Living in the age of food porn

Any time you log onto one of your social media accounts, be it Facebook or Instagram, you naturally hook onto some wedding glam or mouth-watering food photos posted by your friends.

Remember, when Salt N’ Pepper came up with an exclusive song on food, undeniably many mouths drooled. What is that something that makes your tastebuds tickle, prompts you to just to go out there and try new dishes? Is it all about that nicely shot photo of food, whatever the dish is?

Taking pictures of food to post on social networks is now trending prominently, whether you love it or loathe it.  Known as the foodporn culture, ‘#foodporn’ is one of the most frequently used hashtags on Instagram, the platform everyone uses to show off what they’re just about to eat.

Arnet Xavier, who started the hashtag #kochifoodscene in Instagram, says it is a borrowed culture from the West. “I would say foodporn is the lust for food. Apps like ‘swarm’ and ‘foursquare’ have played a major role in bringing the foodporn culture here. In Kochi particularly, it is all about letting people know that we eat out at different places and explore new cafes and fine dining restaurants,” says Arnet.

Influenced by western culture, this trend is very much kicking in the land of coconuts. Ashith R. Krishnan, an NRI who has just finished his yearly vacation back home in Kerala, regularly updates his social media accounts with food clicks. He says it is all about experiencing a good time.

“When I see good food or anything that looks presentable, taking pictures is irresistible. If I put a certain food click on Facebook or Instagram, some of my friends ask me about the place. Next time we all go there. and it will be a good outing. It’s like a chain, so when I see some other pictures, we all go there and try it. You get more variety and tasty food items, and as a foodie what else can you ask for?” asks Ashith.

Ashith also openly admits that it irritates those who accompany him.  “Sometimes my friends are unhappy. The food is on your table and I will be like ‘don't touch the food,’” he laughs.

Aabha Muralidharan, a budding food photographer, says, “I agree Kochi is slowly picking up the trend. I am not really a fan of posting food pictures to show it off. It has a tendency to promote unhealthy food habits. Not necessarily, people look into the aesthetics of it,” says Aabha.

The trend is proving to be good for food joints, says Amrit Jose Appaden, chef with Hilton Garden Inn, Thiruvananthapuram. “I believe this trend helps to look into more options of food rather than the usual choices. People get an insight of the different varieties of food. Presentation of food also has different aesthetics to it, and you get accustomed to the plating styles and aesthetics of it. With social media, it doesn’t limit to a niche market, which is pretty much a good thing,” says Amrit.

He says restaurant and café owners are majorly benefitting from it. “Yes, definitely the sales in these restaurants or cafés have increased with the foodporn trend. Because food is no longer about filling your appetite, it is more about experiencing it. When someone posts the pictures of a particular food in the social media, it feeds into the curiosity of the others who see it and follow it,” explains Amrit.

Noorul Hijaz, of ChaiCofi, Kochi, says foodporn culture has been a major catalyst in their sales. “Visual presentation of the food and drinks makes a lot of difference. A lot of thought goes into the presentation of the dishes and drinks to make it visually appealing. We try catering to the food porn culture which is trending among foodies and it has worked for us,” concludes Noorul.