Life Stories: ‘Dad Bod’ influencer names Chattanooga’s best burgers, pizza, barbecue
Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker poses for a portrait in his truck. Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker poses for a portrait in his truck.
Gone are the days when Cameron Parker, 38, was a competitive — some might say, compulsive — bodybuilder.
These days, Parker has traded shredded abs for shredded cheese. The Ooltewah husband and father of two is a fencing company project manager by day and a food influencer by nosh.
“If you had told me six months ago I would be doing this interview, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Parker said upon entering the Chattanooga Times Free Press newsroom recently.
Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker records himself talking in his truck.Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker adjusts his phone in his truck.Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker records B-roll of his meal in his truck.Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker holds a piece of a quesadilla up to his phone in his truck.Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker talks about a chicken tikka masala quesadilla while filming a food review in his truck.Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker takes a bite of a chicken tikka masala quesadilla in his truck.Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker talks about a mahi-mahi taco and a Peach Country taco while filming a food review in his truck.Staff photo by Larry Sullivan II / Cameron Parker talks about a taco while filming a food review in his truck.
With almost 110,000 followers across TikTok (@dadbodcooking), YouTube, Facebook and Instagram (@dadbod.cooking), Parker is one of the top social media personalities in Chattanooga. He can’t go out in public without attracting fans, who often ask for photos. Even at the newspaper, an editor recognized Parker and ducked into the interview for a handshake.
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