thenyfoodchain-blog
The New York Food Chain
I am a Journalism student at SUNY Purchase College of New York. Previously, I attended The Culinary Institute of America. This blog will be used to showcase my senior project. I will be using articles, videos, and photographs to show the links between food and social media in New York City. https://twitter.com/#!/TheNYFoodChain http://www.youtube.com/user/TheNewYorkFoodChain?feature=mhum
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The New York Food Chain
During the past eight and a half months, I have been interviewing people all over New York City, focusing on 18 to 25-year-old users of social media, restaurateurs, and even a food critic. My goal was to find out if there is a link between food and social media in Manhattan, (though what the link would be I wasn’t sure about,) and to my surprise, I found more than one.
After completing work on The New York Food Chain, my multi media investigative blog, it was clear to me that there is more than one link between food and social media in New York City. My interview subjects all had different ideas about these links but eventually I realized it all comes down to advertising.
Those that I interviewed talked about social media as a link between people, even a source of knowledge. Others talked about smart phone apps, coupon sites, and status posting. Eventually, I realized they were mostly describing different forms of advertising. To me advertising is a form of communication between a brand, a place, a product, or a person. So at the root of the connection between social media, users and restaurateurs, lies ADVERTISING.
It is a known fact that advertisements are EVERYWHERE and everyone is force fed ads throughout the day, everyday. No matter where you are, whether you’re on the computer or using a smart phone, watching television, or simply walking the streets of Manhattan, chances are you’re being advertised to. This means that there is constant communication between restaurants, social media outlets, food critics, and people. The brand is reaching out to the consumer and the consumers are reaching out to each other.
It turned out that the stereotypical view that 18 to 25-year-olds all use social media in a thoughtless fashion is not completely accurate. In fact, even though the majority use some form of social media, there are still many of them who spend little time on them. Furthermore, it appears that only those who own smart phones use social media to decide where to eat, and not even all of those do
so. In addition, multiple users had some profound, even strong feelings against social media and clearly those users recognized its negative aspects. As to restaurateurs, whether they chose to use, or not use social media, they all held on to the same two basic ideas, either they don’t use social media because they don’t need it or they use it to take advantage of the free advertising.
Another stereotype that was broken through my research was that older generations don’t use social media. Well, that may be true in the general sense, but as times change, so do they. A lot more restaurateurs, who were mostly in their 40s to 60s, were using social media either to promote their restaurants and/or for personal reasons. Interestingly, one of the younger managers I interviewed can’t stand social media.
The food critic Lauren Shockey of The Village Voice, shared some of her insights into food and social media. She taught me that food critics don’t use social media to form an opinion about a restaurant. Rather they use social media to communicate and post their reviews.
During my senior project, I found that social media outlets including Facebook, Yelp, Twitter, and Open Table, seem to have a similar impact on the food industry in New York City. Not everyone may be using it, but there are a lot of people that do. And they become one of the connections between restaurants, foodies, users, and food critics. They hold a wealth of knowledge that is easily accessible to anyone who is capable of using a computer or a smart phone.
Restaurants go through a lot of trouble to get your attention, whether through social media or by any other means, but as the world going increasingly digital, there is more of a focus on using social media. Using technology,has made us increasingly impatient, and information hungry. Everything is happening in real time, which allows people to get their information exactly when they want it, and they want it now.
While I was on this journey of discovery, I encountered a number of obstacles. First and foremost, I had technical problems. Two of my hard drives crashed, my flip cam ran out of battery life, and I had recurring issues with uploading videos to YouTube and various Final Cut Express disasters. In addition, I got lost, and at times bad weather made street interviews virtually impossible. Bad weather also made it difficult to get the b-roll (background shots) that I needed for my videos. Then there was the fact that often, restaurateurs didn’t have time for me. My biggest regret is that despite multiple attempts I failed to interview anyone who works directly for a social media outlet such as Yelp. However, I definitely learned a lot more about these outlets on my own as well as through these other interviews.
Even with all of the problems, I believe that over all, the project was successful. I went into it with a lot of curiosity and determination, and came out with some intriguing results.
I interviewed, I tweeted, I conquered.
#The New York Food Chain#New York City#Social Media#Food#Users#Restaurateurs#Food Critic#Yelp#Facebook#SUNY Purchase
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Museum Mile Users Have Mixed Reviews
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Museum Mile Has Mixed Reviews
Users along Museum Mile may have mixed feelings about social media, but they are all using it frequently nonetheless. Even though they take note of the cons, they continue to keep social media as a part of their lives.
