Frequently Asked Questions

Chef

  • Quick Starttop

    There's so much here, where do I start?
    Start with a picture. Then add your essential and extended information.

    Every day, answer the QOTD and Trend questions. They post on Soapbox for free so it is a way to get your name and work out there at no cost. They are also featured on our front page with pretty pictures so they are the first place everyone will go. You want to be where everyone is going, right?
    Next up, before you upgrade your account to premium and pay anything, start tackling your Behind the Line profile.

       * Your Background is most useful to a journalist wanting to write a feature story about you.
       * Your Philosophies and Inspirations likely contain a slew of story leads.
       * The Help for Home Cooks/Bartenders is going to be heavily read — and used — by diners.
       * Travel Guides, once you all start filling them out, are going to be an amazing resource. (Think about it, do people want to read what journalists think are the places to dine in a given city, or do they want to read what the chefs think? Let's consider this a class project and work on this together.)
       * Trends. You know the media's obsession about trends. This is where you feed the beast.
       * On the Job, Just for Fun, etc. — get to it when you can, a little at a time.

  • Account Setuptop

    I am trying to create a restaurant profile and I can't see the name of the person I want to list as my Spoonfeed Account Administrator. What should I do?
    Your Spoonfeed Account Administrator first and foremost needs a personal account. So, the first thing you should do is make sure they have a Personal Profile by checking the Profile Directory. If they do have an account, you then need to make sure they are a part of your restaurant account. To add them to your restaurant profile, you should navigate to "Edit My Restaurant" and then select the name of the restaurant you are editing. Click the Staff tab and then click "Add Employee." Enter their name in the text box and click "Submit." If their profile comes up, hit yes. If not, and you are sure they have a Personal Profile, please check the spelling of their name.
    Do you have any tips for adding our restaurant address?
    Your Spoonfeed account acts as an online press kit for your restaurant, so ensuring that all information is entered correctly is essential. For your address, it is essential that you list the entire address, including the number, the street name (in full, spelled correctly and using proper capitalization).

    Pro Tip: It might behoove you to check the address one last time to make sure that what you have listed is correct and in full. You can do that through Zip Code search online. We've had some people list their wrong address — hey, it happens.
    Our address is wrong, can we change it?
    You can update and correct all information in Spoonfeed and we encourage you to do so! Media don't mind corrections — they mind when information isn't corrected!
    Should I list my name or my restaurant's name in my user details?
    When you are working on your personal profile, you should most definitely be listing your personal information, not your restaurant's. Our site is designed so that you will get the maximum benefit if you use the system as it was intended rather than try and game portions of it to attempt to create an advantage.
    How important is adding a correct restaurant name? 
    Inputting your correct and full name is vital as the purpose of Spoonfeed is not just to increase your online influence and help you share effectively, but to also create an accurate and complete database of information about your restaurant. By omitting a "The" or an "accent mark" or listing the name in shorthand, you are not only not contributing to your online influence, you are making it difficult for diners and media to find you.
    Most people know my restaurant by it's shorthand name, not it's full name, should I just add the shorthand version?
    Inputting your correct and full name is vital as the purpose of Spoonfeed is not just to increase your online influence and help you share effectively, but to also create an accurate and complete database of information about your restaurant. By omitting a "The" or an "accent mark" or listing the name in shorthand, you are not only not contributing to your online influence, you are making it difficult for diners and media to find you.
    What is featured on my Personal Profile?
    Your Personal Profile was designed to showcase you and help manage your online presence. We have included all the information media need to write about you, as well as a large database of questions designed to help you share your background, inspirations, philosophies and opinions.

    Profile essentials include the things that should be included in a traditional bio but often aren't. It's a lot of information, but there's media gold in these details, so we encourage our members to include everything.

    Also included is a section called Behind the Line. Behind the Line is a database of more than 10,000 questions that were designed to showcase you. Behind the Line prompts you to share your thoughts and stories about your career, background, philosophies, and inspirations, as well as share your opinions about trends, home cooking/bartending, and where to eat and drink around the world.

  • Backgroundtop

    What is featured on my Personal Profile?
    Your Personal Profile was designed to showcase you and help manage your online presence. We have included all the information media need to write about you, as well as a large database of questions designed to help you share your background, inspirations, philosophies and opinions.

    Profile essentials include the things that should be included in a traditional bio but often aren't. It's a lot of information, but there's media gold in these details, so we encourage our members to include everything.

