Meet Tiana Chung | Creator of WongaGyal, Copywriter & Digital Marketer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiana Chung and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiana, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Growing up I was the typical “smart child” in just about every classroom I step foot in. In Jamaica, that meant you were destined to be one of three things: a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer. I think from the moment I was born, my mother envisioned me as some kind of doctor – saving lives and pursuing a life of science. Combine a mother’s dream with an education system that believes in streamlining, and you end up with a child who was convinced that science was the only future available. But even then, I subconsciously knew that there was more.

By the age of 13, I had already won several art competitions and was about to sign a contract to begin a semi-professional dance career. Most of my teenage memories actually take place in a dance studio, on a stage or on some set. By the time I was applying to college, I knew that even though I didn’t want to pursue a lifelong career in dance, I had to be in an environment that valued the arts.

During my four years at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, I danced anywhere between 10-20 hours per week, hosted a radio show on the school’s independent station and took part in other creative endeavours while pursuing a Mathematics degree. It was the perfect blend of art and science (though one could say that art began to move more centerstage). By Junior Year, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Trinidad & Tobago, and Cuba. While there, I had amassed a ridiculous amount of photos of all the food that I was indulging in on my smartphone. I decided to use these photos as a vehicle to share my study abroad adventures with friends and family on social media, and thus @wongagyal was born.

Once college was over and I was now faced with the reality of pursuing a career, I realized that Mathematics was not where my strengths lay. I somehow fell down the rabbit hole of copywriting and digital marketing, which allowed me to grow alongside my WongaGyal social brand. I quickly noticed that taking photos of, writing about and talking about food was cathartic. Most importantly, I fell in love with sharing food, both in the physical and virtual sense.

Now fully immersed in a creative career, I get excited at the opportunity to partner with food brands and create drool-worthy content. Since graduating from college, I’ve been able to create a digital community of food lovers who get a kick out of discussing the layered stories that food can tell through photographs, videos and even soundbites via WongaGyal: The Podcast.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
WongaGyal is a food content brand that is dedicated to exploring the intricacies of food through a visual, social and historical lens, particularly in the Caribbean context. WongaGyal offers promotional and content creation services, alongside food photography, recipe development and social media management. I am also experienced in copywriting and email marketing for both food and non-food industries.

I am most proud of the fact that I created this path for myself, and am just incredibly excited to see the potential of the brand and my capabilities grow. Since starting in 2019, I have landed partnerships with international brands like Grace Foods, Brunswick Sardines, Old El Paso, Betty Crocker, Samsung Caribbean and Yello. The social media platform has also landed me in front of local business owners, some of whom I have since created long term relationships with in assisting with social media management and content creation exclusively for their business.

Along the way, I have learnt that the answers you’re looking for may not always be immediately in front of you, but they will come eventually as long as you keep moving forward. I never thought that I would be able to create a brand and reputation for myself by myself, without ever working in a corporate setting first. I have been able to gain trust and create relationships with industry leaders by simply allowing the quality of my work to speak for itself, and to have the opportunity and privilege to be able to do that is something that I am incredibly grateful for. There is still so much growth left for me to see for both myself and my brand, and I am so excited to see it through.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The good thing about Jamaica is that nothing is ever THAT far, and so given a week long trip, I would definitely plan an islandwide adventure. Some of my favourite spots to eat in Kingston are Broken Plate for Curry Goat Pasta, Usain Bolt’s Tracks & Records for Jerk Chicken Spring Rolls, Devon House for ice cream and Pan Chicken from Shorty on Red Hills Road. We would definitely head to Hellshire for a beach day filled with Fried Fish, Festival and Bammy. We’d spend a day on the east coast in Portland and stop at the rumoured birth place of jerk – Boston Jerk. We’d also have to make a trip to St. Elizabeth to visit Jack Sprat for Lobster Pizza for lunch, then to the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Tour, and a quick detour to Middle Quarters for Pepper ‘Swims” (Shrimp) and Fresh Coconut Water.

And of course, we can’t forget a stop at Sugar & Spice for some hot Tastee patties, and end the trip with a Meal Deal BBQ Combo from the best KFC in the world.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shout out my WongaTribe – the inner circle of people who have supported me closely throughout the journey. My sister, Briana, who was beside me as I made an Instagram account for @wongagyal and continues to act as my Creative Advisor. My partner, Bradley, who has been a hand model, equipment holder, bodyguard and taste tester along this journey. My podcast co-host, Ashley, who breathes life into WongaGyal: The Podcast with me. My close friends, Tonia, Kerri, Juleen, Kariel & Rachel who encouraged me to launch WongaTours and helped me to see just how big WongaGyal could be by believing so deeply in me.

Instagram: instagram.com/@wongagyal

Twitter: twitter.com/@wongagyal

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg7XOjwhHemQGyRu70MEKdQ

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16tCsPJQdcWyqATwds4Vfm?si=4qPmvBVPR5qmNa50uSh__g Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wongagyal-the-podcast/id1525255249