Is Your Chef Treating Twitter like Fight Club?
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I originally had another post ready to rock tonight, but my attention shifted. @EvanBenn forwarded me an awesome article from the NY Times today on Twitter. You can read the article here.
Without going into major detail, it involves chefs and their struggle with social media. Some are lashing out over Twitter, others prefer Yelp. Regardless of the platform: they’re pissed. Welcome to Fight Club Gentleman!
His Name is Joe Dobias
Last week Mr. Dobias, owner and chef of JoeDoe, began smacking up distributors on Twitter. Regardless of what happened, business connections were lost because of public comments. Mr. Dobias gave his own thoughts about the situation:
“How is it good business to make decisions off some lame thing you read on the Internet?”
This really hits home. Are we in 1995? Who needs the Internet anyways, right?
Wrong.
The Internet is a social platform that connects people. Whether those people are Mr. Dobias’s customers, suppliers, or friends…they are on the Internet, and they are talking. It’s not lame, it’s a phenomenal tool that makes us better. I understand Mr. Dobias is an extreme example. It would be unfair to lump all chefs into this category, but I am guessing a large number feel the same….
For decades chefs have handled BOH. They produce killer food, people love it, and the press handles the rest. Easy enough, right?
Project Mayhem = The World is Changing
Ellen Malloy at RestaurantIntelligenceAgency recently responded beautifully on her blog regarding chefs and social media:
“While all of us who do sit at desks are struggling to learn about social media, the chefs are not only facing that, but how to actually market themselves as well. That’s a paradigm shift in their very lives, not just some new social media sites to learn about and master.”
I took this to heart. It’s true, the world is advancing into social media. We are in a Shift Age, and chefs are being left behind (sorta). They don’t spend countless hours behind a computer. They are used to creating intricate dishes, putting them out, and letting traditional media handle the press. It’s easy, it’s what they know.
Why are Chefs Dragging Their Feet?
Bottom line: It’s not their element. A chef belongs in the kitchen. They are masters at creating and developing wonderful dishes. They have mastered the one commonality that connects us all:
Food.
I can only speculate, because I am not a chef…but let’s look at a situation:
Uncle Eddie and Cousin Robert decide to spend a weekend in the big city. They visit your upscale restaurant, make a scene, and go home unsatisfied. Well, Uncle Eddie happens to own one of them there fancy computers. He gets on it and starts railing your food all over the internet. Get the point?
A chef has spent his/her entire life learning food, and now ANYONE can publicly critique their life’s work. Through blogs, twitter, yelp, and the list goes on. Traditional media no longer controls what you see. Wouldn’t you be dragging your feet too?
First Rule of Social Media is: You Talk about Social Media
The days of hiding in the kitchen are over. People want to know you, and they want to know the process of being a chef. Give the people what they want. Start a blog. Give weekly recipes, or do a weekly cooking show. Get active on Twitter and Facebook.
I believe chefs are fighting it…you can only fight the world for so long. It’s more rewarding to embrace things and stand out.
What do you guys think about the NYT article? Do you think more chefs need to embrace social media? Leave your comments below!
Tags: chefs, NYT, restaurants, social media