Self-proclaimed foodie Daniel Perumal has turned his passion into a popular online video series under the brand Food Bru’s Investigation (FBI).
Perumal travels around East London trying out different restaurants and outlets, and posting his videos on Facebook, Tik Tok, and Instagram.
His FBI Facebook page has more than one million reaches, and multiple videos on Tik Tok have surpassed 10k views.
“I started FBI as a way to give different food places a platform to showcase their food,” said Perumal.
“This is a God-given vision that has motivated me to help as many businesses as I can because when Covid hit, the restaurant industry was hit the hardest.
“So now that we are trying to pick up the pieces again, this is my way of helping,” said Perumal.
The production process of his FBI videos is truly a family affair.
Perumal’s wife handles the social media accounts, his son is the videographer, his eldest daughter mixes the sound, and his youngest daughter tastes the food with him sometimes.
Perumal visits two to three food spots a week and insists on paying for his meal each time.
“It does get quite costly sometimes but I believe this is the best way for me to give back to these businesses and do my bit to help them get more business and more customers,” he said.
Perumal has a marketing background and often uses his knowledge to help businesses.
“We do some marketing because the reality is that some of these business owners, unfortunately, do not have the proper skills to market themselves effectively.
“If I happen to not like the food, then I won’t publish the video.
“I will also sit down with the owners and help them figure out how to improve,” said Pillay.
He said the standards that a restaurant needed to meet included affordability, taste, and customer service.
Perumal, who is originally from Kwa-Zulu Natal, is currently on a mission to travel across the country in search of the best dining experiences.
He has found many spots worth checking out in East London and Gqeberha.
The views his FBI videos have garnered show how much people appreciate his efforts.
“This is not my idea, it is an idea given to me by God.
“I would love to see more people make these types of videos too. My advice would be to invest in a good videographer; because you need to make sure your videos are appealing and capture the viewer’s interest.
“Secondly, make sure that you have thick skin.
“Social media can be a tough space, so you need to make sure you are strong enough to handle it,” said Perumal.
