With some 800 million people worldwide using Instagram to discover and follow their passions*, CHEF consultant Andrej Prokes, former Executive Sous Chef at The Ritz London and Sous Chef at The Fat Duck in Bray, offers some tips on how to make sure food is Instagram-ready.
“There’s no denying that Instagram is a haven for foodies. In fact, the annual Waitrose Food and Drink Report revealed that one in five Brits has shared a food photo online or with friends in the past month. Interestingly, 18 to 24-year-olds are five times more likely to share photos of their food online than the over 55s.
“This means it’s game on for chefs. Every dish that leaves the kitchen needs to be camera-ready. It goes without saying that presentation has always been key, long before the days of Instagram, but chefs should be paying closer attention to how photogenic or ‘socially shareable’ their food is.
“The foodservice industry is under increasing pressure to offer more than just excellent food and drink. It’s up to the sector to keep pace with the evolving landscape; businesses need to provide an experience that is interactive and above all, memorable. What will make diners share their dining experience online? Is there something different about the presentation? Or, is there a build-your-own element that could make for an interesting post?
“What’s more, Instagram is a fantastic platform for your business. For chefs looking to use their own account more effectively, here are some top tips on how to help your images stand out from the crowd:
- Use plates with subtle colours to really help your food stand out
- Adding leaves and flowers to your dishes can help bring out the contrasting colours in a dish
- Keep any of your shots for social posting simple – avoid including other items in shot such as glassware or salt and pepper mills
- Avoid a kitchen background unless it is spotless and photogenic
- Be prepared to take the photography really quickly, as food can start to lose its ‘good looks’ quite quickly and of course gets cold if plated for a while
- Make sure you upload images at times when your customers will be thinking about, and going out for food
- Use popular hashtags to reach higher volumes of people, such as #instafood. #instafoodie #foodlover #foodie #foodpics
The CHEF range of All Natural Stocks give chefs time back to create even better dishes, and enable them to be truly creative. To find out more about CHEF visit www.nestleprofessional.co.uk/our-solutions/chef for more information and stockists.
* Waitrose Food and Drink Report, 2016