Believe it or not, some of them are getting pretty irritated at how invasive social media is, “I use it, I mean I have a Facebook account, but I’m getting more and more frustrated with it just because I think it’s an invasion of privacy and it’s just like not necessary,” said Paris native18-year-old Debbie Leter.
Other users are concerned about the addictive aspect of social media and the idea of living a double life, one in actuality and one online. “It’s a positive thing and a negative thing. Positive aspects [are that it] allows people to get to know each other before the initial meeting therefore there is a certain level of comfort that’s established,” said the 18-year-old Orange, Connecticut native, Jordan Syrop, “But it’s a little off putting because it’s becomes addicting and you almost have this separate life that you have to manage online as well as, your real life.”
Two of the four people that I interviewed have iPhones and therefore have access to Yelp to help them figure out where to eat, but the other two would rather find something by happenstance. “When I try and find a place to eat I usually just walk around and stumble upon something, or look in a guide book or something, I don’t usually use social media,” said Leter. 18-year-old Clark Carnahan from Somers, does just the opposite. “I have an iPhone, so my mom actually uses Yelp a lot more than I do,” he said.
The one thing that all four users could agree on is that they have never used social media of any kind for work. “I’d have to say that the only thing that I did with my job and social media is I just put it as where I work,” said Syrop.
Each of them had very similar responses to why some restaurants choose to introduce a social media strategy and others don’t. “Well, I think some restaurants are trying to appeal to certain types of people that use social media, so in that sense they’re going to be more accessible if they also use social media,” said Leter, “And then some restaurants just don’t want to necessarily attract that kind of people.” 18-year-old Rafi Tall from Westchester agreed, “The ones that choose to I guess, get the word out about a new place to make it popular, or if they’re looking to appeal to a particular clientele they would go to Facebook and try and connect with that group.
Carnahan, feels that restaurateurs want to take advantage of the free advertising especially, when many people use social media websites. “Probably because they see it as a good platform to advertise from. A lot of people use social media websites, so it’s a good avenue of advertising for free almost, he commented.”
These teenagers had a harder time coming to a conclusion as to what the link is between food and social media. Half of them didn’t know how to answer the question, but the rest said that it’s all about trends and people.
“Well, I mean it’s New York. Everything’s trending and it starts here you know, everything’s hip,” said Syrop, “And a new thing that’s been going on, but seems to have definitely blown up in the last decade is hot spots for food and fusion food, and hip food, and the environment that you eat in. All of that seems to have been incorporated into social media.”
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Museum Mile Users Give Mixed Reviews
Users along Museum Mile may have mixed feelings about social media, but they are all using it frequently nonetheless. Even though they take note of the cons, they continue to keep social media as a part of their lives.
Believe it or not, some of them are getting pretty irritated at how invasive social media is, “I use it, I mean I have a Facebook account, but I’m getting more and more frustrated with it just because I think it’s an invasion of privacy and it’s just like not necessary,” said Paris native18-year-old Debbie Leter.
Other users are concerned about the addictive aspect of social media and the idea of living a double life, one in actuality and one online. “It’s a positive thing and a negative thing. Positive aspects [are that it] allows people to get to know each other before the initial meeting therefore there is a certain level of comfort that’s established,” said the 18-year-old Orange, Connecticut native, Jordan Syrop, “But it’s a little off putting because it’s becomes addicting and you almost have this separate life that you have to manage online as well as, your real life.”
Two of the four people that I interviewed have iPhones and therefore have access to Yelp to help them figure out where to eat, but the other two would rather find something by happenstance. “When I try and find a place to eat I usually just walk around and stumble upon something, or look in a guide book or something, I don’t usually use social media,” said Leter. 18-year-old Clark Carnahan from Somers, does just the opposite. “I have an iPhone, so my mom actually uses Yelp a lot more than I do,” he said.
The one thing that all four users could agree on is that they have never used social media of any kind for work. “I’d have to say that the only thing that I did with my job and social media is I just put it as where I work,” said Syrop.