    Also included is a section called Behind the Line. Behind the Line is a database of more than 10,000 questions that were designed to showcase you. Behind the Line prompts you to share your thoughts and stories about your career, background, philosophies, and inspirations, as well as share your opinions about trends, home cooking/bartending, and where to eat and drink around the world.
    What does "Edit my profile" link direct me to?
    You can start or edit your Personal Profile by clicking My Profile
    So it's free to join?
    Yes. And our products will always be free for media and diners. Restaurant professionals, restaurants and publicists join for free to build and archive their online press kits and gain access to incoming local and national media requests. Once their press kits have basic content, if they choose to take advantage of our Premium features and benefits, they can upgrade to an affordable Premium account.
    Will media see my username?
    Yes, your username ends up being part of the URL so while they will have to look a bit, the media can, in fact, see your username, so it is important to pick something professional.  If you have discovered this after picking a username, you can change it by navigating to "edit my profile," and then the Account tab.
    Is there a user guide that helps me learn how to maximize Spoonfeed?
    Yes, you can access our user-guide here. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help you use Spoonfeed effectively.
    Do Newsfeed items get sent to media?
    Yes, Newsfeed items are packaged up as standalone releases and delivered to email inboxes of media who have signed up to receive news from our members. The release features your restaurant, media contact, and whatever information you input into Newsfeed, so it is best to make sure it is professional-sounding, complete and as gramatically correct as possible. Let us know if we can help before you post if you aren't sure.
    Why would I post to On the Menu?
    When you post your photo to Twitter, it becomes part of a stream. A few people will see it, but then it gets swept up in the flow and is gone. When you post to Facebook, you can at least file that photo on your restaurant's fan page. But in general, the platform is limited and not very professional. When you post to On the Menu (which allows you to autopost to Twitter and Facebook as well), you are presenting your food in a professional setting, beside your peers, and archiving the item and photo in your online press kit. It is searchable forever, precisely where media can find it when they are researching a topic. 
    Why would I post to On the Menu?
    When you post your photo to Twitter, it becomes part of a stream. A few people will see it, but then it gets swept up in the flow and is gone. When you post to Facebook, you can at least file that photo on your restaurant's fan page. But in general, the platform is limited and not very professional. When you post to On the Menu (which allows you to autopost to Twitter and Facebook as well), you are presenting your food in a professional setting, beside your peers, and archiving the item and photo in your online press kit. It is searchable forever, precisely where media can find it when they are researching a topic. 
    What happens when I grant someone editing privileges?
    When you grant another user editing privlides, they can access all parts of your personal profile and edit any part of it. They can also respond to Behind the Line and Front Burner questions "as if they are posting as you." They can not respond to media requests or other personal communications as you.
    What can I do on the "edit my restaurants" tab?
    When you click on "My Restaurant" you are directed to a page where you can select a restaurant (many members are associated with more than one) and then edit your Restaurant Profile (if you have permission to do so).
    What can I do on the "edit my profile" tab?
    When you click on "My Profile" you are directed to a page where you can edit your Personal Profile. There, you can access tabs such as "account" and "resume" to edit those portions of your Profile.
    What happens to my answers to travel questions?
    When you answer items in the travel guide, your answers post to your online profile. They can also be shared with your friends and followers via Soapbox. As we gather up a critical mass of responses from chefs, we will be showcasing the information on our diner-focused website and initiatives.
    How do I know if my news is "important enough" to send to the media?                     
    We’re here for you. It takes some practice to learn what is appropriate and what isn't, and if you are unsure you can always send the item to us at ellen@restaurantintelligenceagency.com and we'll be happy to let you know if you should post it.
    Being careful about what you send to the media is important because you don't want them to get into a habit of ignoring you. That said, we do have filters in our system so that media can sign up for the news they want — and not get blasted with news they don't need. That is why we set up categories, so media can sign up to get specific categories of news from specific cities or metro areas.
    Why do so many of the questions seem to be the same thing?
