THE INGREDIENTS TO GOOD CONTENT: FROM A TV HOST CHEF

It’s a whirlwind time to be a business owner in the food and drink industry. Whether running a restaurant, a food production facility, or a hyper-local artisanal foods enterprise, we are coming into an era when more and more Lebanese are changing the way they think about what they eat, drink, and feed their families.

What are corporate folks eating these days, and how do they choose their meals? Is it based on digital transparency?

BIM POS sits with Chef Leila Fethallah, Fatafeat exclusive chef, to know more about her newly launched business L Cuisine which caters to offices in Beirut, and how her success story as a Chef has gone hand in hand with Digital Marketing.

How do you evaluate Digital Food Marketing Trends Nowadays?

All of our interactions with food have become hyper-digital and socially shared. Photos and videos of prepared meals fill my Instagram and Facebook news feeds. Recently, I do rely very much on social media to promote my new launched catering company L Cuisine. I believe the more artfully and natural the media is, the more viral it goes.

So, you are saying that it holds a positive impact on your business?

Definitely, these food marketing trends have helped me get fun viral food videos underway or make creative recipes, but I believe it can also hurt our business’ reputation if it’s not handled correctly, or if one’s inner voice does not show to people. Faking marketing and social media interaction can be easily sensed by audience as they can feel it.

How do you promote L Cuisine?

I use promotions that very closely appeal to customers’ or audience’s emotions and the issues they care most about.

Tell us more about it?

My team and I reflect on audience needs; audience is mainly from the corporate world; for example we include tasting events for select kinds of foods, cooking demonstrations, the latest event was held in Kuwait. We also publicize for our lunch box as catering to specific requests like including items with less sugar, or sugar free…we are very flexible.

How do you make sure your content is relevant?

I use my business’ social media pages to address employees and employers who choose to eat from a healthy home-made lunch box. I know how they wish to have it. “They want a mama’s box at work.”

I emphasize on quality and affordability in my posts. In addition to the diet changes I advertise for (as less greasy, and less artificial material), my posts highlight affordable price that is $11.50/lunch box. It’s all about credibility and honesty I believe.

Does your food look like a supermodel; I mean does it have to be?

Actually I make sure it looks amazing. I don’t always need to hire a professional food photographer; sometimes a good eye, a sense of composition, and a smartphone or digital camera work miracles. I wasn’t that good in capturing photos; but with time I learned how to focus on bright colors and twists that will make the offering simple and appealing.