Each of them had very similar responses to why some restaurants choose to introduce a social media strategy and others don’t. “Well, I think some restaurants are trying to appeal to certain types of people that use social media, so in that sense they’re going to be more accessible if they also use social media,” said Leter, “And then some restaurants just don’t want to necessarily attract that kind of people.” 18-year-old Rafi Tall from Westchester agreed, “The ones that choose to I guess, get the word out about a new place to make it popular, or if they’re looking to appeal to a particular clientele they would go to Facebook and try and connect with that group.
Carnahan, feels that restaurateurs want to take advantage of the free advertising especially, when many people use social media websites. “Probably because they see it as a good platform to advertise from. A lot of people use social media websites, so it’s a good avenue of advertising for free almost, he commented.”
These teenagers had a harder time coming to a conclusion as to what the link is between food and social media. Half of them didn’t know how to answer the question, but the rest said that it’s all about trends and people.
“Well, I mean it’s New York. Everything’s trending and it starts here you know, everything’s hip,” said Syrop, “And a new thing that’s been going on, but seems to have definitely blown up in the last decade is hot spots for food and fusion food, and hip food, and the environment that you eat in. All of that seems to have been incorporated into social media.”
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How Museum Mile Makes It
#The New York Food Chain#SUNY Purchase#Social Media#Food#New York City#Museum Mile#Restaurateurs#Yura#The Heavenly Rest Stop#Ciao Bella
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How Museum Mile Makes It
In the traditional area of Museum Mile, not all restaurants are as old school as the museums that spread out over numerous blocks. Even in some of the neighborhood hot spots, there are places that have added social media to their marketing strategies.
That said, there are still plenty of eateries like Yura, a local must that has little intention of reaching out to anyone else. This gourmet store focuses on maintaining their neighborhood status and not just because Jack Robinson, the 50-year-old manager there, dislikes social media.
“We prefer to have a clientele that’s in the area. We tried [social media] one or two times, and we got a lot of people out of the area. It was a little bit more confusing for the people that worked behind the counter,” said Robinson, “It’s a neighborhood store…we’ve got enough business at this point that we can handle what’s here.”
The Heavenly Rest Stop, near The Guggenheim Museum, similarly has a focused customer base given that the majority of their customers are tourists. However, they attempt to connect with foodies through social media in hopes of gaining more customers.
“We actually have a contest on Facebook right now. If you “like” us on Facebook, then you can possibly win a gift bag,” said 25-year-old Jillian Campbell, Manager of The Heavenly Rest Stop. “We’re on Yelp, they’ve called us, but I don’t know if we’re officially on there yet,” she added.
Looking through a different lens, 45-year-old Maria Fiaticellia, Manager of Ciao Bella, doesn’t even use the computer and seems to be clueless when it comes to social media. Curiously, that doesn’t stop the famous gelato store from engaging with consumers through social media. “We use Twitter and Facebook,” said Fiaticellia. Perhaps this is because Ciao Bella belongs to a famous chain.
Clearly, the amount of restaurants using social media around Museum Mile isn’t evenly split. Maybe that’s because the managers are against it, they don’t need it, or they are just unclear as to how it might benefit them. When asked why restaurants make a decision either way, Fiaticellia had no idea and Campbell wasn’t sure about her answer either.
“I don’t know, I think it’s an easier way to get information out to the younger generation. And plus, everybody is into being green now, so it’s less paper being made and less trees used,” said Campbell, “It’s just kind of the way that marketing is going, more digital, so I think it’s a good way to go.
The managers I spoke to seemed equally unaware when it came to the link between food and social media in New York City. “To be honest with you, I don’t know,” said Fiaticellia while shaking her head. Stereotypically, the youngest of the three had thought it through the most. “I think it acts as a way of advertising as well as, letting people know about reviews. Other than that, I’m not really sure,” guessed Campbell.
#The New York Food Chain#SUNY Purchase#New York City#Social Media#Food#Museum Mile#Yura#Ciao Bella#The Heavenly Rest Stop#Restaurateurs
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How Museum Mile Makes It
In the traditional area of Museum Mile, not all restaurants are as old school as the museums that spread out over numerous blocks. Even in some of the neighborhood hot spots, there are places that have added social media to their marketing strategies.
That said, there are still plenty of eateries like Yura, a local must that has little intention of reaching out to anyone else. This gourmet store focuses on maintaining their neighborhood status and not just because Jack Robinson, the 50-year-old manager there, dislikes social media.
