“Most businesses are embracing our obsession with amateur food photography. Put simply, it’s free publicity. “
From fine dining to street food, most of us are guilty of a cheeky food snap. Just Google food photography and you’ll be lost in pancake stacks, sushi and pasta for hours.
Apps such as Instagram have had immense impact on how we share food photography and manipulate it. Anyone, no matter how skilled, can capture their own food art in just a few clicks. Bringing food to life on screen has never been easier, with Instagram filters achieving the perfect ‘colour pop’ many strive for.
Whether you enjoy in-situ food photography or think phones have no place at the dining table, one thing is for certain. It’s a driving force for innovation and creativity in the food and drink industry.
how has this changed our food, plates and restaurant experiences?
Most businesses are embracing our obsession with amateur food photography. Put simply, it’s free publicity. So, both high end chefs and fast food chains have cooked up ways to be increasingly visual, engaging and memorable.
Think colourful combinations, creative food styling and scientific Blumenthal-esque surprises.
food styling and crockery
Simon Hulstone, chef proprietor, at the Michelin starred Elephant Restaurant in Torquay said: “I think the use of social media has increased the presentation and styles of chefs’ food immensely. Crockery has become a major focus and getting the right crockery to frame a dish is almost as important as what’s on the plate, ultimately though it’s the quality of the photography and camera that decides how good a dish looks on social media, so chefs have really worked out how to promote their skills by taking a semi professional picture.”
flavour experimentation
Andrew Klimecki, VP design at Steelite International said: “There have been some interesting trends in food fairly recently where traditionally ‘beige’ food types have been given the black treatment: bagels, burgers, hot-dog buns, macarons, croissants – even ice cream. This is being driven by the need for novelty in the hospitality industry to engage and fuel the Instagram generation.”
fast food finds
Fast food joints across the globe are cooking up increasingly creative food, such as Poptata, drizzling bright pink garlic mayo over delicious parmesan fries.
For Taco Bell’s chefs and food scientists, Instagram is also always front of mind. When the team develop new menus, how products look on Instagram is a key consideration. It takes just a few Instagram complaints (notably, that the cheese isn’t as stringy as portrayed in adverts!) for the social media team to intervene with food preparation reminders. They even track of the most-Instagrammed menu items, and last year relied solely on diners’ Instagram snaps to advertise and build trust in a niche new product, the Naked Chicken Chalupa, setting up launch parties with bright lights and props to encourage photo opportunities and all-important recommendations.
setting the scene
Ambience is also key. Upserve Restaurant Insider’ s report #FoodPorn Instagram Marketing for your Restaurant encourages restaurants to consider lighting, installations, and branding opportunities to make their décor more appealing and memorable for Instagram. Many upscale London restaurants wow diners with immersive interior design, such as Clos Maggiore’s spectacular garden room and Sketch’s opulent and colourful furniture, walls and curtains. Unsurprisingly, they are often recommended as the most Instagrammable foodie spots to visit.
Sure, foodie photos are nothing new, but the Instagram revolution has undoubtedly given hospitality businesses another tool to boost their operations. Whether this is most useful for promoting new products, interacting with existing diners or getting food in front of new customers, businesses that fully embrace this creative culture of sharing will surely give consumers something to remember.
