Spice-crusted salmon, one of the Triange Restaurant Week options at G2B Gastro Pub in Durham. |
Many of us don’t feel
the slightest hesitation when taking a photo of a chef’s carefully conceived and
expertly executed creation. We’ve paid for it, right? We can enjoy it as we see
fit.
Well, not at
Momofuko, the pricey New York City hotspot which legendary food tyrant David
Chang has declared a photo-free zone. According to last week’s New
York Times, diners who dare to take a snapshot will be publicly shamed into
submission.
Most chefs cited in
the report say they don’t mind if customers take and post photos of their
famous food, so long as they do not use flash or disturb other diners with antics
like standing on their chair for a better angle.
Several top Triangle
area chefs agree with the social media savvy Mario Batali, who reassuringly tweeted a humble
devotee that it’s fine to take photos in his global empire of eateries – so long
as it’s done without flash. In fact, this new-media slice of Southern
hospitality abides even at some of the most elegant establishments. “We view this as flattery when people do it in Herons,” says Scott Crawford, executive chef at the signature restaurant of the posh Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. “We haven't made any rules because people are usually discreet and respectful of other guests. My only wish,” jokes Crawford, who has a Twitter account (@chefcrawford) but rarely uses it, “is that the lighting was better so the images would be more stunning.”
Even a humble lunch from the Tribune Towers cafeteria gets the star treatment by food writer Bill Daley. |
Daley, who uses
Facebook and Twitter (@BillDaley), thoughtfully silences his phone’s shutter
click to minimize disturbance of other diners and always turns off the flash. Well,
almost always.
“Mine went off by mistake last night and I was mortified,” he says. “I try to work fast. I shoot to my phone's camera roll and edit later so the screen isn't always lit. I try to capture the moment as quickly and naturally as possible.”
Bill Smith of Crook’s
Corner in Chapel Hill doesn’t mind a bit when diners take and post photos.
After all, he’s doing the same thing in the kitchen, where he often shares
images of new creations that will be featured on that night’s menu. A recent
example featured tempting carrot pies. One follower, clearly at ease with the
collaborative atmosphere, suggested serving it with a sweet curry ice cream.“Mine went off by mistake last night and I was mortified,” he says. “I try to work fast. I shoot to my phone's camera roll and edit later so the screen isn't always lit. I try to capture the moment as quickly and naturally as possible.”
Chef Bill Smith recently posted carrot pies being prepped for dinner at Crook's Corner. |
At G2B Gastro Pub in Durham, cordial servers stand by as if poised to assist when diners try to capture the composed elegance of Chef Carrie Schlieffer’s food (@carrieG2Bpub). Good humored manager Chris Lynch even shares that his wife, who had resisted getting a smart phone, now takes and posts food photos all the time.
So what is the proper etiquette for a photo-minded foodie? Matt Duckor, who writes Bon Appettit’s Consumed
column, says customers should not feel cowed by mega-chefs who try to sap the
fun out of fine dining. As a direct response to the kerfuffle, Duckor (@mattduckor)
this week advises readers how to get the most of their camera phone while (openly
or surreptitiously) photographing their suppers.
“It is possible to take decent food photos at
the table,” Duckor insists in italics. Rule No. 1: turn off the flash. Take pictures
directly above or straight at whatever you’re shooting. No funky filters. And, "Finally, and this is important folks, don't act like a jerk.""Yes, you're paying for a service," Duckor writes. "No, you don't get to make the rules."
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