“We prefer to have a clientele that’s in the area. We tried [social media] one or two times, and we got a lot of people out of the area. It was a little bit more confusing for the people that worked behind the counter,” said Robinson, “It’s a neighborhood store…we’ve got enough business at this point that we can handle what’s here.”
The Heavenly Rest Stop, near The Guggenheim Museum, similarly has a focused customer base given that the majority of their customers are tourists. However, they attempt to connect with foodies through social media in hopes of gaining more customers.
“We actually have a contest on Facebook right now. If you “like” us on Facebook, then you can possibly win a gift bag,” said 25-year-old Jillian Campbell, Manager of The Heavenly Rest Stop. “We’re on Yelp, they’ve called us, but I don’t know if we’re officially on there yet,” she added.
Looking through a different lens, 45-year-old Maria Fiaticellia, Manager of Ciao Bella, doesn’t even use the computer and seems to be clueless when it comes to social media. Curiously, that doesn’t stop the famous gelato store from engaging with consumers through social media. “We use Twitter and Facebook,” said Fiaticellia. Perhaps this is because Ciao Bella belongs to a famous chain.
Clearly, the amount of restaurants using social media around Museum Mile isn’t evenly split. Maybe that’s because the managers are against it, they don’t need it, or they are just unclear as to how it might benefit them. When asked why restaurants make a decision either way, Fiaticellia had no idea and Campbell wasn’t sure about her answer either.
“I don’t know, I think it’s an easier way to get information out to the younger generation. And plus, everybody is into being green now, so it’s less paper being made and less trees used,” said Campbell, “It’s just kind of the way that marketing is going, more digital, so I think it’s a good way to go.
The managers I spoke to seemed equally unaware when it came to the link between food and social media in New York City. “To be honest with you, I don’t know,” said Fiaticellia while shaking her head. Stereotypically, the youngest of the three had thought it through the most. “I think it acts as a way of advertising as well as, letting people know about reviews. Other than that, I’m not really sure,” guessed Campbell.
#The New York Food Chain#Social Media#SUNY Purchase#New York City#Museum Mile#Food#Yura#The Heavenly Rest Stop#Ciao Bella#Restaurateurs
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Social Media Has Its Ups And Downs
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Social Media Has Its Ups And Downs
The stereotype is that young people overuse social networking, and fail to appreciate the potential negative repercussions of new media. Gen Ys in Soho want to prove them wrong.
Users in the South of Houston area find themselves using social media frequently throughout their day, whether it’s Facebook to communicate with friends or Twitter to acquire knowledge. Alex Haeger, a 21-year-old student from New Jersey attending The New York Film Academy, checks his Facebook several times a day. Casey Czocanski, a 20-year-old, who is also from New Jersey, tweets regularly.
“I use Twitter a lot just because it’s a convenient way to get information whether it’s news or fashion, celebrities, breaking news, stuff like that. It’s just a convenient way to stay up to date,” said Czocanski.
Other young adults use social media as a tool in the workplace. Katie Jones, a 25-year-old from the East Village, uses LinkedIn “a hundred times a day,” while Czocanski focuses more on Twitter and Facebook. “It’s a good way to market products and get known in the industry,” she said.
Unemployed Gen Ys understand that social media can be helpful in their future careers, especially with professional networking. “For what we are trying to do it will definitely help us with the whole networking thing,” said Tim Agresta, a 21-year-old from New Jersey who also attends The New York Film Academy, “It is good as far as contact information.”
Interestingly, in this group only one of them uses social media of any kind to decide where to eat. “I use Yelp definitely, I read peoples reviews,” said Jones. But since others don’t, it might not be a big deal that there are a number of neighborhood and niche restaurants who don’t invest much time, if any, on social media.
It is a myth that all young users of social media are ignorant of the dark side. For example, they are aware that social media can be a gateway for bullying. “I think it has a very big impact on especially younger people, teenagers. I feel it can be very bad, or very good,” said Czocanski.
Others are just annoyed at the lack of real interaction that comes from their peers using smart phones to constantly tune into Facebook and Twitter instead of what’s going on in front of them. “It’s sort of affected the entire way people interact in general. It’s sort of like they don’t really speak until they are on Facebook, it kind of sucks,” explained Haeger.
