During October 2013, over 300 chefs took part in the Social Chef survey which Mars Foodservice ran in association with the Craft Guild of Chefs. The report was authored by Digital Blonde. >> Nine out of ten chefs agree that social media increases footfall to an establishment. >> Six out of ten chefs say they have bought from a supplier they have seen on social media. >> 84.9% of chefs use social media for work with the top three networks used being Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. >> Chefs most like to follow or ‘like’ other chefs, industry news and recipe sites. >> 78.8% of chefs have attended an event because they read about it on social media.

1. The findings from the
Mars Foodservice
#SocialChef survey
November 2013
@MarsFS_UK @Craft_Guild
in
associa(on
with
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs

2. Contents
1. About
this
research
2. Chefs’
use
of
social
media
–
inside
and
outside
of
work
3. The
social
networks
used
by
chefs
4. How
o/en
do
chefs
log
on
to
social
media?
5. TwiFer
followers
6. Do
chefs
need
social
media
training?
7. How
chefs
are
using
social
media
8. Business
benefits
of
social
media
9. Do
chefs
have
(me
for
social
media?
10. User
generated
content
11. Purchasing
as
a
result
of
social
media
12. What
this
research
means
for
the
industry

3. About this research

4. About
this
research
Social
Chef
was
commissioned
by
Mars
Foodservice
in
associa(on
with
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs.
The
aim
of
this
research
was
to
find
out
if,
how
and
why
chefs
are
using
social
media.
The
results
will
help
chefs,
businesses
and
suppliers
to
use
social
media
more
effec(vely.
The
ques(onnaire
responses
were
collected
online
using
specialist
market
research
so/ware
to
allow
for
detailed
analysis.
There
were
several
different
ways
we
asked
people
to
complete
the
research
including:
• Face-­‐to-­‐face
with
visitors
at
The
Restaurant
Show
in
October
• By
email
to
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs’
member
database,
Caterer
&
Hotelkeeper
and
EDUcatering
• Through
tweets
from
@MarsFS_UK
and
@cra/_guild
• Men(ons
in
Christopher
Basten’s
blogs
at
www.cra/guildofchefs.org
• Emails
to
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs’
LinkedIn
group
members
• Via
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs’
Facebook
page
• Printed
and
digital
industry
press
following
a
news
release
A
total
of
335
chefs
completed
the
research,
which
was
then
analysed
by
Digital
Blonde.
This
included
comparing
the
results
via
sector
and
then
different
job
roles.
Thank
you
to
everyone
who
completed
the
survey.

5. About
the
author
Karen
Fewell
@DigitalBlonde
Digital
Blonde
is
a
digital
consultancy
specialising
in
hospitality,
foodservice
and
food.
Karen
Fewell,
managing
director,
started
learning
about
the
industry
at
the
age
of
two
when
both
parents
were
hoteliers.
Today,
her
company
advises
businesses
on
digital
marke(ng,
social
media
and
social
business
strategy.
During
Social
Media
Week
2013,
Karen
chaired
two
food
panels
to
determine
whether
social
media
would
make
or
break
the
industry.
Speakers
included
Tom
Aikens,
SquareMeal,
Great
Bri(sh
Chefs,
Sorted
Food,
Staff
Canteen
and
Louisa
from
Jamie
Oliver.
It
was
at
these
events
that
she
launched
her
research
with
the
web
psychologist,
Nathalie
Nahai,
on
why
people
post
photos
of
food.
In
2014,
she
is
publishing
a
book
called
#FoodPorn,
which
will
explore
this
topic
in
much
more
detail.

6. Mars
Foodservice
TwiFer
@MarsFS_UK
Chefs
have
never
been
under
so
much
pressure,
and
Mars
Foodservice,
the
company
behind
Uncle
Ben’s
and
Dolmio
ready-­‐to-­‐use
sauces
and
Uncle
Ben’s
rice
products,
is
commiFed
to
helping
out,
wherever
possible.
As
a
business
partner
of
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs,
the
supplier
prides
itself
on
listening
to
its
catering
customers
to
understand
their
very
par(cular
business
needs
and
the
demands
of
their
own
customers,
facing
every
challenge
head
on
in
a
fast-­‐changing
market.
Ul(mately,
Mars
Foodservice
works
closely
with
caterers
to
solve
issues
they
might
have
and
make
their
lives
easier,
whether
it’s
to
save
(me
or
deliver
nutri(onal
benefits.
www.mars-­‐foodservice.co.uk

7. Cra2
Guild
of
Chefs
TwiFer
@Cra/_Guild
Established
in
1965
as
a
Guild
of
the
Cookery
and
Food
Associa(on,
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs
has
developed
into
the
leading
chefs’
associa(on
in
the
UK
and
has
many
members
worldwide.
Its
members
come
from
all
aspects
of
the
foodservice
and
hospitality
sectors
working
in
a
wide
variety
of
posi(ons
from
students
and
trainees
to
top
management.
www.cra/guildofchefs.org

8. “From
working
with
many
different
sectors
and
associa(ons,
I’ve
o/en
thought
that
chefs
are
the
social
media
superstars
of
the
hospitality
industry.
So,
when
Mars
Foodservice
asked
me
to
complete
this
survey,
and
author
the
report,
I
knew
it
would
create
some
interes(ng
debate.
And,
I
was
right.
Chefs
are,
usually,
the
ones
who
sell
those
final,
few
covers
as
they
post
stories
and
pictures
from
the
kitchen.
However,
with
the
right
so/ware
and
training,
there
is
so
much
more
that
can
be
achieved.
”
Karen
Fewell
@DigitalBlonde

9. Who
took
part?
Chef%de%par*e%
4.6%%
Chef/Catering%manager%
4.3%%
Commis%chef%
2.7%%
Development%chef%
16.2%%
Director%
1.8%%
Freelance/consultant%
2.1%%
Head%chef%
41.5%%
Lecturer%
8.2%%
Other%
5.2%%%
Sous chef!
7.6%!
Student%
chef%
5.8%%
We invited chefs working in different roles to complete the research.
The breakdown of respondents is shown below.

