fooodlove: A blend of Taste and Technology

Project Snapshot

• Client: fooodlove (independent food blog)
• Platform: ExpressionEngine, Bootstrap
• Role: Product Designer & Developer
• Focus Areas: Responsive Design, Custom Development, Video Workflows, UX Strategy
• Highlights: Mobile-first Rebuild, Automated Google Web Stories, Figma Component System

Problem & Context

Fooodlove is a vibrant Mediterranean food blog with a global audience, beloved for its easy-to-follow recipes and short-form cooking videos. Despite its growing popularity on social platforms, the original site—built on a basic WordPress theme—struggled to support new features and provide a mobile-friendly experience. The blog needed a full transformation: modern infrastructure, flexible content capabilities, and a UX that matched its visual personality.

My challenge was to redesign and rebuild the site from the ground up, turning it into a responsive, content-rich experience that felt like a native app when accessed from mobile devices—where over 70% of the traffic came from.

My Role

I led the project as a Product Designer while also taking on full development responsibilities. I collaborated closely with the blog owner, a copywriter, and a marketing strategist to align the design and functionality with the brand’s tone and growth goals.

From the initial research to final implementation, I wore multiple hats: defining the structure, designing reusable components in Figma, developing the site using ExpressionEngine, and even producing video content and food photography. My goal was to deliver a polished, scalable platform that honored fooodlove’s charm while expanding its potential.

Process & Approach

Research & Planning

I began by diving into dozens of food blogs and recipe communities, evaluating which features actually served audiences and which felt redundant. I mapped these findings against the client's wishlist to shape a roadmap rooted in user needs rather than assumptions.

Platform & Flexibility

ExpressionEngine was chosen over WordPress to give us more flexibility in managing complex content types and building custom features. This allowed us to develop bespoke interactions and workflows tailored to both the team’s content creation process and the user experience.

Design System

Before jumping into visuals, I created a comprehensive style guide in Figma—defining the visual language through reusable typography, color, and UI components. This system helped us stay consistent and efficient throughout development.

Mobile-First Design

Given the mobile-heavy audience, I treated small screens as the primary platform. The result is a fully responsive experience that behaves and feels like a native app on mobile devices—fluid, focused, and frictionless.

Custom Development

Beyond the interface, I built a powerful automation that generates Google Web Stories from recipe content—something most blogs still do manually. This feature amplified discoverability while saving countless hours of production time.

Content Production

To further elevate fooodlove’s brand, I created repeatable workflows for photography and video. Using Figma templates and Final Cut Pro, I helped the team produce consistent, high-quality recipe videos that fit seamlessly with the site’s visual style.

Outcome & Impact

• The new fooodlove.com delivers a fast, responsive experience that feels native on mobile
• Organic traffic increased, and engagement across social platforms surged
• The Google Web Stories automation enhanced content reach with minimal effort
• The new design provided a solid foundation for future features and marketing initiatives
• The blog expanded into YouTube, adding a new layer to its audience strategy

While the website has come a long way, the journey isn’t over. With a roadmap full of exciting features, fooodlove continues to evolve, and I’m thrilled to be part of its growth. Here’s to more delicious challenges ahead!

fooodlove.com

Tasty food blog featuring easy Greek and Mediterranean-inspired recipes.

fooodlove