All these users have different opinions about the link between food and social media. Jones feels that, “for some people they definitely use it as an advertising tool. It’s a good, cheap, and easy way to get information on the Internet.” Czocanski thinks that it gives them a competitive edge, and Haeger believes it’s all about the status quo. “I think there’s a certain status that comes along with certain places to eat and New York is kind of obsessed with status,” he said.
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The stereotype is that young people overuse social networking, and fail to appreciate the potential negative repercussions of new media. Gen Ys in Soho want to prove them wrong.
Users in the South of Houston area find themselves using social media frequently throughout their day, whether it’s Facebook to communicate with friends or Twitter to acquire knowledge. Alex Haeger, a 21-year-old student from New Jersey attending The New York Film Academy, checks his Facebook several times a day. Casey Czocanski, a 20-year-old, who is also from New Jersey, tweets regularly.
“I use Twitter a lot just because it’s a convenient way to get information whether it’s news or fashion, celebrities, breaking news, stuff like that. It’s just a convenient way to stay up to date,” said Czocanski.
Other young adults use social media as a tool in the workplace. Katie Jones, a 25-year-old from the East Village, uses LinkedIn “a hundred times a day,” while Czocanski focuses more on Twitter and Facebook. “It’s a good way to market products and get known in the industry,” she said.
Unemployed Gen Ys understand that social media can be helpful in their future careers, especially with professional networking. “For what we are trying to do it will definitely help us with the whole networking thing,” said Tim Agresta, a 21-year-old from New Jersey who also attends The New York Film Academy, “It is good as far as contact information.”
Interestingly, in this group only one of them uses social media of any kind to decide where to eat. “I use Yelp definitely, I read peoples reviews,” said Jones. But since others don’t, it might not be a big deal that there are a number of neighborhood and niche restaurants who don’t invest much time, if any, on social media.
It is a myth that all young users of social media are ignorant of the dark side. For example, they are aware that social media can be a gateway for bullying. “I think it has a very big impact on especially younger people, teenagers. I feel it can be very bad, or very good,” said Czocanski.
Others are just annoyed at the lack of real interaction that comes from their peers using smart phones to constantly tune into Facebook and Twitter instead of what’s going on in front of them. “It’s sort of affected the entire way people interact in general. It’s sort of like they don’t really speak until they are on Facebook, it kind of sucks,” explained Haeger.
All these users have different opinions about the link between food and social media. Jones feels that, “for some people they definitely use it as an advertising tool. It’s a good, cheap, and easy way to get information on the Internet.” Czocanski thinks that it gives them a competitive edge, and Haeger believes it’s all about the status quo. “I think there’s a certain status that comes along with certain places to eat and New York is kind of obsessed with status,” he said.
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SoHo Is Split
#the new york food chain#New York City#I Tre Merli#The Cupping Room#Ristorante Barolo#food#Restaurateurs#Social media
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SoHo Is Split
SoHo may be for New Yorkers who want to live a high end and trendy lifestyle, but there is still room left for tradition. Restaurateurs in the area are split between those who welcome the opportunities presented by social media, and those who cling to the tried and true marketing methods of the 20th century.
South of Houston seems to be more about dining as a fashion statement rather than dining itself and there are tons of great restaurants there. It’s interesting to note that even though many neighborhood stores are connected to social media, fewer restaurants have followed suite.
Even though some of the interviewed restaurateurs see the value in social media and may even have an Open Table account and a Facebook page here or there, others are skeptical. “I’m pretty old fashioned, I’m kind of a dinosaur. I still send people letters and post cards, so I’m not huge on it, but I think it’s a good way to keep connected,” explained 29-year-old Elena Secondo, Manager of I Tre Merli.
On the other hand, others like 52-year-old Benny Kish, Manager of The Cupping Room Café, don’t mind hustling to keep up with the mind set of the younger generations. “Yeah, I like it. I think it’s a good thing; it’s fun. I feel it was something that was needed in the Internet, or in this age of technology,” he said.
What sways them one-way or the other? The restaurants that haven’t jumped on the social media bandwagon tend to be niche or neighborhood places, whereas the social media adopters are competing for customers in a bad economy.
“We’ve always been family run from the building of the actual space to the creation of the menu, I’m the manager here, my father does everything basically,” explained Secondo, “And so we’ve always prided ourselves on having this kind of family relationship with our customers as well, and everyone knows us as being very friendly face-to-face and that’s really how we’ve always run our business.”