10. Who
took
part?
Care%home%
1.3%%
Contract%caterer%
28.6%%
Fine%dining%
6.3%%
Gastro%pub%
3.3%%
Hospital%
1.3%%
Hotel%
17.9%%
Outside/events%
catering%
7.0%%
Public%house%with%restaurant%
4.0%%
Restaurant%
15.6%%
School%
2.0%% University%or%Further%
EducaMon%
12.6%%
Chefs
across
the
industry
completed
the
research,
the
breakdown
of
chef
respondents
per
sector
is
shown
below.

11. Christopher
Basten,
Chair,
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs
"I
joined
TwiFer
earlier
this
year
and
have
witnessed
first-­‐
hand
how
chefs
are
using
social
media
to
share
the
latest
food
trends.
As
chair
of
the
Cra/
Guild
of
Chefs,
TwiFer
helps
me
keep
up-­‐to-­‐date
with
what’s
happening
in
the
industry
and
what
members
are
saying.
It
also
helps
me
in
my
day
job
as
I
use
it
to
share
pictures
of
dishes
my
students
have
created.
Knowing
something
they
have
prepared
is
being
given
the
seal
of
approval
by
colleagues
gives
them
a
real
confidence
boost.
The
feedback
via
social
media
is
instant,
which
can
make
a
real
difference
at
the
end
of
a
busy
day
in
the
kitchen.
Thank
you
to
Mars
Foodservice
for
commissioning
this
research
and
asking
us
to
get
involved.
It’s
provided
some
valuable
informa(on
and
given
us
a
clearer
picture
on
how
our
members
are
using
social
media.
This
will
drive
our
own
social
strategy
forwards.”

12. Chefs’ use of social media
inside and outside of work

13. Do
you
use
social
media
for
personal
use?
Yes$
92.5%$
No$
7.5%$
Do
you
use
social
media
for
work
use?
Yes$
84.9%$
No$
15.1%$
For
those
that
don’t
use
social
media,
the
top
reasons
were
privacy,
security
and
lack
of
(me
to
manage.
We
have
also
explored
why
chefs
do
use
social
media
and
this
is
covered
later
in
the
report.

14. The
percentages
of
chefs
who
use
social
media
for
work
has
been
broken
down
by
job
role

15. What
counts
as
work?
“It
raises
the
ques(on,
‘what
is
work?’.
Work
could
suggest
seong
up
mee(ngs,
planning
projects,
discussing
foods,
concepts
and
strategies.”
David
Mulcahy,
cra/
and
food
development
director,
Sodexo
UK
&
Ireland
“David
makes
a
valid
point
by
asking
what
counts
as
work.
In
the
survey
we
wanted
to
leave
this
open
as
chefs
will
use
social
media
for
work
in
many
ways.
For
some
this
could
be
to
sell
a
table
for
six
on
Saturday
evening,
for
others
it
could
be
to
find
a
new
job,
whilst
some
chefs
will
use
it
for
inspira(on
when
crea(ng
a
new
menu.
I
o/en
say
people
use
social
media
for
three
main
reasons
to
achieve
something,
to
connect
with
others
or
to
be
entertained.”
@DigitalBlonde
When
looking
at
the
number
of
chefs
who
responded
to
say
they
use
social
media
for
work,
David
Mulcahy
raised
an
interes(ng
point.

16. The social networks used by
chefs

17. Which
networks
have
you
used
in
the
last
6
months?
0.00%$
10.00%$
20.00%$
30.00%$
40.00%$
50.00%$
60.00%$
70.00%$
80.00%$
90.00%$
100.00%$Facebook$Tw
i8er$YouTube$
Instagram
$LinkedIn$Pinterest$Tum
blr$
Slideshare$Google+$
Foursquare$
Vine$
Flickr$
A$blogging$site$$
Yelp$
Staff$Canteen$
FoodSpoP
ng$Other$
Personal$Use$ Work$Use$
TwiFer
is
the
number
one
choice
for
work
use
and
Facebook
is
the
preferred
network
for
personal
use.

18. How
do
the
networks
used
differ
by
job
role
and
industry?
TwiFer
TwiFer
is
the
most
used
by
head
chefs,
chefs
de
par(e
and
chef/
catering
managers.
It
is
also
the
joint
first
for
sous
chefs
and
a
very
close
second
for
development
chefs.
Facebook
Joint
most
used
network
for
sous
chefs
(with
TwiFer)
LinkedIn
Most
used
network
by
development
chefs.
Chefs
Industry
TwiFer
TwiFer
is
the
most
used
network
by
chefs
working
in
hotels,
gastro
pubs,
contract
caterers
and
fine
dining.
It
is
also
joint
first
with
Facebook
and
LinkedIn
for
those
working
in
schools
and
care
homes.
Facebook
Number
one
network
for
chefs
working
in
restaurants,
public
houses
and
universi(es.
Joint
most
used
network
for
chefs
working
in
care
homes
and
schools
(with
TwiFer
and
LinkedIn).
LinkedIn
Most
used
network
by
chefs
working
in
outside
or
event
catering.

