Carnivore, Herbivore, and … Locavore?

Carnivore, Herbivore, and … Locavore?

By: Paul Katsch

According to the National Restaurant Association, Farm-to-Table is one of the biggest industry trends of the year. There have been countless articles about esteemed chefs leaving big cities to open new establishments in locations more suitable for locally sourced food. This movement and a reinvestment in the building blocks of a good meal are creating new opportunities within the food industry. Additionally, there is more publicity and education available for food connoisseurs who have decided to start paying attention not just to the finished product, but to the source of their meal.

As California's Central Valley is a hub of agricultural activity, it's facilitated the state's capital officially adopting the title of the “Farm to Fork Capital of America”. September 21 will mark the kick-off of Sacramento's inaugural “Farm-to-Fork” Week. Events celebrate local farms, restaurants, and are hallmarked with a Farm to Fork Festival September 28. The festival itself is a free event, and sets out to be the largest zero-waste event in the country. Here you will find an array of food industry professionals including producers, distributers, chefs, and food trucks, coupled with music and kids' activities. The entire festival is purposed to educate festival attendees about the wonderful food they'll be enjoying. This will be accomplished through food demonstrations and collaborative festival partnerships. (More information can be found at: http://farmtoforkcapital.com/festival-info/)

This event is very appropriately timed with a new creative project stemming from Calfornia's capital, entitled “Sacramento Farmers and Chefs”. This project was founded by photographer Janine Mapurunga in 2012 to recognize hard-working individuals intricately involved with the production, appreciation, and discourse of food. The Grand Opening, a fundraiser and revealing of the first 60 photos, will be taking place Saturday, September 14, 2013. You can also follow the project on their website, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. (Website: http://www.sacramentofarmersandchefs.com/)

It's safe to say Sacramento is taking well to the “Locavore” movement, using it not only to highlight the chefs and restaurants of the region, but the food's source as well. Is there a Farm-to-Fork Movement in your town? If not, are you interested in starting one? As this trend is growing nation-wide, how have you seen it affect your community?

3 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Restaurant's Social Media Presence

by Paul Katsch

Social Media changes the way businesses reach and engage with their customers. It creates new challenges, but also offers many new opportunities to those willing to take control of their brand. Before, restaurants and businesses struggled with the question, “Should we use social media?” Today, your brand is being discussed with or without your management, and it's up to you to decide if you want to engage in that conversation. If you answered yes, the question now becomes “How well are we doing social media?” With so many channels and options it can get overwhelming, but here are a few tips to help you get the ball rolling today.

 

1) Optimize Your Facebook

• A) A growing number of your customers will check out your website and/or Facebook page before coming to your establishment. If you're using a Facebook page, the first thing is to make sure it is accessible and easily seen from your main website.

• B) Brand your page with your logo, company colors, and a clean but appealing Banner Image – potentially with a call to action, special, beautiful and popular dish, or a photo of your restaurant.

• C) Share photos of your meals, specials, and special occasions at your establishment.

• D) Post engaging information – ie, delicious dishes, upcoming specials, events, industry specific information, ask questions, or share humor (consistent with your brand image).

• E) Respond to EVERYTHING – Show your customers you appreciate their praise, and use complaints as an opportunity to show your superior customer service. When your customers try to engage with you, make sure you're there to respond, preferably within the first 24 hours. Customers want to feel appreciated, but many businesses don't respond. This can be an opportunity to stand out from the crowd, and develop loyal patrons.

2) Engage with your Google+ Page

• A) Most restaurants have a Google+ Page, but not many have claimed it. Google populates this page with Google places reviews and photos, but claiming the page allows you to personalize the information and keep things consistent with your branded image.

• B) Brand your page with your logo, company colors, and a clean but appealing Banner Image – potentially with a call to action, special, beautiful and popular dish, or a photo of your restaurant.

• C) Share photos, blog posts, events, and updates while using #Hashtags and @Page tags to expand the reach of your posts.

• D) Google SEO rankings have changed, and the more organic links you have, the higher your restaurant will appear in searches. So share you website and important pages, and encourage your customers to engage, 1+, share, and comment on your posts.

3) Claim Your Free DinnerWire Profile

• A) DinnerWire is a new service that “Connects Foodies to Great Restaurants and Chefs” (SM). User, Chef, and Restaurant profiles are Free to create or claim, and the site is designed to increase social engagement between your establishment and your customers.

• B) There are currently 160,000+ restaurants across the United States listed on DinnerWire. Existing restaurants can be claimed and optimized for free, and new restaurants are easy to add. To claim your restaurant today visit http://www.dinnerwire.com/get-started

• C) Provide as much information as you can, linking your website, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, personalizing your restaurant bio, and sharing photos of your best dishes.
  (Click HERE for an example)

• D) If you have a celebrity chef at your establishment, get them engaged with the food connoisseurs following your restaurant. If your chef isn't a celebrity YET, give them a chance to shine. Your biggest fans will appreciate a personalized look at your kitchen.

Social media doesn't have to be overwhelming, it can be a great free tool to get your restaurant the exposure it deserves. So take advantage of your resources, and assign a staff member familiar with your brand goals and identity to maintain your pages. Social media should be like having a dinner guest to your house; You don't want to talk all about yourself, and you don't want to expect them to do all the talking. Engage in conversation, and keep a steady and consistent presence to keep your restaurant at the top of your customers' minds.

Today's Restaurant Spotlight: The Crosby!

Post by DinnerWire.