Diana Brandt is a “Professional Food Eater” and founder of Arizona Foodie, a local resource for the best food in town. Diana lives, eats (literally) and breaths the Arizona food scene, sharing her foodie finds with her hungry following. Learn more about Diana…
Hometown: San Diego
First job: I worked mainly in the stock room at The GAP during the holiday season.
Favorite AZ restaurant: Picking favorites is too limiting, especially with all the restaurants we have around town and all the new ones popping up left and right! I let my stomach decide where it wants to go eat on any given day.
Person who has impacted your life the most: Jim Red, my husband. When we met when I was only 19, I was a mess, but so was he. We were perfect for each other but he had more wisdom to offer me than I had to offer him. That’s when his impact on my life began. Through our trials and tribulations, we have been able to grow together, instead of apart. I was once a fearful, insecure and wreck of a girl that wanted nothing to do with marriage or with ever having a family. Through our time together, he’s helped me to clean up my act, work on my demons and become a better person. A person that could find joy in spending my life with someone forever and making a family with them. One of the greatest things about Jim is he has always been my biggest support, my loudest cheerleader and my best friend. He gives me advice, he helps keep me focused and has pushed me to succeed. When I want to quit, he tells exactly what I need to hear. He is the most patient human being I have ever met and when it comes to helping others and putting his family first, he never complains. I could only wish to be as kind and forgiving as him.
Your biggest accomplishment in your eyes: Having kids and building a family.
The biggest obstacle you have overcome: Myself
Someone who inspires you: I found out a few years ago that you should surround yourself with people that inspire you, that you strive to be more like, that have qualities that you aspire to. Birds of feather flock together. There are so many people that I know from the Chefs, to people in PR or family and friends that inspire me daily through their passion and commitment and through their hearts. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down with someone and listened to them talk about why they do what they’re doing and I’m inspired. We have such a beautiful group of creatives in our town and I damn lucky to get to know so many of them!
Favorite quote: “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Be consistent in whatever you plan to do. If you want to blog, write consistently. If you’re doing food pictures on social media, post consistently. Go out to restaurants and start conversations with the workers or go chat with the Chefs, they love sharing their ideas with their guests and hearing from you. This is one of the best ways to become immersed in our food community. Be genuine, be supportive and have fun, because food is fun and so are the people in the food scene!
What makes someone fabulous: Being confident in yourself, being humble, compassionate and understanding of others.