    We're trying to get the best stories out of each chef, mixologist and sommelier, so that they share the stories that make them unique — building friends and followers (fans!) along the way. Not every question is going to strike you as one that will have a meaningful answer, so just move on and find one that does! It's amazing, though, how subtle differences in the questions will elicit different — and important — responses.
    I don't want to reveal my contact information; do I have to?
    We take your privacy seriously so no, you absolutely don't need to share your contact information, which is why we give you the option. And rest assured that if you work at a restaurant, any journalist worthy of their reporter's notebook can find you. But, make it easy on them and, really, they'll be more likely to write about you. Later when we launch Mediafeed, there will be a privacy feature so that only the media can view your contact info.
    Why do I have to add contact information?
    We need a way to help you access your account should you loose your password — and we'd like a way to reach you if we have some tips and hints that can help you look good in front of media. 
    The Resume sections seem pretty detailed; why can't I just post my bio?
    We have yet to see a bio that covered everything the media need to know, and we can count on one finger the number of bios that were actually interesting to read. It takes some time to fill out your essential and extended information but believe us, there's gold in them there details. After all, it wouldn't be strange for a journalist to do a story on chefs who've done a stage at Daniel vs. French Laundry vs. El Bulli. And best of all, your personality isn't being filtered out of your life story.
    What is a Metro Area?
    We have identified the key regions across the country as Metro Areas for the ease of media research. Various publishing entities cover different "beats" from a single city to a region to the entire country. And when national publications do feature stories and roundups, they tend to want a balanced geographical representation, so we're helping make it easy for them to find and include you.
    Why should I hook up my personal Twitter and Facebook to Spoonfeed?
    We have built some powerful social influencing tools into Spoonfeed, so when you hook up your Facebook and Twitter account to Spoonfeed, and elect to autoshare your responses, you are actually setting the stage to impacting your online influence. It's the easiest way to ensure you are developing digital clout without having to worry about understanding SEO, digital marketing and or even how to develop strategic online content.
    What happens when I select keywords for my restaurant?
    We designed Spoonfeed to offer media many ways to find your restaurant through keywords and filters. The keywords are one of those systems, letting media and diners select keywords to help them find all the chefs and restaurants that associate with that word. The more of these tools you take advantage of, the more times you'll show up when someone is looking for a restaurant just like yours!
    Why is it important to add a James Beard Region?
    We designed Spoonfeed to offer media many ways to find you through keywords and filters. James Beard region is one of our filters, letting media and diners select a region and find all the chefs and restaurants in that region. The more of these tools you take advantage of, the more times you'll show up when someone is looking for a restaurant just like yours!
    Where do these questions come from and why do I have to answer them?
    We craft our questions based on seasonality, trending topics and national events to let your voice be heard. You don't have to answer every question, but we hope you'll answer the most relevant ones to get more exposure and keep yourself in the conversation.
    Why do I have to indicate if I was the chef in charge of the menu?
    We actually added this for the folks over at Food & Wine because they are always looking for definitive information about how long their prospective picks have been chefs, which they define as being in charge of the menu. Remember, don't fudge the information because your career is likely documented online — but if you fill this out, you'll do much to help them and other writers who need this information.
    What does "venue" mean?
    Venue is an optional detail for businesses that are located inside hotels, shopping centers, museums, and the like. Listing your venue helps diners find you and helps media report your location accurately.
    Why are there so many Behind the Line questions?
    Two reasons: 1) because we know chefs have thousands of great stories to tell and that each one of those stories has the germ of a great article and we're trying to help you get more media coverage, and 2) because we are collecting vast amounts of data so that we can launch an awesome magazine that celebrates chefs — and is “written by” chefs using their Spoonfeed content — including you.
    What are Top Tags?
    Top Tags are the 15 keywords from Features you select to be showcased on your Restaurant Profile to be an at-a-glance overview of what your restaurant is all about. They are also utilized in all sharing from our site, embedding SEO into the shares in order to increase your online influence.
    What sort of emails will I get when I set my notifications?
    To reach notifications, navigate to My Profile > Edit Profile > Notifications