68-year-old Renzo Rapacioli, Manager of Ristorante Barolo, which is a sister restaurant to I Tre Merli agrees. “I’ve been in the restaurant business for over 50 years. [Social media] takes away that personal touch with the customer,” said Rapacioli.
The Cupping Room Café has the opposite philosophy and is using social media to their advantage. “We mainly use Facebook because it’s easier to use. We use Twitter too, but I think again we go back to Facebook because it’s more user friendly and easier to update,” said Kish.
No matter which side the restaurateurs fall on they are all aware of social media’s place in New York City’s food industry. However, they all have very different opinions. “I think it’s communication and I think it’s the knowledge; it’s a marketing tool,” added Kish. Secondo, feels that it’s more about the deals that customers can get through social media outlets such as Groupon. “These coupon sites you know, I have a lot of friends that use these kinds of deals,” she said.
Both new and traditional approaches can very well be successful. The possibility of there being an increasing number of links between food and social media in the city is becoming more likely with every interview. In any case, at the end of the day, if these eateries are successful in bringing in customers, they can each stick to their beliefs, at least for now.
#the new york food chain#New York City#food#I Tre Merli#The Cupping Room#Ristorante Barolo#Social media#Restaurateurs
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SoHo may be for New Yorkers who want to live a high end and trendy lifestyle, but there is still room left for tradition. Restaurateurs in the area are split between those who welcome the opportunities presented by social media, and those who cling to the tried and true marketing methods of the 20th century.
South of Houston seems to be more about dining as a fashion statement rather than dining itself and there are tons of great restaurants there. It’s interesting to note that even though many neighborhood stores are connected to social media, fewer restaurants have followed suite.
Even though some of the interviewed restaurateurs see the value in social media and may even have an Open Table account and a Facebook page here or there, others are skeptical. “I’m pretty old fashioned, I’m kind of a dinosaur. I still send people letters and post cards, so I’m not huge on it, but I think it’s a good way to keep connected,” explained 29-year-old Elena Secondo, Manager of I Tre Merli.
On the other hand, others like 52-year-old Benny Kish, Manager of The Cupping Room Café, don’t mind hustling to keep up with the mind set of the younger generations. “Yeah, I like it. I think it’s a good thing; it’s fun. I feel it was something that was needed in the Internet, or in this age of technology,” he said.
What sways them one-way or the other? The restaurants that haven’t jumped on the social media bandwagon tend to be niche or neighborhood places, whereas the social media adopters are competing for customers in a bad economy.
“We’ve always been family run from the building of the actual space to the creation of the menu, I’m the manager here, my father does everything basically,” explained Secondo, “And so we’ve always prided ourselves on having this kind of family relationship with our customers as well, and everyone knows us as being very friendly face-to-face and that’s really how we’ve always run our business.”
68-year-old Renzo Rapacioli, Manager of Ristorante Barolo, which is a sister restaurant to I Tre Merli agrees. “I’ve been in the restaurant business for over 50 years. [Social media] takes away that personal touch with the customer,” said Rapacioli.
The Cupping Room Café has the opposite philosophy and is using social media to their advantage. “We mainly use Facebook because it’s easier to use. We use Twitter too, but I think again we go back to Facebook because it’s more user friendly and easier to update,” said Kish.
No matter which side the restaurateurs fall on they are all aware of social media’s place in New York City’s food industry. However, they all have very different opinions. “I think it’s communication and I think it’s the knowledge; it’s a marketing tool,” added Kish. Secondo, feels that it’s more about the deals that customers can get through social media outlets such as Groupon. “These coupon sites you know, I have a lot of friends that use these kinds of deals,” she said.
Both new and traditional approaches can very well be successful. The possibility of there being an increasing number of links between food and social media in the city is becoming more likely with every interview. In any case, at the end of the day, if these eateries are successful in bringing in customers, they can each stick to their beliefs, at least for now.
#The New York Food Chain#New York City#Food#Social Media#I Tre Merli#The Cupping Room#Ristorante Barolo#Restaurateurs
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Lauren Shockey Food Critic of The Village Voice
(Photo courtesy of iceculinary.com)
The Village Voice Gets Social
#Lauren Shockey#The New York Food Chain#The Village Voice#villagevoice.com#food#Food critics#New York City#Social media
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The Village Voice Gets Social
To some people, food critics are silent and mysterious, except when they are given a voice in the dining section of the newspaper. However at The Village Voice, the resident food critic has become increasingly vocal and visible, specifically through her use of social media.