19. Which
networks
do
you
use
most
o/en/is
your
favourite?
0.0%$ 5.0%$ 10.0%$ 15.0%$ 20.0%$ 25.0%$ 30.0%$ 35.0%$ 40.0%$ 45.0%$ 50.0%$
Facebook$
Twi4er$
YouTube$
Instagram$
LinkedIn$
Pinterest$
Tumblr$
Slideshare$
Google+$
Foursquare$
Vine$
Flickr$
A$blogging$site$
Yelp$
Staff$Canteen$
FoodSpoLng$
Other$
“It’s
fantas(c
to
see
an
industry
specific
network
like
Staff
Canteen
up
there,
especially
when
you
consider
the
budgets
that
go
into
the
likes
of
Facebook,
TwiFer,
LinkedIn
and
YouTube.
When
you
consider
the
top
reason
for
chefs
using
social
media
is
to
connect
with
other
chefs,
you
can
see
why
this
network
is
so
popular.”
@DigitalBlonde

20. Why
do
you
prefer
your
chosen
network?
I"have"the"
most"friends,"
likes"or"
followers,"
36.3%"
It's"easy"to"use,"68.3%"
It's"quick"to"use,"
55.9%"
I"don't"have"to"write"
very"much,"19.9%"
I"can"get"the"most"
relevant"
informaBon,"
38.1%"
I"don't"have"to"
interact"with"
followers"as"much"as"
other"networks,"
12.1%"
I"need"to"write"more"
detail"to"get"my"
opinion"across,"1.1%"
I"like"sharing"photos,"
30.2%"
I"like"sharing"videos,"
7.5%"
It's"the"best"opBon"for"
our"business,"23.1%"
It's"easy"to"interact"
with"our"customers,"
28.5%"

21. Why
do
you
prefer
your
chosen
network?
Top
reasons
for
preferring
Twi?er
1.
It’s
easy
to
use
70.6%
2.
It’s
quick
to
use
64.7%
3.
I
can
get
the
most
relevant
informa(on
46.2%
Top
reasons
for
preferring
Facebook
1.
I
have
the
most
friends/
Likes
65.3%
2.
It’s
easy
to
use
62.5%
3.
It’s
quick
to
use
47.2%
“This
result
does
not
surprise
me.
As
chefs
work
mainly
in
kitchens
and
are
extremely
busy
people,
they
need
a
social
network
that
is
quick
and
easy
to
achieve
something.
In
general,
80%
of
TwiFer
usage
is
via
a
mobile
and
that
fits
with
a
chef’s
lifestyle
as
they
will
o/en
be
twee(ng
whilst
on
the
go.”
@DigitalBlonde

22. How often do chefs log on
to social media?

23. How
many
(mes
a
day
do
you
check
your
favourite
network?
0.0%$ 5.0%$ 10.0%$ 15.0%$ 20.0%$ 25.0%$ 30.0%$
One$
Two$
Three$
Four$
Five$
Six$
Over$six$
Over$10$
I$don’t$check$every$day$$
“It
isn’t
uncommon
to
check
social
networks
many
(mes
a
day.
As
humans
we
do
this
because
it
fulfills
a
core
drive
for
connec(on
and
meaning.
It
is
comfor(ng
to
know
that
we
are
not
alone
and
we
will
o/en
use
what
is
happening
in
other
people’s
lives
to
create
context
and
meaning
of
our
own
life”
@DigitalBlonde

24. How
many
(mes
a
day
do
you
check
your
favourite
network?
Most
TwiFer
users
check
their
account
over
10
(mes
a
day
Most
Facebook
users
check
their
account
two
or
three
(mes
a
day
Most
LinkedIn
users
check
their
account
once
a
day
26%
of
head
chefs
check
their
social
media
account
over
10
Gmes
a
day
“Some(mes,
even
more
than
that”
Alan
Paton,
execu(ve
head
chef,
Stoke
by
Nayland
Hotel

25. How
many
(mes
a
day
do
you
check
your
favourite
network?
“I
actually
dread
to
think
how
many
(mes
a
day
I
check
mine;
half
the
(me
I
don’t
even
realise
I
am
doing
it.
But
52.9%
of
chefs
said
they
were
logging
on
five
or
more
(mes
a
day
and
28.6%
said
more
than10
(mes.
This
sta(s(c
will
be
of
great
interest
to
suppliers
who
could
be
missing
out
on
an
opportunity
to
connect
with
some
big
decision
makers.
However,
I
must
add
a
few
words
of
cau(on.
It’s
not
about
how
many
(mes
a
day
you
log
on,
but
whether
you
are
pos(ng
online
at
the
right
(me
for
those
you
want
to
engage
with.
There
are
some
great
tools
available
to
measure
online
behaviour.”
@DigitalBlonde

26. Twitter followers

27. How
many
TwiFer
followers
do
you
have?
0.0%$
5.0%$
10.0%$
15.0%$
20.0%$
25.0%$
30.0%$
35.0%$
40.0%$
Less$than$100$ Between$100$
and$500$
Between$500$
and$1000$
Between$1000$
and$3000$
Between$3000$
and$5000$
Between$5000$
and$10,000$
Over$10,000$
“I
o/en
hear
people
chat
about
how
many
followers
they
have,
but
social
media
isn’t
a
popularity
contest.
Engaging
with
the
followers
you
have
so
they
tell
everyone
how
good
you
are
is
much
more
important
than
increasing
followers
or
likes.”
@DigitalBlonde
On
average,
a
TwiFer
user
has
130
followers.
The
graph
below
shows
the
number
of
followers
chef
respondents
have.

