We interviewed Hari Beavis, Brookes student behind Baking With Beavis, with 90k TikTok followers

Baking with Beavis has probably come up on your TikTok for you page and made you stop aimlessly scrolling and watch her make some tasty and easy student meals that won’t break the bank.

With 90.3k followers and 874.9k likes on TikTok, the creator shows you step-by-step recipes and includes where she gets her ingredients from, making it easy to copy her recipes and make some delicious meals, rather than your normal tomato pasta with cheese.

Since finding out that the creator behind Baking with Beavis was Oxford Brookes student Hari Beavis, we had to interview her to find out more about her TikTok success and the calendar she is creating for Breast Cancer awareness.

Tell us about you!

I’m Hari Beavis, I’m 21 and in third year, studying Events Management.

How did you learn to cook?

Cooking is something I have grown up with and I have always had to cook. I wanted to do a ski season and become a chalet host and it was recommended that I do a cooking course to boost my CV. So I did a two-week cooking course with Orchards Cookery. I then cooked for two months before I was promoted. Cooking three course meals twice a day and 10-course meals on special occasions on my own in a 10-man chalet improved my cooking skills.

What made you start Baking with Beavis?

I started Baking with Beavis because friends asked for cakes and I thought I would post what I made and then over lockdown, I had lots of requests to make birthdays a little more special when it was hard to do anything exciting. It was then my mum’s birthday and my sister and I were going to take her for an afternoon tea somewhere special but because of coronavirus, we weren’t able to do that so I made an afternoon tea with everything and invited the neighbours to sit on their front lawns and join us. I then posted this on social media and has loads of messages for afternoon teas and cakes and as I made them, I set up a TikTok account and this just blew up almost immediately.

Has the success of your TikTok led to any opportunities?

The growth of Baking with Beavis has led to brand deals with lots of companies such as Pretty Little Thing. I have other brand deals I am working with that I am not allowed to disclose at this time, but I am receiving gifts from lots of companies which is lovely!

Why did you decide to do a calendar for Breast Cancer Awareness?

Breast Cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK and whilst it’s more likely for older women to get breast cancer, younger women can too and I think it is important for young ladies to learn as early as possible how to check their breasts. It is a bit of fun and I’ve tried to include as many people as I can to make it something that everyone can enjoy! They will make perfect stocking fillers and I’m ensuring that all profits go to the charity!

What will your Breast Cancer Awareness calendar include and look like?

The pictures we have been shooting look amazing but I can’t give too much information about the calendar because I want it to be a surprise but we have around 33 models taking part and they have all been amazing!

What are your plans for the future? Do you plan to take Baking with Beavis and your love for cooking further?

There are so many exciting opportunities coming my way at the moment with Baking with Beavis that I have to wait and see but I think I will try and grow it as a business and see where it takes me. Especially since I am trying to go into events and there are no events happening at the moment.

What is your favourite meal?

My favourite thing to make really depends! But I much rather cooking for friends and family and seeing them enjoy it rather than making a small dish just for me.

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