that occupy her daily. She gives her followers a deep insight into her life and that’s what they love.

Healthy and balanced nutrition does not mean renunciation

FIV: Valentina for the readers who don’t know you yet, please introduce yourself!

Valentina: My name is Valentina, I’m 24 years old, currently living in beautiful Vienna and my blog is www.valentinaballerina.com. Originally I come from the south of Austria, I am half Italian and also grew up bilingual.

FIV: Your main content is food! How did you get the idea to blog and why exactly this content?

Valentina: I’ve been asked this question more and more often lately and I don’t even know when it really started. A good 3-4 years ago I downloaded Instagram and kept taking snapshots on it. With the registration to the gym and the conscious examination of a healthy diet, my content has increased more and more and, thank God, also more and more people enthusiastic.

FIV: Why food?

Valentina: Food is a beautiful thing. I love food. It makes you happy, it connects, it shows different cultures – be it through herbs, flavours or other ingredients.

With Valentina Ballerina I want to show that a healthy and balanced diet does not mean a renunciation, but that every meal, which is normally known as “unhealthy”, can also be prepared healthy. In the future, I also plan to focus more on fashion, travel, fitness and beauty, because these are also things without which I could not imagine my life.

FIV: You are already very successful with your blog! What exactly do you think sets you apart from other food bloggers?

Valentina: That I am more than just a food lover and blogger. I always want to maintain the closeness to my followers / readers and always create a certain feeling of closeness.
And on my blog you will also find many and very personal topics.

Valentina lets her gut and hunger pangs guide her

FIV: Please tell us your 3 favorite foods or recipes that you would love to eat every day!

Valentina: My readers already know what’s coming up: cottage cheese, cocoa with lots of frothed milk, and protein bars.

FIV: Every country has its own culinary specialties! Which country do you think would be worth a culinary trip?

Valentina: I don’t want to limit myself to one specific country. I have been to so many places, with different cultures and foods. Every new experience is unique and great.

FIV: Where do you get your inspiration for new dishes?

Valentina: Very simple: my stomach and my feeling of hunger guide me!

FIV: Your food posts always look good enough to eat! I and our readers would be interested to know what it looks like in your kitchen after preparing your treats?

Valentina: Shortly after preparing it would be a shock moment of any mother. But I always clean up my setting right away and make everything clean. It’s also because I don’t live alone.

Jamie Oliver and cookbooks with Valentina’s recipes

FIV: What do you publish on the internet and what not? How private is your blog?

Valentina: I have a lot of very private topics online. The reason is that I want to help others, especially young girls, and show them that they are not alone with certain feelings. But you definitely have to draw a line at “too private”. My family and friends will only be mentioned if I have received a GO from them first as well. Basically said, not everything needs to be published and that’s fine.

FIV: Are you always online or are there also days when you simply switch off your laptop and smartphone?

Valentina: My smartphone is on pretty much every day. Laptop but not always.

Especially when I’m out with my family, I don’t need a cell phone and co.

FIV: Do you listen to music while cooking? If so what kind?

Valentina: I only listen to music when I’m doing sports and going out.

FIV: If you could choose any chef to make a dish with. Which chef would it be?

Valentina: I like the easy-going nature of Jamie Oliver, so I would prefer him.

FIV: Do you have a cookbook you wouldn’t give away?

Valentina: Even two – there are two where recipes of mine are pictured.

FIV: What makes you happy?

Valentina: My family, friends and the fact that I can live my life the way I want to.

Thanks Valentina for the great interview.

You can find out even more about Valentina Ballerina on her blog or Instagram.