28. Top
five
types
of
account
chefs
like
to
follow
1. Other
chefs
2. Industry
news
sites
3. Recipe
sites
4. Celebrity
chefs
5. Online
catering
magazines
“Chefs
have
always
wanted
to
share
their
work,
with
cookbooks,
newspapers,
websites,
radio
and
even
television.
With
social
media,
the
instant
pleasure
gained
from
hours
of
work
on
a
dish
can
be
easily
shared,
and
is
something
we,
as
chefs,
love
to
do
the
most;
create
amazing
dishes
for
other
people’s
sa(sfac(on.
The
friendly
compe((on
amongst
chefs
will
always
mean
we
are
trying
to
out-­‐do
each
other,
and
social
media
is
the
perfect
way
to
highlight
this.”
Jeremy
Ford,
chef
director,
Restaurant
Associates

29. Do chefs need social media
training?

30. Chefs
and
Social
Media
Training
25.8%
of
chefs
say
they
don't
really
understand
how
to
use
the
social
networks
they
use
properly
65.6%
of
chefs
say
they
would
be
interested
in
aFending
an
industry
training
course
on
social
media
“Yes,
I
think
a
course
like
this
would
be
great
to
do,
there
is
definitely
an
interest
here
and
the
more
the
merrier,
really.”
Tom
Aikens

31. Chefs
and
Social
Media
Training
“I
began
to
use
TwiFer
in
September
2011
and
the
response
has
been
incredible.
We
use
it
to
give
feedback
to
our
students
a/er
classes,
but
also
keep
in
contact
with
past
students
and
trade
chefs.
We
have
gained
invaluable
support
from
so
many
incredible
chefs.
We've
been
able
to
keep
in
contact
with
Nathan
Outlaw,
a
past
student,
and
welcomed
Daniel
Clifford,
Mark
Poynton,
Allan
PickeF,
ScoF
Fricker,
Mike
Denman,
Andy
McLiesh,
Graham
GarreF,
Charlie
Lakin,
plus
many
more,
to
aFend
guest
chef
events
suppor(ng
our
students.”
Rob
Allsworth,
East
Kent
College
63.1%
of
chefs
think
social
media
should
now
be
part
of
a
chef's
training
63.1%

32. Chefs
and
Social
Media
Training
“I
was
so
impressed
when
I
first
heard
Tom
Aikens
talk
about
how
he
monitors
customers
before
they
enter
his
restaurant.
Doing
this
helps
him
understand
who
they
are
and
why
they
are
there.
He
can
then
alert
staff
to
ensure
they
get
the
best
experience
possible.
It’s
this
kind
of
aotude
that
will
make
people
love
Tom
and
his
restaurants
and
they
will
then
do
the
selling
to
others
for
him.
Social
media
should
never
be
an
add-­‐on.
It’s
not
something
you
always
do
in
the
30
seconds
before
a
shi/
starts
or
when
you
sit
down
to
relax.
It
needs
to
be
at
the
heart
of
everything
you
do,
so
you
are
always
thinking
social.
We
work
in
an
industry
where
everything
is
based
on
people
and
one
person
not
giving
the
highest
level
of
service
could
result
in
nega(ve
feedback.
Staff
need
to
be
aware
that
all
their
ac(ons
can
affect
a
social
media
presence,
posi(vely
and
nega(vely.”
@DigitalBlonde

33. How chefs are using social
media

34. How
chefs
are
using
social
media
0.0%$ 10.0%$ 20.0%$ 30.0%$ 40.0%$ 50.0%$ 60.0%$ 70.0%$ 80.0%$ 90.0%$ 100.0%$
To$post$pictures$of$dishes$you$have$cooked$
To$post$pictures$of$dishes$you$have$eaten$
To$get$new$recipe$ideas$
To$network$with$others$in$the$industry$
To$share$news$from$your$kitchen$$
To$read$industry$news$
To$hear$about$industry$events$
To$look$for$a$new$job$
To$see$what$compeFtors$are$doing$
To$see$what$suppliers$are$offering$
To$promote$your$restaurant$$
We
asked
chefs
to
tell
us
how
they
are
using
social
media.
The
graph
below
shows
the
percentage
of
respondents
for
each
reason.

35. How
do
you
use
social?
It
helps
chefs
keep
in
touch
with
trends
as
well
as
where
and
what
fellow
chefs
are
working
on.
Sharing
of
recipes
is
another
reason
so
they
can
try
out
ideas
on
their
own
customer
base.
And,
also
to
simply
socialise
with
friends
in
the
trade,
something
many
chefs
don’t
have
(me
to
do
in
person.”
Andy
Jones,
chair
of
the
Hospital
Caterers
Associa(on
“Definitely,
chefs
connec(ng
with
chefs
is
a
clear
number
one
for
me
too.”
David
Mulcahy,
cra/
and
food
development
director
Sodexo
UK
&
Ireland
“I
would
agree
with
this,
I
have
had
a
load
of
extra
opportuni(es
this
year
that
would
not
have
been
possible
without
TwiFer.”
Alan
Paton,
execu(ve
head
chef
Stoke
by
Nayland
Hotel
The
number
one
reason
why
chefs
use
social
media
is
to
connect
with
other
chefs.
“I
can
understand
why
connec(ng
with
other
chefs
is
the
top
reason
why
chefs
use
social
media.

