Rina’s YouTube channel, “Batam Bites,” showcased her creativity: fusion dishes like lemongrass-infused biryani and pandan-flavored avocado toast. Yet, despite her talent, views were stagnant. Her followers praised her skills, but they wanted more . One rainy afternoon, while scrolling through a cooking forum, Rina stumbled on a curious tip: “Use storytelling to humanize your brand.”
In the coastal city of Batam, where the sea breeze meets the hum of entrepreneurial energy, 23-year-old Rina Hartanto was busy planning her next big idea. A recent graduate in Culinary Management, Rina had a passion for combining traditional Indonesian recipes with a modern twist. Her small apartment in Nongsa Beach, with its view of the turquoise straits leading to Singapore, had become her studio and kitchen. But her biggest challenge wasn’t the heat of her stove—it was how to stand out in the crowded world of online content creation.
The next morning, Rina hopped on a bike rental and cycled into the heart of Batam’s fishing village. There, she met Pak Joko, a fisherman who taught her how to handle live eels. “Treat them like your ingredients—respect them,” he said, demonstrating a filleting technique passed down for generations. Rina laughed as she fumbled, eventually mastering the skill and even sneaking a bite of the sambal belut he served. It was spicier than she’d expected—and the fire in her taste buds became the spark for her next video.
Back in her apartment, Rina edited her footage, narrating her journey from cluelessness to confidence. She uploaded the video to YouTube with a call-to-action: “Watch the full recipe tutorial on my RapidShare link below!” Intrigued viewers clicked the link, where she hosted an exclusive digital cookbook featuring her fusion recipes (the eel made an appearance in her “Sambal Eel Pasta” video). The strategy worked. Within days, her subscribers doubled.
