Technology dictating peoples food decisions
ILLOVO - THE foodie culture is a new and uprising culture among Joburgers and it would appear that technology is driving this new rage.
This according to food blogger Steven Steinfeld (@thejoburgfoodie), who believes technology is changing the way people make their dining decisions.
Speaking to The Rosebank Killarney Gazette at a Zomato foodie meet-up, with some well-known bloggers, at Illovo-based restaurant, Epscondido, Steinfeld said he believed today’s generation was turning to social media and its ever-growing array of influencers to see what’s ‘in’.
“I think as more people become interested in exploring restaurants, cuisines and dishes, social media pages and discovery platforms help expose them to places and dishes they may not have heard of before, by allowing them to see what’s on offer without having to go out and find it themselves.”
As a foodie, Steinfeld said he’s found himself turning to online restaurant directories such as Zomato, simply because they make it easier for anyone to find any restaurant.
Marketing manager for Zomato South Africa, Cara Lee Hedding, said the company found it important to work with the restaurant industry to create a thriving foodie culture in South Africa and the Foodie Meet-up was just one of the ways they knew how.
“We see on social media networks how more people have started to develop an interest in exploring restaurants, cuisines and dishes they may have heard of or seen somewhere; and the restaurant directories are merely just exposing those people to those restaurants,” she said.
“The foodie culture is growing because these online directories and other social media platforms are allowing foodies and bloggers to connect and share information. The foodie meet-ups are just an extension of this growing phenomenon.”
