Food Instagrammers are a new breed of critics who post photos and short reviews on Instagram
Food Instagrammers are a new breed of critics who post photos and short reviews on Instagram
This is the age of instant gratification. People don't want to wait too long for anything — and this is particularly true of the food industry. The second a restaurant opens up, or a new menu is brought out, people want to know whether it’s got a five-star or one-star rating, and whether to recommend it, or ditch it.
Food bloggers play the newsagent in this case, and take to posting drool-worthy pictures and page-long reviews on their respective blogs or websites related to food. However, long-winding and detailed blogs have given way to single paragraph reviews on Instagram, with stunning photos that describe the food and place better than the write-ups. Insta-bloggers like The Chennai Gluttony Club and Chennai Soru feel that this medium helps them connect with their viewers faster.
Praneeth Reddy, one of the founders of The Chennai Gluttony Club, says that he took to Instagramming because he wasn’t very happy with food reviews on websites. “I found that they were either very biased, dishonest, or just vague.
And honestly, being a photographer, I know that a picture speaks more about a dish than words can,” he says. This two-month old Instagram blog has around 2000 followers who regularly visit the page. “Instagram is a boon to both us and the viewers because of the sheer speed at which you can transact information. Also, the feedback is instant and we know if we’re doing justice or not,” he adds.
Along with Aravind Sivasekar and Suraj Duggirala, he visits every possible restaurant in Chennai. Their USP is that they’re not biased. “We share a genuine passion for food and love visiting new restaurants — it’s this attitude that is reflected in our photos and reviews.”
While Praneeth may be an expert in food photography, this blogger took to the web because of his love affair with cuisines. Shadir Bughari, the man behind ‘Chennai Soru’, a dentist by profession, says that food is the best distraction after a tiresome day of staring into people’s mouths.
“I initially used to review places only in Chennai,” he says and adds, “I used to find it difficult to remember details about my meal by the time I got to where I was staying. I had to wait for my laptop to switch on, and then post a review. But now that I have Instagram on my phone, it’s easy to post a review, even before I pay the bill!” He has been invited by chefs and restaurants for reviewing. “I don’t fall for such gimmicks, I’m brutally honest. If I don’t like a particular dish, I’ll say it’s bad to their face. At the same time, if it’s good I praise them, but I don’t go over the top,” says Shadir.
“My posts on social media platforms are like a conversation rather than just a rating of the food, ambience and service,” says Karthik Ganapathi, who runs the blog ‘Eat With Eyes’. “Personally I hate overall ratings, so I try to focus on specific dishes along with good photos. People these days don’t have enough time to look at their own face in the mirror, let alone read blogs. So as the name ‘Instagram’ suggests, I instantly post photos – that’s what catches viewers’ eyes more than a description of meal,” signs off Karthik.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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