How We Can Move Past the #FoodPorn and Begin Connecting the Good Food Movement
There are plenty of places to share pretty food pictures, but what about the communities that are looking to forge deeper connections?
Take a moment to tell me your fondest memory of food.
Go ahead: don’t be shy. I’m in no rush. Like a good meal — an affectionate memory of one’s fare should be savored — and the rest of this article can wait until you’re done.
How was it? Chances are when I asked you to share the memory with me, your mind reenacted the scene. It wasn’t just about the smell, or the taste, or even the sound your spoon made when it first cracked through the crystallized layer of mum’s creme brulee. It probably involved where you were, who you were with — maybe even where the ingredients were from — and most importantly, how the moment made you feel.
Food is a social act. Profoundly social. When we think about the times we enjoy food the most — it’s rarely in isolation. Even when I decided to do a sugar cleanse to get a handle on my sweet tooth, I didn’t do it alone. I explored internally what I needed for it to be a personal success, particularly since I would be cooking at home. Inevitably I came to the conclusion that I should invite friends over for dinner. As you can imagine, having a group of people in your space, and preparing a home-cooked meal for them ultimately changes the dynamic. Even the conversation shifts; it’s often more thoughtful and far more intimate — compared to eating at a restaurant or bar.
“Food is a social act. Profoundly social. When we think about when we enjoy food the most — it’s rarely in isolation.”
When I came on board the team at Foodstand, the app dubbed as “the good food community that lives in your pocket” with a mission to democratize good eating, we sat down with members — ranging from chefs and farmers to food bloggers and food lovers — to ask them what more they wanted from the app. What struck me was how many people — without prompting — referred to it as a “community”.
From speaking with the community, however, it was clear that they wanted ways to connect more deeply, almost as if they were sitting around a giant, virtual dinner table of like-minded folks. Most people didn’t just want to share a perfectly prepared and styled meal; they had Instagram for that! Instead, they wanted to be helped — and in turn, help others. The service aspect, relationship-building, group participation, social connectedness and the tapping into information and current events, were all top-of-mind to the majority of those we talked to.
“From speaking with the community, however, it was clear that they wanted ways to connect more deeply, almost as if they were sitting around a giant, virtual dinner table of like-minded folks.”
“I would love for people to reach out to me with their chef-related questions,” enthusiastically remarked Florvil King Valdez, Jr., who is fondly known as “Chef Flo” or @servemenow to fellow Foodstanders. In turn, he would also like to be kept up on the latest beat on the food scene. “I often work 6 days a week and don’t get home until late at night. It’s challenging to keep up with everything that’s happening,” he shared. When asked the type of information that resonated with him, everything from seeking out freelance chefs, to knowing what farmers have in season, to industry happenings, and community events scored high on his list.
Justin Aiello, the Farm Manager for @olivettefarm, which is just a short drive from downtown Asheville, North Carolina, dazzles the community with his extensive knowledge of fruits and vegetables — from how to prepare sweet potato greens to maintaining crisp lettuce after harvest. “I love sharing interesting facts about vegetables and seasonality of our foods,” he said on a phone interview. “I just moved to this new farm from Atlanta, Georgia though, so I can see myself using Foodstand for some promotional aspects, like CSA sign-ups, offering the community educational farm tours, and even farm-to-table dinners.”
Creating and strengthening bonds within the good food movement means something, not only because it feels right — but also because it gets things done! Just ask Randy Rodriguez (@cabalitonyc) of Cabalito NYC, who came upon the Foodstand community through an invitation from a friend. When he moved to New York in 2010, he began working at a taqueria and fell in love with the idea of having a restaurant with a small family feel.
“My parents are both from El Salvador,” he shared, “and there was no Salvadorian restaurant in New York.” Growing up in California, however, he knew there was a thriving Salvadorian food culture, so through his own gut instincts and the encouragement of others, he began doing small pop-ups throughout the city to share his pupusas. He had been working at Cafe Grumpy when he came to his second Foodstand Spotlight and struck up a conversation with Jimmy Carbone of Jimmy’s No 43. “Jimmy invited me to do a pop-up at his space and that was really well received.” Soon after, Cafe Grumpy, which had shut down their bakery nearly 6 months before, allowed Randy to open up his first restaurant there.
“Foodstand in general is about getting connected and feeling like you’re part of the greater food community. No matter what you’re doing in this industry in food, it’s a great idea to meet and bounce ideas off the right people. That’s what Foodstand means to me,” Randy said.
[T]the one missing ingredient from most of those 200+ million photos tagged #food and #foodporn — is not the parsley….it’s the people.
Good food involves people with good knowledge and good intentions. And we know if we want to have a more informed community and make good eating accessible to all, we need to create a place for interested people to come together to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and to connect deeply — both online and offline. Yes, that may mean coming together and going beyond the perfectly-placed food photo. After all, the one missing ingredient from most of those 200+ million photos tagged #food and #foodporn — is not the parsley….it’s the people.
If you want to join the people-empowered Foodstand community to help each other stay in the know about the good food movement, sign up to the newsletteror download the app here.
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