36. How
do
you
use
social?
“I
mainly
use
TwiFer
to
keep
in
touch
with
the
foodservice
world.
It’s
a
great
way
to
keep
in
touch
with
the
industry
trends
and
with
campaigns
such
as
the
NACC
Na(onal
Community
Meals
Week
and
Na(onal
School
Meals
Week.
It’s
also
great
to
see
the
banter
between
chef’s
–
I
feel
like
I
am
stood
in
the
kitchen
with
them.
Mars
Foodservice
is
at
the
beginning
of
its
social
media
journey.
This
report
will
help
us
shape
how
we
use
social
media
to
engage
with
chefs
and
the
foodservice
world.
I
want
to
ensure
that
what
we
do
going
forward
is
a
help
and
not
a
hindrance
to
the
industry.”
Sarah
Gray,
marke(ng
manager,
Mars
Foodservice

37. Where
do
you
look
for
inspira(on?
1. Other
chefs
–
89%
2. Internet
-­‐
72.9%
3. Books
–
69.5%
4. Industry
publica(ons
–
54.6%
5. Social
media
–
52.1%
“52.1%
of
chefs
cite
social
media
as
a
source
of
inspira(on”
“Social
media
is
a
great
vehicle
for
geong
up-­‐to-­‐date
innova(on
and
market
reviews,
it
can
give
you
an
open
book
view
of
the
world
on
culinary
trends
through
conversa(on.
It
can
also
support
sales
and
marke(ng
by
driving
fooxall
through
the
restaurants
and
keeping
people
informed
on
diet
and
wellbeing”
Nick
Vadis,
culinary
director
Compass
Group
UK
&
Ireland
Limited
We
asked
chefs
where
they
look
for
inspira(on
to
understand
where
social
media
sits
as
an
inspira(on
source.

38. Business benefits of social
media

39. Driving
Fooxall
90.1%
of
chefs
agree
that
social
media
is
a
great
way
to
increase
fooOall
to
their
establishment
This
research
is
a
great
insight
into
thinking
at
the
current
stage
in
our
lives.
Who
knows
what
new
avenues
will
emerge
as
technology
evolves
even
further?”
Cyrus
Todiwala,
chef
patron
Cafe
Spice
Namaste
“If you are looking to commission a social
strategist, you need someone who looks
at return on investment (ROI) and social
net promoter score (NPS).
It is possible to measure the value of
social and any consultant working with a
business should make this a clear part of
the strategy. Focusing on Twitter followers
and re-tweets or Facebook likes and
shares is only a measure of social success
and not business return.”
@DigitalBlonde
“Yes,
it
has
a
posi(ve
impact
as
these
days
twee(ng
commences
whilst
people
are
s(ll
dining.
However,
just
like
TripAdvisor,
this
can
be
a
nega(ve
feed.

40. Social
Recruitment
87.9%
of
chefs
think
social
media
helps
with
recruitment
“It's
welcoming
to
see
a
figure
this
high
and
probably
indica(ve
of
higher
social
media
usage
within
the
chef
community.
Job
seekers
tend
to
use
social
channels
for
research,
to
find
and
to
be
found
so
it
makes
sense
for
businesses
to
use
it
similarly.”
Mervyn
Dinnen,
content,
social
engagement
and
recrui(ng
strategist
“I
do
no(ce
a
growing
amount
of
chefs
announcing
vacancies
via
social
media”
David
Mulcahy
cra/
and
food
development
director,
Sodexo
UK
Ireland

41. AFending
Events
78.8%
of
chefs
have
a?ended
an
event
because
they
read
about
it
on
social
media
“Many
people
book
on
an
event
they’ve
seen
others
tweet
about
because
of
the
fear
of
missing
out.
Social
media
can
create
a
‘me-­‐too
culture’
where
people
want
to
be
somewhere
that
like-­‐minded
people
are.
This
wouldn’t
have
been
possible
in
the
past
as
photographs
and
write-­‐ups
of
an
event
would
be
published
days
or
weeks
a/er
it
had
taken
place.
“
@DigitalBlonde
78.8%

42. Events
and
Social
Media
Chefs
like
to
help
each
other,
give
advice
or
opinions
and
inspire
one
another.
Social
media
is
such
an
easy
way
to
do
this,
no
maFer
what
(me
of
day
or
where
you
are.
My
(meline
that
evening
was
filled
with
well-­‐wishers,
that
would
not
normally
have
a
way
of
saying
“Congratula(ons!”
Hayden
Groves,
The
Na(onal
Chef
of
the
Year
2013
“We
all
know
how
eagerly
an(cipated
The
Na(onal
Chef
of
the
Year
result
was
on
social
media;
as
for
many
people,
this
was
the
only
way
to
find
out
the
result
as
it
happened.
This
is
just
one
example
of
how
much
social
media
has
changed
our
industry
over
recent
years.
I
can
see
how
networking
with
other
chefs
is
the
main
reason
chefs
said
they
use
it.

