Algonquin dad blowing up on TikTok with series of cooking videos

ALGONQUIN, Ill. - If you think TikTok is just for kids and teens, wait until you see this story.

A northwest suburban dad is blowing up on TikTok and getting millions of views with a series of cooking videos.

Darryl Postelnick's kitchen also doubles as his studio.

The 56-year-old Algonquin husband and father of three is about to make some burgers, and some TikTok magic.

With his iPhone and a basic editing program, Postelnick has made more than 150 videos in the past 18 months — putting them on his ‘Cooking with Darryl’ TikTok page that has gained more than two million followers.

"All right, we’re starting 80/20 ground chuck," Postelnick said, looking into the iPhone lense. "And as I always do, I’m gonna grate in some frozen butter, totally for the flavors."

Most of the videos have been watched millions of times.

A shrimp stirfry video has 38 million impressions.

"It is crazy. I don't care what state I'm in, where I'm at — I was just in Vegas with my wife and another couple. I think almost every day someone will walk up and say, ‘You’re the TikTok guy,'" said Postelnick.

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Postelnick says it all started in 2020 when his daughter, then 12, asked to make a TikTok video with him — which was only seen by a handful of her friends. 

But when he made chili for video number two…

"Second video just completely took off. She was texting me every 20 minutes. 'It's at 20,000, it's at 50,000. You're famous!'" said Postelnick.

After spending his career with Disney and Microsoft, Darryl now does marketing for another company full-time.

But he’s making a good side buck selling his own branded merchandise and is sought out by food companies for product placement as a TikTok influencer. 

He’s even hired an agent. 

"It’s very lucrative…Brands will come to me with something that they’re pitching, and if I like it, I go with it," he said.

Darryl even has his own beer, "R U Kidding Me IPA," named after the line that ends every video.

So what does the future hold for the middle-aged suburban dad turned TikTok star? 

"As long as it keeps being fulfilling, I’m gonna do it. Because really, I’m just filming me cooking."