Popular blogger helps viewers get food on the table

Later, due to the limited expressive potential of words and photos, she started adding videos to her blogs.

In May 2013, she started working full time to make and upload cooking videos on Youku.com, and soon began using the name Amanda Tastes.

In May 2014, the series was launched on YouTube.

With about 120 episodes so far, the series has won the hearts of many food and cooking lovers, as well as video awards, including the 2015 YouTube Silver Button Award.

Her popularity also attracted the attention of TV production companies, including the US food and lifestyle video network Tastemade.

Together with Tastemade and a Japanese TV station, she launched the new series Amanda's Izakaya late last year, focusing on Japanese fare.

With the money earned through video-sharing website ads and investment, she has been able to hire a team to make videos of high quality.

She says she has no regrets making cooking her career, and her science education background helps to some extent.

"I like to read extensively, and I like to think about cooking, such as the chemical and physical changes in the food," she says.

"I love cooking and I'm lucky to have figured out what I really want to do and can make a career out of it."