Lauren Shockey, has been the food critic of The Village Voice for almost a year and a half, and uses social media both on a personal and a professional level. “I have Facebook and Twitter, and I used them both fairly regularly,” said Shockey who was in college at the time of their conception, “I was sort of an early adopter in that sense.”
The 27-year-old, born and raised in “the Big Apple,” and now living in Chelsea, feeds off of the web atmosphere, no pun intended. Daily, she’s blogging three 200 to 800 word stories a day, as well as writing a weekly online newsletter.
According to Shockey, knowledge and branding links food and social media in the New York City area.
“I think New York City is a big hub for social media in general, and for a lot of food personalities on Twitter and Facebook. I think that’s just something you have to do to help both your personal brand and professional brand,” explained Shockey, “We are a very web savvy group of people. I think it sort of helps further knowledge about restaurants and to see who the players are, and what people are saying about the restaurants.”
So who are the players? There are the foodies and the restaurateurs. “I think in this day and age it would be weird to find a company that’s not interested in social media,” said Shockey, “All restaurants should have a website, I think that just makes things easier for customers.”
Still, the word is out that not every restaurant is using social media because of being old school, or just being popular enough not to need it. “I don’t think that restaurateurs themselves are that big, but I would say definitely there are some chefs that are. I think it’s more restaurant goers,” said Shockey.
It’s different with foodies though, they need social media so that they can feel more important and be in the loop. “I think everyone always wants more information,” said Shockey, “I think Open Table is great because people can be lazy [when they] don’t want to have to check what restaurant is open, or have tables.”
Another reason why foodies might have an interest in social media outlets such as Yelp.com is because they can basically say whatever they want. They are in control and in a way have a very powerful hold over restaurants. “Everyone likes to have a voice and that provides them with that voice,” said Shockey.
I guess it’s not just about what one professional or one person thinks, but what the influencers think.
#The New York Food Chain#New York City#Food#Food Critic#The Village Voice#villagevoice.com#Social media#Lauren Shockey
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To some people, food critics are silent and mysterious, except when they are given a voice in the dining section of the newspaper. However at The Village Voice, the resident food critic has become increasingly vocal and visible, specifically through her use of social media.
Lauren Shockey, has been the food critic of The Village Voice for almost a year and a half, and uses social media both on a personal and a professional level. “I have Facebook and Twitter, and I used them both fairly regularly,” said Shockey who was in college at the time of their conception, “I was sort of an early adopter in that sense.”
The 27-year-old, born and raised in “the Big Apple,” and now living in Chelsea, feeds off of the web atmosphere, no pun intended. Daily, she’s blogging three 200 to 800 word stories a day, as well as writing a weekly online newsletter.
According to Shockey, knowledge and branding links food and social media in the New York City area.
“I think New York City is a big hub for social media in general, and for a lot of food personalities on Twitter and Facebook. I think that’s just something you have to do to help both your personal brand and professional brand,” explained Shockey, “We are a very web savvy group of people. I think it sort of helps further knowledge about restaurants and to see who the players are, and what people are saying about the restaurants.”
So who are the players? There are the foodies and the restaurateurs. “I think in this day and age it would be weird to find a company that’s not interested in social media,” said Shockey, “All restaurants should have a website, I think that just makes things easier for customers.”
Still, the word is out that not every restaurant is using social media because of being old school, or just being popular enough not to need it. “I don’t think that restaurateurs themselves are that big, but I would say definitely there are some chefs that are. I think it’s more restaurant goers,” said Shockey.
It’s different with foodies though, they need social media so that they can feel more important and be in the loop. “I think everyone always wants more information,” said Shockey, “I think Open Table is great because people can be lazy [when they] don’t want to have to check what restaurant is open, or have tables.”
Another reason why foodies might have an interest in social media outlets such as Yelp.com is because they can basically say whatever they want. They are in control and in a way have a very powerful hold over restaurants. “Everyone likes to have a voice and that provides them with that voice,” said Shockey.
I guess it’s not just about what one professional or one person thinks, but what the influencers think.
#Social Media#food#The New York Food Chain#villagevoice.com#Lauren Shockey#Food Critics#SUNY Purchase#New York City
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