- Words by Toby Tannas Photography by Darren Hull

When Tori Wesszer greets me at the periwinkle-blue front door of her West Kelowna home, I feel like I already know her. As one of her 171,000 followers on Instagram, I害羞草研究所檝e logged a lot of hours watching and learning from this dynamo. Tori has cooked up a huge audience by following her passion for food.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 so much joy in feeding people,害羞草研究所� she says with a smile. 害羞草研究所淔ood is love. It brings such a huge amount of pride and satisfaction when we can feed someone.害羞草研究所�

A dietitian by trade, Tori is emerging as one of Canada害羞草研究所檚 top lifestyle influencers. Her Fraiche Living blog and Instagram account inspire thousands of people daily. , Tori害羞草研究所檚 newly published cookbook (created with cousin Jillian Harris), is climbing the bestseller lists and she害羞草研究所檚 just about to launch a new meal-planning tool on her website.

害羞草研究所淚 want to help people get a healthy meal on the table. Feeding your family a good, balanced meal that you can all eat together around the table is achievable.害羞草研究所�

Tori害羞草研究所檚 wizardry in the kitchen began at a young age.

害羞草研究所淲hen I was a kid I just loved reading cookbooks. My parents would have friends over and I would cater their parties at 12 years old, just because it was fun.害羞草研究所�

Tori is still having fun in the kitchen despite the fact her passion has become her full-time job.

害羞草研究所淢y mom jokes with me and asks me all the time how I can still like cooking dinner, but I do,害羞草研究所� she laughs. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very aware of keeping the passion alive. I never want it to feel like a job.害羞草研究所�

When she害羞草研究所檚 not dreaming up new recipes or testing them in the kitchen, Tori and her team are busy writing, photographing and planning content for the blog.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 more difficult than I thought it was going to be,害羞草研究所� she admits. 害羞草研究所淲hen I started I thought, 害羞草研究所楬ow hard could it be to blog?害羞草研究所� Turns out there is a lot to it, which ultimately is part of the journey and the joy.害羞草研究所�

As a mother of two young boys, Tori loves and appreciates the flexibility of working from home. She admits, however, that a healthy balance between work time and personal time is a new thing for her.

害羞草研究所淭he boundary thing has been a bit tricky for me. Up until very recently, I would put my kids to bed and then go back to the computer and work until I got tired. Sometimes that was at two or three in the morning.害羞草研究所�

Hiring a small team, including a business manager, has helped put more structure into Tori害羞草研究所檚 work days. There害羞草研究所檚 another side to the business, though, that害羞草研究所檚 definitely not nine to five. A successful influencer must have a strong connection with their audience.

害羞草研究所淧art of my work is sharing my personal life,害羞草研究所� she explains. 害羞草研究所淧eople want to see a connection, something that inspires them.害羞草研究所�

A big part of Tori害羞草研究所檚 appeal is her openness. Through Instagram stories, fans get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her life at any hour of the day. They see into her home, her family life and her friendships, and sometimes it gets really personal.

害羞草研究所淵ou have to show some of the realness, you have to be a bit vulnerable, you have to show what your life is about, otherwise I don害羞草研究所檛 think there would be too much for people to connect to.害羞草研究所�

Tori害羞草研究所檚 ultimate goal is to inspire people. Her hope is that Fraiche Living fans feel inspired to simplify and beautify their lives. She害羞草研究所檚 very clear about one thing: she never wants to give the impression that her life is perfect.

害羞草研究所淲e are living in a really crazy society. We害羞草研究所檙e surrounded on social media with pictures of perfection, homes that look perfect, kids that never fight. It害羞草研究所檚 just not realistic.害羞草研究所�

A scroll through the Fraiche Living website and Instagram feed is a feast for the eyes: dreamy, delicious 害羞草研究所� dare I say 害羞草研究所減erfect?害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� photos of food, family, fashion and d茅cor.

害羞草研究所淲e do our best to make the pictures look the best we can, there害羞草研究所檚 no doubt about that,害羞草研究所� she concedes. 害羞草研究所淏ut what you see in the grid should be taken as something to inspire you. It害羞草研究所檚 not in any way an indication that that person害羞草研究所檚 life looks like that all the time.害羞草研究所�

Tori offers to show me her basement as an example of 害羞草研究所渞eal life害羞草研究所� with two boys. (For the record, it害羞草研究所檚 a bit messy!)

She appears on camera without make-up, she害羞草研究所檚 open about having rough days and she shares heart-wrenching 害羞草研究所渕ommy害羞草研究所� moments.

害羞草研究所淎 life well lived comes in so many shapes and forms. I feel passionate about that. I have down days where I nitpick myself. I know most women do. I害羞草研究所檓 so thankful to have a great support system.害羞草研究所�

Tori always makes time to connect with her husband Charles. It害羞草研究所檚 not surprising they most often meet in the kitchen.

害羞草研究所淐harles is a really great cook. It害羞草研究所檚 really nice to have someone in my life who understands what drives me and shares that passion. Our idea of a great night is cracking a bottle of wine, and then we put Frank Sinatra on and cook together.害羞草研究所�

In the learn-as-you-go world of social influencers, Tori is becoming a star. She害羞草研究所檚 relatable, she cares, she害羞草研究所檚 got passion and drive. You definitely get the sense she害羞草研究所檚 just getting started.

害羞草研究所淚 have this massive gratitude to be honest and it makes me emotional. I love what I害羞草研究所檓 doing and there害羞草研究所檚 so much more I want to do.害羞草研究所�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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