Henry Monkhouse Builds an Ottawa Food Following
Ottawa food content creator Henry Monkhouse began consistently posting on Instagram and TikTok in 2025, quickly amassing hundreds of thousands of views with his “tier list” style videos ranking local eateries, [cbc.ca] reported. Monkhouse grew up with an emphasis on going out to eat and spent his teen years washing dishes at a pub in Perth, Ontario. While he values helping people discover great spots and building a community of food- and beer-driven individuals, his online rise brought intense scrutiny. He faced criticism over his food rankings and personal attacks regarding his accent, which stems from being born in Ottawa to British parents.
Restaurant Owners Face Online Criticism and Pressure to Market
The negative online response prompted Monkhouse to investigate how local restaurateurs handle hurtful comments on social media. Through a video collaboration with CBC Ottawa’s Creator Network, he discovered that many owners feel frustrated by the constant demand to generate content, which pulls them away from their kitchens and exposes them to abuse. “The biggest thing I kept hearing was, ‘I didn’t start a restaurant to have to deal with this. I didn’t want to be a marketing person,'” Monkhouse said.
Nitin Mehra, whose family started East India Company Restaurants in 2002, noted that the industry shifted significantly over the past two decades. “Now, if you are not posting to social media you are actively leaving money on the table,” Mehra said in an interview for Monkhouse’s documentary. Mehra reported receiving a range of online feedback, from genuine customer support to vicious personal attacks over race and gender, including comments telling him to “go back to India.” Despite the hostility, Mehra continues to share behind-the-scenes content of the restaurant’s tandoori oven and buffet.
Pho By Night Responds to Detractors With Humor
Khoa Nguyen manages Pho By Night in Ottawa’s ByWard Market, where the restaurant frequently receives negative feedback regarding pricing or accusations of serving inauthentic food in response to clips featuring dishes like pho and banh mi. Rather than reacting defensively, Nguyen uses lighthearted skits to poke fun at detractors. “When you release something, you know, you can’t expect that everyone’s going to like it,” Nguyen said. “We just like to keep it lighthearted…. This is our family story and we’re just going to have fun no matter what.”
Community Festivals Grow Out of Social Media Reach
Despite persistent online negativity, Monkhouse remains optimistic about digital platforms. His social media presence connected him with local restaurateurs, leading to collaborative events. Monkhouse, Mehra, and other local operators hosted the Best Fest 613 food and drink festival in May, followed by an Oktoberfest event in the fall. Monkhouse stated that these gatherings were made possible entirely by his online following. “[Social media] has taken me to so many different places,” he said. “The positive reaction has outweighed any of these negative comments that I might get.”
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