Max Miller, in a very short time, has becoming a massive success in the world of LGBTQ YouTubers thanks to his hit show Tasting History. He’s also really easy on the eye, fellas.
Tasting History is a delicious blend of culinary skills and historical perspective in the vein of Alton Brown’s Good Eats and is also inspired by The Great British Bake Off. The channel has garnered over 330K subscribers and counting, with the most popular of his videos topping over 1M views.
I was quite impressed with Max for many reasons after discovering Tasting History, one being the delicious and interesting food he makes.
As a card-carrying bear I have no problem tuning into something culinary related for inspiration and what he’s able to do with recipes from hundreds of years ago and bring them into the modern world is nothing short of extraordinary.
Max chatted with me about how this all began and also touched on becoming an overnight success as well as his hopeful plans to turn Tasting History into something even bigger.
How did the concept of Tasting History begin?
The concept began while I was watching old episodes of The Great British Bake Off. The hosts, Mel and Sue, would discuss the history of whatever the contestants were baking in a cheeky, often pun-riddled manner. They don’t have these segments anymore and I really miss them, so I decided to create new ones myself. Originally, that meant bringing historic baked goods in to work and educating my coworkers on the recipe’s history; I promise, it wasn’t as obnoxious as that sounds. Then, last Christmas, one of those coworkers suggested I turn my hobby into a YouTube channel and that was the start of Tasting History.
Everything you make looks absolutely scrumptious. Do you have a favorite recipe you’ve created thus far and why is it that special?
I have to go with Everlasting Syllabub. It’s essentially a boozy, floral scented whipped cream. It stands out from a lot of the other recipes I cover because, while it’s centuries old, it’s something I’d love to see on a restaurant menu today. There are endless possibilities for variation depending on the flavors and the liqueur you use, and it can be eaten by itself or dolloped on a cake or pie. It’s just divine.
At what point did you know that your channel was a hit?
It sort of happened all at once. One Sunday morning in June, about 3 months after the start of the channel, my fiance and I noticed my subscriber count ticked up from 6K to nearly 10K in one day. The video I’d posted a few days before, where I discussed the history of Garum from Ancient Rome, was really taking off. Then, the almighty YouTube algorithm worked it’s magic, and in a matter of days, I had over 100K subscribers and the video had a half million views. I remember sitting with him on Friday night as we watched the subscriber count click over to 100K, a number I never expected to see. I’d say it was that moment I knew I really had hit on something.
Do you plan on parlaying this into other channels like an actual television show, book or more?
I would love to. I think, when it comes to a book, it’s just a matter of me sitting down and finding the time to get something on paper. I also have ideas for other channels that would focus on the history of other things. Music for instance. Or one where I travel to different places in the world to talk about their culinary history. But for now, one channel is all I have time for. As for an actual television show, sign me up! But I think it’s a bit more out of my control, though if Netflix or the Food Network is reading this, give me a call.
We’ve seen a huge rise in LGBTQ YouTube creators over the years. What’s it like to be part of it and represent our community so well?
It’s surreal to think I am representing the community at all, but I’m glad you think I’m doing it well. Honestly, I would have loved to see someone like me on TV or on YouTube when I was a kid (although YouTube didn’t exist then). Back then, if an actor or personality was openly gay, that often became the focus of whatever they were putting out. But now, while I am out and occasionally mention my fiancé in episodes, the channel’s content is not inherently LGBTQ-centric. It speaks to the progress our community has seen in recent years.
Are you dating anyone? If so, are they super impressed by your recipe skills?
My fiance, Jose, and I have been together for nearly 7 years. He’s often impressed by my baking skills, though usually shies away from most of the historical cooking. He prefers a modern cheesecake or oatmeal cookies any day of the week.
What else can you tell our audience on what’s to come for Max Miller?
While weekly videos will still be my main focus, I’m more active on Twitter and Instagram lately. I’ve been sharing something I call “Facts by Max”, where I share shorter bits of history that aren’t necessarily food related. Other than that, I feel like every day there are new opportunities popping up that I didn’t expect, so I’m curious to see what’s next for me too.
Learn more about Max and Tasting History by following him on his platforms here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TastingHistory/about
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tastinghistorywithmaxmiller/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TastingHistory1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tastinghistorywithmaxmiller/