By Jennifer Henderson
I am a big fan of Jon Favreau. So, when Carole recommended the movie Chef to me, which was written and directed by Favreau, I jumped at the chance to watch the film. Favreau stars in the movie, as well, as chef Carl Casper. When we were discussing the movie, Carole mentioned that she likes how social media plays a big role in its storyline. You could even argue that social media plays a starring role in the film. Noah Gittell, in The Atlantic, put it perfectly: “At its core, Chef is the story of a man whose life is
ruined and then redeemed by social media.”
I find it fascinating that the person who helps redeem Casper’s career through Twitter is his son, who I’m guessing is only around 10 years old. His son teaches Casper about Twitter and uses it to drum up business for his father’s food truck. Casper isn’t nearly as savvy at Twitter as his son. One scene in the movie shows Casper being surprised by a long line that has formed at his truck. He didn’t realize that his son had posted the food truck’s location on Twitter. Academic research has shown that younger technology users are more comfortable with using new technologies. My experience with my own five-year-old daughter substantiates this research. My daughter picks up new technologies right away; for instance, she takes pictures on my iPhone and started using the iPad with ease at the young age of two. I’ve noticed that her little friends are all very technical, as well. That’s why I especially enjoyed that part of the movie.
In addition, I liked how the movie showed how small businesses, such as restaurants and food trucks, can benefit from a social media presence. The Boston Globe ran an article last year that talked about how chefs, in particular, are using social media tools such as Twitter and Instagram to not only drum up business, but also create a dialog with customers and other chefs. “In the past, restaurants measured satisfaction by tips and success by reservations; self-promotion was limited to traditional ads. Now chefs have an instant barometer. With every Facebook “like” and Twitter retweet, they know who likes what —which helps them anticipate the public’s desires and thus improve their bottom line.”
The Boston Globe article also talked about how some chefs are hiring social media managers. As we discussed in a previous blog post, managing social media while trying to keep up with your small business can become quite overwhelming. Companies that handle your social media needs, like Clear Message Media, can enhance and maintain your online presence. In addition, social media experts can help you craft messages that will reach your intended audience. And (without giving too much of the plot away), can help you avoid potential social media disasters like Casper experienced in the movie.
Overall, the movie did a terrific job highlighting how social media has become so much a part of our everyday lives. Just like You’ve Got Mail underscored the value of e-mail, Chef provides a modern-day tribute to the rising power of social media.
Have you seen Chef? What are your thoughts? And, what other movies can you think of that have made a strong reference to social media? We’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
