Kevork Altounjian talks influencer marketing and Eat Local New Jersey on Brand to Table Podcast

At first glance, Eat Local New Jersey might look like a beautifully curated feed of burgers, pasta, and late night eats. Behind the camera, though, is a story that starts long before the first reel was posted.

That story belongs to Kevork Altounjian, the founder of Eat Local New Jersey and the person responsible for turning a simple idea into one of the region’s most trusted local food pages.

We are pleased to share that Kevork Altounjian, founder of Eat Local NJ, was invited as the inaugural guest in the new Influencer Series on the Brand To Table podcast, hosted by Henry Kaminski Jr.

His background has shaped the vision and direction of Eat Local NJ and opened the door for his perspective on influencer marketing to be shared more widely, including a recent and greatly appreciated invitation to speak on the Brand To Table podcast.

From Restaurant Operations to Restaurant Advocacy

Before launching Eat Local NJ, Kevork spent approximately seven to eight years working directly in the restaurant industry in a variety of roles, including:

• Busboy

• Server

• Restaurant manager

  
  

This background gave him first hand insight into:

• The financial pressure many restaurants face

• The reality of slow nights and inconsistent foot traffic

• The gap between strong food and service and limited visibility

  
  

Time and again he observed the same pattern. Many establishments delivered excellent food and hospitality but lacked a clear marketing strategy.

Eat Local NJ was created to help close that gap by:

• Providing high quality visual content

• Showcasing local restaurants to a wider audience

• Establishing a more professional standard for influencer collaborations in the region

  
  

This operational perspective is what Kevork brought into the Brand To Table discussion.

Influencer Marketing as Part of a Broader Strategy

During the podcast, Henry raised a common scenario. An influencer posts about a restaurant, reservations increase for a week and then activity returns to normal.

Kevork’s view is that this does not mean influencer marketing has failed. Rather, it highlights how it is often used in isolation.

Key points from his perspective include:

• Influencer collaborations should be seen as one component of an overall marketing plan, not a stand alone solution.

• A strong post can generate awareness and short term foot traffic, but it is the restaurant’s branding and systems that determine whether guests return.

• The most effective restaurants combine influencer content with:

  • Bounceback offers

  • In house marketing and email or SMS follow up

  • A focus on converting first time visitors into repeat customers

    
    

In other words, influencers introduce the restaurant. It is then the responsibility of the brand, service and experience to build long term loyalty.

Building Long Term Partnerships Rather Than One Off Collaborations

The conversation also addressed how some restaurant owners view influencer marketing as a one time transaction rather than a relationship.

Kevork noted that this can be true on both sides. There are restaurants that engage influencers for a single post, and influencers who accept a collaboration and then disengage.

The approach at Eat Local NJ is relationship driven. When working with a venue, Kevork routinely:

• Meets with ownership or management

• Learns the story behind the business

• Seeks to understand the concept, target audience and brand values

This investment of time:

• Improves the quality and relevance of the content

• Builds trust between creator and operator

• Lays the foundation for ongoing collaboration rather than isolated campaigns

This relationship based mindset was a central theme of his contribution to the podcast.

Addressing the Challenge of Inauthentic Influencers

Kevork also spoke candidly about a growing concern among restaurant owners. The rise of influencers whose metrics and practices do not align with genuine influence.

He highlighted issues such as:

• Artificially inflated follower counts and engagement

• Inconsistent or low quality content despite high fees

• Instances where influencers accept payment and do not deliver

  
  

These experiences often cause owners to become skeptical of influencer marketing as a whole.

His recommendations for restaurant owners included:

• Looking beyond follower count and focusing on content quality, consistency and professionalism

• Reviewing which other businesses a creator has worked with

• Seeking referrals or feedback from peers in the industry

• Treating influencer selection similarly to hiring a service provider or vendor

  
  

By encouraging operators to become more informed, Kevork aims to protect local businesses and raise standards across the ecosystem.

A Practical View of ROI

Return on investment was another key topic in the discussion.

Kevork stressed that there is rarely a precise way to attribute revenue to a single piece of content. Instead, he suggested a more practical approach:

• Evaluate results over a campaign period, not per individual post.

• Monitor patterns such as increased foot traffic, new customers and busier periods following collaborations.

• Use simple tracking mechanisms such as:

  • “How did you hear about us” questions

  • Promo codes or offers tied to a specific creator

  • Reservation notes or booking links where possible

Influencer marketing, in his view, should be integrated into a long term strategy and assessed on its cumulative impact, not on one isolated post.

What This Means for Eat Local NJ and Our Partners

Kevork’s appearance on the Brand To Table podcast is a meaningful milestone for Eat Local NJ. It reinforces our commitment to:

• Supporting local restaurants with thoughtful, high quality content

• Approaching collaborations professionally and strategically

• Advocating for ethical and transparent practices within the influencer space

  
  

For restaurant owners, the episode provides a clear, realistic framework for how to think about influencer marketing:

• As a strategic tool within a broader marketing and branding plan

• As a relationship that should be built and nurtured over time

• As an investment that requires due diligence and clear expectations

We are proud that our founder was invited to contribute to this conversation and we remain committed to helping New Jersey restaurants tell their stories and reach the audiences they deserve. Watch full podcast here