- 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含羞草研究社檝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.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 so much joy in feeding people,含羞草研究社� she says with a smile. 含羞草研究社淔ood is love. It brings such a huge amount of pride and satisfaction when we can feed someone.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚 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.含羞草研究社�

Tori含羞草研究社檚 wizardry in the kitchen began at a young age.

含羞草研究社淲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.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淢y mom jokes with me and asks me all the time how I can still like cooking dinner, but I do,含羞草研究社� she laughs. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 very aware of keeping the passion alive. I never want it to feel like a job.含羞草研究社�

When she含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 more difficult than I thought it was going to be,含羞草研究社� she admits. 含羞草研究社淲hen I started I thought, 含羞草研究社楬ow hard could it be to blog?含羞草研究社� Turns out there is a lot to it, which ultimately is part of the journey and the joy.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淭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.含羞草研究社�

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

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

A big part of Tori含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淵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含羞草研究社檛 think there would be too much for people to connect to.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淲e are living in a really crazy society. We含羞草研究社檙e surrounded on social media with pictures of perfection, homes that look perfect, kids that never fight. It含羞草研究社檚 just not realistic.含羞草研究社�

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

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

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

She appears on camera without make-up, she含羞草研究社檚 open about having rough days and she shares heart-wrenching 含羞草研究社渕ommy含羞草研究社� moments.

含羞草研究社淎 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含羞草研究社檓 so thankful to have a great support system.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淐harles is a really great cook. It含羞草研究社檚 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.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚 have this massive gratitude to be honest and it makes me emotional. I love what I含羞草研究社檓 doing and there含羞草研究社檚 so much more I want to do.含羞草研究社�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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