43. Do chefs have time for
social media?

44. Do
chefs
have
enough
(me
for
social
media?
57.2%
of
chefs
disagree
that
there
isn’t
enough
(me
in
the
day
to
do
social
media
updates
“Any
chef
that
says
there
is
not
enough
(me
in
the
day
to
spend
just
a
few
seconds
taking
a
picture
and
uploading
it
is
just
making
a
bucket
of
excuses.”
Tom
Aikens
“I
would
say
that
social
media
is
an
integral
part
of
my
day,
it
doesn't
only
help
me
connect
with
others
doing
my
job,
it
also
makes
you
visible
to
customers
and
prospec(ve
customers.
It's
important
they
see
the
passion
we
have
for
what
we
do.”
Jo
WoFon,
catering
manager
in
educa(on
“In
my
job,
I
get
told
many
reasons
why
people
won’t
invest
fully
in
social
media
and
one
of
those
is
lack
of
(me
to
manage.
But,
with
the
right
so/ware
and
training,
managing
social
media
isn’t
as
(me-­‐consuming
as
you'd
first
imagine.”
@DigitalBlonde

45. User generated content
User
generated
content
is
informa(on
that
has
been
created
by
a
customer
rather
than
a
company
itself.
This
could
be
in
the
form
of
an
image,
blog,
review,
video
or
comment.

46. Food
Image
Sharing
85.6%
of
chefs
like
it
when
a
customer
posts
photos
of
food
they
have
cooked
There
are
currently
over
17
million
images
with
hashtag
#FoodPorn
on
Instagram
In
a
30
day
period
(mid
October
to
mid
November
2013)
there
were
196,346
men(ons
on
TwiFer
of
the
#FoodPorn
hashtag.
Sharing
images
of
food
via
social
networks
has
become
a
popular
ac(vity
and
is
o/en
termed
‘FoodPorn’

47. Food
Image
Sharing
“Another
piece
of
research
I
published
highlighted
that
65%
of
respondents
shared
a
photo
of
their
food
whilst
s(ll
at
the
table.
And,
surprisingly,
46%
uploaded
a
photo
before
they
even
took
a
bite.
Whether
you
agree
with
this
or
not,
you
have
to
consider
what
those
photos
say
about
your
restaurant.
Think
about
presenta(on,
the
ligh(ng
and
photo
quality
–
help
ensure
photos
posted
do
your
food
jus(ce.”
@DigitalBlonde

48. Food
Image
Sharing
91.3%
of
chefs
think
it
is
socially
acceptable
to
post
pictures
of
food
on
social
media
“I
love
sharing
food
images
when
I
am
out
and
about.
I’m
proud
of
the
industry
I
work
in
and
want
to
show
off
the
amazing
crea(ons
that
get
to
tantalise
my
taste
buds.
These
days
food
is
more
than
just
amazing
tastes
and
flavours,
dishes
are
works
of
art.
I
want
to
show
these
off
and
encourage
my
friends,
family
and
colleagues
to
also
try
these
great
crea(ons.
We
should
celebrate
our
amazing
culinary
na(on
and
sharing
food
images
is
a
great
way
to
do
that”
Sarah
Gray,
marke(ng
manager,
Mars
Foodservice
91.3%

49. Food
Image
Sharing
Food
is
instantaneous
and
will
only
be
there
‘(l
eaten,
so
imagery
should
be
welcomed
and
encouraged
as
another
way
to
get
the
message
of
your
offering
across
to
poten(al
consumers.”
Philip
Newman-­‐Hall,
general
manager
Le
Manoir
aux
Quat’Saisons
“I
believe
chefs
have
realised
that
social
media
is
a
great
way
for
their
dishes
to
be
seen
by
thousands
of
people
and
that
food
photography
is
one
of
the
largest
sources
of
photo
images
on
social
media.

50. Bloggers
and
Reviews
85.6%
of
chefs
say
everybody
thinks
they
are
a
‘foodie’
these
days
Food
Bloggers
What
is
a
review?
Food
bloggers
write
about
subjects
that
interest
them,
inspire
them
or
that
they
feel
strongly
about.
This
could
be
following
a
dining
experience,
tas(ng
a
product
or
simply
a
reac(on
to
something
that
has
hit
the
headlines.
Some
bloggers
also
share
images
and
video
blogs.
“I
do
believe
that
pictures
of
food
shared
by
chefs
and
customers
is
a
form
of
instant
feedback
on
their
quality.
Chefs
and
restaurants
that
use
social
media
have
a
targeted
contact
with
poten(al
clients.”
Rob
Allsworth,
East
Kent
College
An
online
review
is
usually
wriFen
and
posted
a/er
a
customer
has
experienced
a
service
or
tested
a
product.
It
is
posted
on
a
website
or
forum
for
others
to
read.

51. Reviews
76.8%
of
chefs
think
online
review
sites
help
our
industry
“Ini(ally,
I’m
surprised
that
the
figures
aren’t
100%.
However,
reality
is
that
social
media
online
reviews
can
present
significant
hassle
in
some
sectors,
and
I’d
expect
chef
proprietors
to
be
more
careful
in
their
aotudes.
As
diners
increasingly
turn
to
the
web
for
reviews
and
informa(on,
social
media
offers
many
businesses
a
free
route
to
market.
A
well
maintained
and
managed
social
strategy
can
easily
replace
a
chunk
of
marke(ng
budget,
or
efficiently
reinforce
conven(onal
ac(vity.
Review
sites
can
be
a
double-­‐edged
sword
though.
Sites
which
feature
user
generated
content
e.g.
TripAdvisor
can
cause
significant
trouble
because
they
tend
to
aFract
polarised
views.
It’s
a
generalisa(on,
but
one
has
to
be
par(cularly
enthused
or
unhappy
to
write
a
review
on
one
of
the
‘big’
sites.
Specialist
sites,
such
as
SquareMeal.co.uk,
which
lead
with
an
editorial
review
would
typically
be
seen
as
a
good
thing
by
chefs
–
as
long
as
they
receive
a
‘good’
review.
Ed
Butcher,
Square
Meal

