Established one year ago in March of 2024, Friday Food Review is a series of short videos posted on TikTok and Instagram made by sophomores Braden Shuster, Farris Suyyagh, and Levi Razar. Levi explains who they are best: “We’re just three guys who really enjoy food. We go to local restaurants, we give them a rating out of five, and we try to be consistent every Friday.” On Friday, March 7th, they visited North Italia, inviting EEN to tag along as they filmed their weekly video.
The trio arrived 20 minutes past the reservation. Usually, they do not even get around to making one because, as Braden says, “Every Friday after picking up Levi and Farris, we sit in the car for about 20 to 30 minutes arguing about where to go.” However, even their tardiness could not stop them from filming an enticing intro for their reel. Outside of the restaurant, Farris filmed a few takes of Braden leaning on Levi’s shoulder while saying, “Welcome back to Friday Food Review” – their signature tagline.
When it comes to ordering, the three of them agree that Braden goes for a more bland option, while the other two are more adventurous. After careful consideration of the menu at North Italia, Braden opted for the Margherita Pizza, Farris ordered the Strozzapreti pasta with roasted chicken and parmesan cream, and Levi chose the Spicy Meatball Pizza.
When asked who is the harshest critic, Farris argued, “Probably Levi. He kind of has a lot to say and he doesn’t stop talking.” Not everyone in the group reached this conclusion, with there seeming to be some controversy surrounding Farris’ comment.
Once the food arrived, they worked together to compile clips, featuring shots of food and first bite reactions, that they would later edit to create the final product. Finally, they settled on an overall rating of 4.5/5, with more emphasis on the food as opposed to the service or ambiance of the restaurant.
Braden tells EEN, “It started when Levi and I were playing basketball in my driveway, and then all of a sudden we had this idea to start reviewing food.” Although it began as and continues to be a casual series, Friday Food Review hopes to grow its platform on social media to not only reach a wider audience and build a community but also to eventually profit from their videos. With consistency and authenticity, it is clear that FFR has a bright future.
