Amanda Freitag Is Begging TikTok For A Blue Check

Celebrity chef Amanda Freitag is one of the greatest gifts to the world of food entertainment. As a judge on the cooking competition series, "Chopped," she's won over many viewers with her affable personality and helpful advice. Not only do fans enjoy Freitag on the Food Network, but her Instagram has generated a nice audience as well with 343,000 followers.  

Whether it's through her EasyAF series that offers tips like the secret to great profiteroles, sharing her go-to spots for a good meal, or putting some personal pics on display, Freitag's social media is certainly on point. And when she announced she was going to start making content on TikTok again, fans were ecstatic.

Following the chef on TikTok, you may notice something unusual — she doesn't have a verified check. The little blue symbol is like a badge of honor, and is typical of other Food Network accounts, as well as celebrities, influencers, and musicians. Freitag is well aware of this, responding to a fan who tweeted excitedly about seeing the chef on the popular platform with "Hoping we can get the page verified soon so people know it's me! ChefAmandaF on TikTok for those who are interested!" 

Considering fellow "Chopped" judges, Aaron Sanchez and Alex Guarnaschelli, have the verified certification on their TikTok pages, it makes one wonder why Freitag isn't blue-checked, too. What gives?

A closer look at the TikTok verification criteria has a nit-picky requirement that might be keeping Amanda Freitag from acquiring that coveted blue check. According to the launch team, one must demonstrate they've experienced rapid follower growth or have posted a video that has gone viral (via Boosted). Another way an account can earn verification is by having high engagement levels such as a high number of views, likes, or comments.  

Freitag's TikTok page currently has 416 followers with 265 likes across four videos, despite being active since 2020, so it's possible the app assumes she is an impersonator and not the actual chef. Freitag sharing her TikTok username with 257,000 fans on her verified Twitter account is a good move, legitimizing that the TikTok account is really hers. Now all she has to do is start pumping out the content.

Verified or not, we look forward to watching and learning from the TikTok videos the "Chopped" judge creates.