High-end chefs embracing Instagram?

[Robin Garr]

Interesting story from Grub Street about high-end chefs who once banned food photos at their tables are now embracing Instagram to take special dishes viral, and encouraging diners to shoot and post.

I wonder how this plays out in Louisville dining. I'm not a huge Instagram geek, but I see relatively few local chefs and owners posting regularly. Corbett's is on, Nahyla's Venezuelan and Con Huevos. I see Anthony Lamas posting lots of family shots and pics of his historic VWs but less from Seviche. Do any of you follow local chefs who post regularly?

Chefs Embrace the Power of the ‘Instagram Juggernaut’

Michael Crouch - Bistro 1860

[Robin Garr]

Thanks, Justin. Now following.

Interesting story from Grub Street about high-end chefs who once banned food photos at their tables are now embracing Instagram to take special dishes viral, and encouraging diners to shoot and post.

I wonder how this plays out in Louisville dining. I'm not a huge Instagram geek, but I see relatively few local chefs and owners posting regularly. Corbett's is on, Nahyla's Venezuelan and Con Huevos. I see Anthony Lamas posting lots of family shots and pics of his historic VWs but less from Seviche. Do any of you follow local chefs who post regularly?

Chefs Embrace the Power of the ‘Instagram Juggernaut’

Not on instagram, but I do admit to going out to places every now and then when they post pictures on FB. Gospel Bird and Mirin come to mind.

Chefs being against people taking pictures of their food, while I sort of get it, and maybe it works in the stodgiest settings, are shooting themselves in the foot, btw.

Now, I'm perfectly OK with them making a policy of chopping off the hands of people who use flash photography, though.

I take so many pictures of our food that the staff thinks I have a problem. Most of those make it to our Facebook page, but Instagram is another language. Maybe I can find a young person to show me the ropes.

[Robin Garr]

I take so many pictures of our food that the staff think I have a problem. Most of those make it to our Facebook page, but Instagram is another language. Maybe I can find a young person to show me the ropes.

Not much to it, really. Think of it as Facebook for photos. And hashtags. Lots and lots of hashtags.

The Seafood Lady's IG pics are mouth watering!

Interesting story from Grub Street about high-end chefs who once banned food photos at their tables are now embracing Instagram to take special dishes viral, and encouraging diners to shoot and post.

I wonder how this plays out in Louisville dining. I'm not a huge Instagram geek, but I see relatively few local chefs and owners posting regularly. Corbett's is on, Nahyla's Venezuelan and Con Huevos. I see Anthony Lamas posting lots of family shots and pics of his historic VWs but less from Seviche. Do any of you follow local chefs who post regularly?

Chefs Embrace the Power of the ‘Instagram Juggernaut’

I'm in charge of the social media for Red Hog. We post pretty regularly. It works without a doubt. Multiple times a week we have people come in because of something they saw on social media.

The Fat Lamb posts regularly to Instagram. Yum!
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locat ... -fat-lamb/

I wish more folks cared about the photo quality when it comes to snapping pics of restaurant dishes. A delicious white seabass shouldn't dingy yellow, pixelated, and blurry. Just more dumbing down of photography.

I wish more folks cared about the photo quality when it comes to snapping pics of restaurant dishes. A delicious white seabass shouldn't dingy yellow, pixelated, and blurry. Just more dumbing down of photography.

Most people who take the pictures for a restaurant haven't a clue about photography. They don't know what a white balance is and it's highly unlikely their phone even has that option. Most photo ops happen in a dimly lit dinning room and it's either going to be blurry because the phone just isn't sensitive enough or they will just use a flash and make it worse. It's not their fault really. They are in the service industry not the photography industry.

[Robin Garr]

I'm in charge of the social media for Red Hog. We post pretty regularly. It works without a doubt. Multiple times a week we have people come in because of something they saw on social media.

If this post gives you two more followers, you'll cross 4,000! You know what to do, gang!

(I'm already in ... )

It must be nice for these Chefs who don't embrace Instagram, or their customers who use it, to have a built in, long lasting customer base. Much respect to the legends who paid their dues and still don't need or want it.

Me? I'll take the free marketing, it's deeply appreciated- and we use Instagram as a very frequent tool at Mirin. If I spend 5 minutes making a dish I was going to try before serving anyway, 3 minutes finding the right angle and filter for the shot, and it brings 3 customers in for a $15 entree- sounds like I just made $337/hr for my efforts. If you take the photo and post it for me, I made money with no extended effort.

As a foodie, I appreciate it greatly when chefs post their best on their thread!

That being said, sometimes it does get a bit overwhelming....especially when I'm sitting in one establishment and another post something delectable whilst I'm noshing on my meal! There are times that I feel the quote from Steel Magnolia's is very apt...."I don't know whether to scratch my watch or wind my (backside)"