52. Bloggers
68.9%
of
chefs
think
food
bloggers
are
good
for
the
industry
“Obviously,
good
photos
are
great
but,
equally,
there
are
a
lot
of
‘mischievous’
bloggers
that
are
very
happy
to
post
pictures
of
poor
food
and
nasty
cap(ons
to
boot.”
David
Mulcahy
cra/
and
food
development
director,
Sodexo
UK
Ireland
“It's
great
to
see
such
posi(ve
recogni(on
for
bloggers
by
chefs
and
hopefully,
this
heralds
a
growing
rela(onship
with
chefs
and
bloggers
in
the
future.
We
believe
that
much
of
this
is
down
to
chefs
themselves
largely
embracing
social
media
-­‐
predominantly
through
TwiFer
and
Instagram.
Will
this
growing
recogni(on
lead
to
chefs
working
more
on
their
own
blogs
or
geong
other
restaurant
or
front
of
house
staff
to
get
blogging?
Or
will
it
just
mean
greater
collabora(on
with
exis(ng
bloggers?”
Mecca
Ibrahim,
Great
Bri(sh
Chefs
68.9%

53. Purchasing products as a
result of social media

54. Purchasing
Decisions
60.5%
of
chefs
have
bought
from
a
supplier
they
saw
on
social
media
“This
is
an
interes(ng
sta(s(c.
It
won’t
suit
a
number
of
opera(ons
that
buy
from
nominated
suppliers.
However,
I
do
think
that
par(cular
ingredients,
and
innova(on
(e.g.
culinary
innova(on,
gluten
free
products)
would
grab
aFen(on
quickly
and
social
media
is
a
great
way
of
geong
into
someone’s
thought
process.”
David
Mulcahy
cra/
and
food
development
director,
Sodexo
UK
Ireland
We
asked
chefs
to
tell
us
if
they
have
ever
purchased
a
product
or
service
from
a
supplier
they
have
seen
on
social
media
channels.
60.5%

55. Have
you
purchased
from
a
supplier
you
have
seen
on
social
media?
“I
see
this
as
a
growth
area.
Companies
are
using
this
more
to
get
their
message
out
so
chefs
tend
to
pick
up
and
try
the
goods/ideas.”
Andy
Jones,
Chair
of
the
Hospital
Caterers
Associa(on
“Yes,
I
also
have
done
this
and
recommended
others
do
too.”
Alan
Paton,
execu(ve
head
chef,
Stoke
by
Nayland
Hotel
“The
benefit
for
chefs
and
caterers
is
that
they
can
ask
suppliers
a
quick
ques(on
without
having
to
sit
through
a
sales
presenta(on
first.”
Sarah
Gray,
marke(ng
manager,
Mars
Foodservice

56. What this research means
for the industry

57. “We
are
really
proud
of
what
we
do
in
Restaurant
Associates,
and
it
is
great
to
see
so
many
of
our
associates
ac(vely
using
social
media
to
share
and
communicate
with
their
fellow
chefs,
suppliers
and
other
organisa(ons.
The
whole
industry
now
has
almost
instant
access
to
what
is
happening
at
the
pass,
on
the
farm
or
in
the
field,
and
I
certainly
see
this
as
a
great
asset
to
the
way
our
industry
operates.”
Andy
Harris,
managing
director,
Restaurant
Associates
Is
the
increased
use
of
social
media
benefiong
the
industry?

58. How
should
you
interpret
this
research?
Chefs
Chefs who aren’t already on social have probably realised by now that they are
missing out on a fantastic opportunity to increase footfall, recruit staff, connect
with others and be inspired. Plus, there are lots of other great uses that social
media has.
Many chefs said they would like to have social media training and, by the low
number of chefs using social media software, I think there is so much more
you can all do. With the right training and tools, social media can bring a
number of business benefits.
Social media needs to be done properly and whilst most chefs welcomed
bloggers and online reviews, be careful how you handle negativity. Responding
to a review, tweet or post incorrectly can cause one person’s comment to
spiral out of control. Don’t be afraid of it, just be prepared by getting the right
advice.
@DigitalBlonde

59. How
should
you
interpret
this
research?
Management,
MarkeGng
and
PR
When
talking
'social’,
I
don’t
just
mean
social
media.
What
management
must
focus
on
is
social
business
and
this
is
one
area
I
spend
a
lot
of
(me
talking
to
organisa(ons
about.
Lots
of
marke(ng
and
PR
departments
men(on
social
media,
but
it
isn’t
just
a
marke(ng
tool.
In
fact,
when
it
comes
to
social
you
should
think
customer
service
first
and
marke(ng
second
and
have
a
clear
social
business
strategy
that
will
bring
real
business
benefits.
In
terms
of
this
research,
your
chefs
can
really
help
you
when
it
comes
to
social
business.
Not
only
do
they
help
sell
seats
in
your
restaurant,
but
they
can
really
inspire
and
mo(vate
other
members
of
the
team
through
their
social
media
accounts.
When
it
comes
to
crea(ng
a
strategy,
you
need
to
focus
on
protec(ng
the
business
before
growing
the
business.
Many
people
aFend
my
training
courses
and
realise
they
are
not
ready
for
a
cri(cal
incident
being
discussed
on
social
channels.
I
find
that
some
people
are
was(ng
their
(me
doing
things
incorrectly
or
not
fully
using
the
tools
available.
This
includes
understanding
Facebook’s
algorithms
and
various
social
media
management
and
monitoring
so/ware
plaxorms.
@DigitalBlonde

