How to go viral: Tips from a top TikTok food creator and a croque madame croissant recipe

In fact, it’s so coveted, the hashtag #cheesepull has 980M views on TikTok.

“I’ve burnt myself on numerous occasions trying to nail the perfect cheese pull,” laughs Vernon. “Well, I have nailed it – just not without burning myself!” 

Her trick for maximum viral deliciousness? 

“Get a bit of cheese string – that is epic. Or Gouda, I love Gouda – it gives you the best cheese pull ever.” 

Vernon, 33, is a video-retoucher-turned-chef, and you can see her recipes (and cheese pulls) on Caught Snackin’s social media pages.

Originally started by three colleagues at a creative agency in April 2020, Caught Snackin’ now has 2.3M followers and 42.4M likes on TikTok. It is said to be the UK’s fastest-growing food channel.

“We were all stuck inside during lockdown, and we thought, let’s play around,” Vernon remembers. “I decided to make a Pot Noodle video, as I wanted to do something that was a British staple.

“The recipe was based on my love for ramen noodles, which in Korea are made with cheese and ham, among other things.

“I edited the video to Dizzee Rascal – and that was the first viral video we ever made.” 

The fact that everyone was stuck indoors at the time inspired plenty of videos.

“You couldn’t get Greggs, Wagamama or Nando’s and the like. So, we decided to imitate those kinds of recipes,” she says.

Vernon credits a lot of Caught Snackin’s success to its authenticity. Its videos – and now also a new self-titled cookbook – are peppered with slang, and have an upbeat, informal tone. Equally important is having “a lot of fun doing it”, Vernon adds.

Snappiness plays a big part in going viral, too. 

As Vernon observes: “Most people get bored after about seven seconds.” 

That’s not to say there’s a set formula for creating something that ends up being a hit. 

“Sometimes, I’ll really like a video, and it doesn’t do well. While others, which I think are standard, will do amazingly.

“The other day, we did a tiger bread pizza loaf. It’s a simple recipe, but it popped off. I was shocked because we’ve seen so many pizza and garlic bread videos all over the internet. I think it’s because people want something that’s delicious and easy to make.” 

One thing that does tend to perform well for Caught Snackin’ is a good old hack video. There are plenty of these in the book, such as making sushi in an ice cube tray, or having your katsu sauce with fish fingers from the freezer.

Vernon’s favourite hack is all about going back to basics. 

“When we were testing recipes, we did one where we microwaved eggs,” she remembers. “It’s like eggs royale, and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out. 

"You put everything in a ramekin, and pop it in the microwave, then you make a hollandaise sauce to go with it.” 

If you wanted to up your game with your own foodie videos on social media, you don’t have to spend loads of money on fancy kit. Caught Snackin’ films all its videos on an iPhone, and while Vernon recommends getting a light, her favourite approach is filming in natural light.

“When it comes to food, it’s about making the most delicious things possible. If in the first seven seconds of a video, someone sees something that looks delicious, they’re more likely to keep watching,” she says.

In recent years, popular food accounts on social media have started to move away from overly styled, perfect shots. 

“I think people got bored of it, because their food doesn’t look like that,” Vernon says.

In Caught Snackin’s book, the recipes are all about making things as accessible as possible – particularly for people who don’t know how to cook.

“Our recipes include all the basic steps, because we want people to learn the foundations, before becoming creative in the kitchen.” 

Croque Madame Croissant

Recipe Snackin' By:caught

Notch This Love A Using You Madame If Classic Croque Version The Up Things Sandwich, Croissants Take Will

Servings

4

Time Preparation

 10 mins

Time Cooking

 15 mins

Time Total

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 French

ingredients

• Croissants 4

• Honey Of Thick Roast Slices 4 Ham

• Cheese Grated Cheddar 100g

• 6 Eggs

• 20ml Double Cream

• Milk Whole 100ml

• Salt ¼tsp

• ¼tsp Black Pepper Cracked

• Of Knob Salted Butter

method

1. 180°c/gas Oven Preheat 4 The 1 Mark To

2. Tray And Fill The Ham Half With Slice And Lip Croissants Shallow Arrange The In The Filled Cheese 2 A With On A Half Baking The Croissants

3. Cream, A The Sized Salt Then Whole Bowl, The 3 Eggs Remaining Lightly Stir And Medium In Of Beat And Cheddar Milk, Two Pepper Double In

4. Bake 12 Until Minutes, Bubbling The For Egg The And Is Pour 4 And The Mixture Over Cheese Melted Croissants

5. 5 Remaining And A Medium The In Eggs A Four Fry The Butter Frying Over Pan High Large Melt Meanwhile, Heat

6. The Each Topped Portion Serve Remove With The Croissant 6 Fried Oven From Bake Away, With Crispy Straight Egg And A

Rustic Ravioli Lasagne

By:caught Snackin' Recipe

Of But Ingenious – Can A A Make Hack Lasagne Work Bit The Up Be To This Faff Takes Of All Ravioli It, By Out Layering

Servings

4

Time Preparation

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Time Total

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

ingredients

• Tomato Sauce Pizza 450ml

• Mushroom Squash Butternut Fresh As (such Vegetarian Ravioli 500g Filling) Or

• Slices 18 Cheese Mozzarella

• Of Drizzle Olive Oil

• Pepper Salt And

method

1. The Mark Preheat Oven To 5 190°c/gas

2. In With Season The A One And Third Top Across Oven And Layer Layering Pour The Ravioli, Repeat The One Large Six Mozzarella Arrange Dish Across This A Slices More The Sauce Salt Third Of And Of With Of Base Of Top Pepper Tomato Twice Single

3. Then And Drizzle Bubbling, Olive 25 Until Serve For Golden Bake Minutes, And With Oil

Giant pan cookie recipe

By:caught Recipe Snackin'

Cream Up You Bother Or This Cookies, Of Version? With Perfect One Scoop Is Lots Of Can Why Cream Individual A Whip Dollop Making Ice When Giant Of

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 27 mins

Course

 Dessert

Cuisine

 Irish

ingredients

• 120g unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

• Brown 50g Sugar Light

• 50g Sugar Caster

• Egg, 1 Yolk 1 Egg Plus

• Extract 1tsp Vanilla

• Flour 160g Plain

• Of Bicarbonate Soda ½tsp

• Salt Of Generous Pinch

• Roughly Chopped Or Milk Dark 100g Chocolate,

• To (optional) Cream, Serve Vanilla Ice

method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

2. Smooth, The Large Sugars Both Until Paste Thick Smooth And Add Have Vanilla, Mix You Egg Until The Egg, Yolk Butter And In Bowl, Bine A And A

3. In Thick, A Mix Of More Salt, And Have Dough The Soda Should Sticky Sift Flour, Bicarbonate And Once You

4. Chocolate Form The Through And Chopped Dough A The Ball Into Fold Large

5. Or An Out The Cookie It Add To Base And With Dough Pan Ovenproof Hands Flatten Of Skillet Press The Frying And Your Pan Dough Butter The Fill The

6. Until Minutes Centre, Golden, Soft Melting The Bake And With For Cookie But Transfer Gooey Pieces 12 Chocolate The Is To In Still And Oven The

7. Cream To Of The Spoon Straight Ultimate Spoons In Centre Into The Bowls Serve Large In Using) The Pan Cream Melting The Alternatively, For Present And Dive With Ice Scoops The In Cookie With Cookie (if Sharer! Ice Four

• Caught Snackin’: 100 Recipes. Simple. Fast. Flavoursome. is published by Hamlyn, €30 from Blackwells. Photography by Louise Hagger. Available now.