60. How
should
you
interpret
this
research?
Suppliers
The
best
way
to
sell
on
social
media
is
not
to
sell.
This
probably
sounds
strange,
but
selling
on
social
media
comes
a/er
you
have
built
a
rela(onship
with
your
community.
Many
businesses
achieve
sales
through
social
once
they
have
a
clear
strategy
for
helping
their
customers
in
place.
Followers
get
turned
off
when
they
only
see
sales
messages,
so
you
need
to
give
them
a
reason
to
follow
you
by
sharing
informa(on
they
actually
need
and
want.
Many
people
think
social
media
is
about
the
technology,
but
it’s
much
more
about
psychology.
To
have
success,
you
need
to
understand
the
behaviour
of
your
target
market.
If
it’s
chefs
who
you
are
selling
to,
this
research
does
give
you
some
insight,
but
it’s
only
a
star(ng
point.
There
is
so/ware
out
there
to
help
you
understand
your
audience
much
beFer.
@DigitalBlonde

61. “Foodservice
is
an
industry
I
am
very
proud
to
work
in
and
this
research
sums
up
why.
Chefs
love
to
help
each
other,
whether
it’s
to
inspire
a
recipe,
support
a
new
venture
or
simply
offer
advice
in
tough
(mes.
What
we
do
on
social
media
is
something
we’ve
always
done,
connec(ng
with
others
and
building
rela(onships,
but
now
we
can
reach
many
more
people
and
much
quicker.
Thank
you
to
everyone
who
completed
the
survey
and
helped
with
this
report.”
Sarah
Gray,
marke(ng
manager,
Mars
Foodservice

62. Appendices

63. The
social
networks
outlined
in
this
research
Facebook
This
is
the
world’s
most
popular
social
networking
site
where
users
connect
with
friends
and
share
updates,
photos
and
videos.
Businesses
can
also
create
pages
to
promote
their
products
or
services.
www.facebook.com
Twi?er
It
is
a
micro-­‐blogging
site
where
users
connect
with
others
and
share
their
thoughts
in
a
tweet
which
is
just
140
characters
long.
Micro-­‐blogs
allow
users
to
share
small
amounts
of
content
such
as
short
sentences,
images
or
links.
www.twiFer.com
YouTube
This
is
a
video
sharing
site
which
was
created
in
2005.
Users
can
upload,
watch
and
share
videos
as
well
as
adding
comments.
www.youtube.com
Instagram
An
online
photo
and
video
sharing
social
networking
service
where
users
take
pictures
and
videos
and
apply
digital
filters
to
them.
www.instragram.com
LinkedIn
This
was
founded
in
2002
and
is
a
social
networking
site
for
professional
occupa(ons.
www.linkedin.com

64. The
social
networks
outlined
in
this
research
Pinterest
It
is
a
photo-­‐sharing
website
where
users
can
pin
images
to
themed
boards.
www.pinterest.com
Tumblr
A
blogging
plaxorm
where
users
can
share
text,
links,
videos,
images
and
audio
and
connect
with
other
bloggers.
Blogging
is
the
term
used
to
describe
the
pos(ng
of
a
blog,
which
is
basically
an
online
journal
and
comes
from
the
term
web
log.
www.tumblr.com
Slideshare
This
is
the
world’s
largest
community
for
sharing
presenta(ons.
www.slideshare.net
Google+
A
networking
site
owned
by
Google
Inc.
which
includes
the
popular
Google
Hangouts,
a
free
video
conference
call
service.
hFps://plus.google.com
‎
FourSquare
This
is
a
loca(on
based
network
that
lets
you
connect
with
friends
and
check-­‐in
to
places
to
collect
points
and
badges.
hFps://foursquare.com

65. The
social
networks
outlined
in
this
research
Vine
A
mobile
app
which
is
owned
by
TwiFer
that
allows
users
to
create
and
post
short
video
clips.
hFps://vine.co/
Flickr
Pronounced
Flicker,
this
is
an
image
and
video
hos(ng
website
which
was
launched
in
2004.
www.flickr.com
A
blogging
site
e.g.
Wordpress,
blogger
There
are
various
blogging
plaxorms
available
where
users
can
share
their
views
on
topics
they
are
interested
in.
Yelp
This
is
an
online
review
site
which
helps
users
find
local
businesses
of
interest
.www.yelp.co.uk
Staff
Canteen
A
dedicated
social
network
for
chefs
which
includes
forums,
news,
jobs,
suppliers,
events
and
recipes.
www.thestaffcanteen.com
FoodSpoang
This
is
a
posi(ve
review
site
where
users
rate
great
dishes
and
share
photos
of
food
they’ve
enjoyed
around
the
world.
www.foodspoong.com

66. Confidentiality Notice
This document and the information contained in it are
confidential and are the property of Mars, Incorporated.
They may not in any way be disclosed, copied, or used
by anyone, except as expressly authorised by
Mars, Incorporated. © Mars 2013