    You can get an alert when media and peers want to reach you:

    Regardless of how you set your Notifications, you will also receive Notifications which you access by visiting the Spoonfeed website. You can access more in-depth information on these message types below.

    Media Requests

    While we want to make connecting with media easy (and free!), we also want to make sure that you aren't shooting from the hip when you respond to a Media Request. So, when you get a Notification for a Media Request, you need to visit the website to respond. It is a little thing to help you focus on the importance of the message.

    Administrative Notices

    You will also receive Administrative Notices that you'll need to navigate to the site to read. While you're there, take a few moments to update your Profile, add a little bit to your job history or add a link to your latest media accolade.

    Messages From Your Peers and Coworkers

    Other Spoonfeed members can connect with you privately by using our messaging system.
    Can this replace my publicist?
    Though many restaurants who can't afford to hire a publicist use Spoonfeed quite successfully as their entire "marketing strategy," Spoonfeed is not a replacement for a good, conscientious publicist.

    That said, unless you have an in-house publicist who is privy to all your new dishes, the exciting new products bartenders are experimenting with, and what the forager just brought in, you likely could benefit from what Spoonfeed can help you do — share what's going on in your restaurant each day in a way that builds your influence and gets results.
    What are Areas of Expertise?
    This is where you choose the topic/s you can speak to media about with enough authority to contribute a viable response to a media request.
    Why do I have to record which cuisines I am known for?
    This is another keyword section that helps media find you. The more tools we can give them to discover you, the more likely they will write about you.
    Why do you ask about Metropolitan Area and Region?                                         
    These two fields are structured to help us deliver information to media. They need to be filled out correctly, and if you have any questions, please ask us to help you. Metropolitan Area is a quick reference for media; Region matches the James Beard Foundation’s geographical breakdown.
    What is the point of adding stages and internships?
    These intervals are among the most important building blocks in your career. Share them and you shed light on your career path that helps media and diners get a fuller picture of who you are.
    Can't the media just look up my resume somewhere? Why do I have to add everything?
    There are bits and pieces of a chefs resume scattered in stories and blogs online. But even for the most famous of chefs, a complete record of his career, including dates and details, is hard to come by for media. We added a section for you to digitally house the details of your career once and for all. Once you input your relevant background, it will be archived and editable for eternity. Just do it this one more time, and you can refer media and diners to it forever.
    Some of these questions seem a little silly, why should I answer them?
    The unfortunate reality is that the things that diners most love to discover and media most need chefs to weigh in on are the very questions chefs hate most. We realize that some questions seem frivolous to some people. We're trying to draw out the personalities of our members, and we want some of our content to be light and fun. But everyone has a different idea of what's "fun." If you find a question annoying, don't be the snarky answer guy/gal, just skip it. We're pretty sure you'll like some of the fun questions, but if you don't, just ignore them.
    Some of the questions seem kinda irrelevant; does anyone even care what I eat for breakfast?
    The questions were developed by food journalists, food publicists and fanatical diners. Because, guess what, chefs, mixologists and sommeliers are fascinating people that seem to know better than the rest of us when it comes to anything gustatory. So, do tell us what you had for breakfast because we might find a better brand of oatmeal or we may find it charming that you start each day with a Cinnabon before cooking up food that makes us swoon. Or the magazine you've been dying to be featured in is doing a roundup on how chefs start their day...
    What is the point of entering in all this data, who is going to see it?
    The media, diners, colleagues, potential employers, investors, award-granters ... all of these people can access your profile to learn more about you. There's no need to do it all at once; by inputting a few answers at a time, you are ultimately creating and archiving the most complete backgrounder/profile imaginable that you can refer anyone to for the remainder of your career.
    Why do I have to add my non-industry education?
    The goal of Spoonfeed is to help you share the information media need to write about you and if you had a significant — even if short — non-culinary education, well, that is definitely something that media need to know.
    Why do I have to add my non-industry experience?
    The goal of Spoonfeed is to help you share the information media need to write about you and if you had a significant — even if short — non-culinary career, well, that is definitely something that media need to know.
    Why do you ask so many questions?
    The food world has turned into a spectator sport, with chefs as the color commentators. The 24-hour food channels may not teach us to cook, but they sure do teach us to want to be insiders of the culinary world.
    What are all those posts on the Dashboard? What's on the Spoonfeed dashboard?  
    The dashboard let's you see the latest posts by our members. We include recent A la Minute, On the Menu, Newsfeed, What's New, Question of the Day and Behind the Line posts. The media can see this stream so they can keep up with what's going on in restaurants.
    What's on the Spoonfeed dashboard?
    The dashboard let's you see the latest posts by our members. We include recent A la Minute, On the Menu, Newsfeed, What's New, Question of the Day and Behind the Line posts. The media can see this stream so they can keep up with what's going on in restaurants.
    Why is the summary so short?
    The best summary is like an appetizer — flavorful and interesting and leaving them wanting more. If the media want more, they'll dig into your profile and learn more. 
    Where should I share my inspirations and philosophies as well as record my ideas about the industry and trends.
    The Behind the Line questions pertaining to "State of the Industry/Trends," "Inspirations" and "Philosophies" are a good place to help you share the very things that make your approach to food interesting and unique.

    Filling out this section can do much to help media prepare for interviews with you — so if you are ever frustrated by a journalist who opens with "so, tell me about your cooking," this is a good place to focus some time and energy!

    Also, if you want to stand out from the crowd, the first step is to get people to notice you outside the restaurant as well as in. After all, not everyone will know why they should try your food — sharing your philosophies and ideas about food is one way of making sure they do!
    Where should I share details about my career and background?
    The Behind the Line Questions covering Background, Your Career and On the Job are designed to really flush out, once and for all, what made you who you are today. As with the rest of the Behind the Line, it is a place for you to record (once) the stories of your childhood and upbringing, the stops you made in your career along the way, and the realities of your day to day job so they can be found my media looking for an unique angle when they write about you.  Because your answers also show up on aggregated pages that are featured on our diner-focused site, Soapbox, it is also a way for you to be part of the story our site tells every day — inserting you in the picture so you get noticed.
    What is a Spoonfeed Account Administrator?
    The account administrator can control and edit all parts of a Restaurant Profile, including adding and removing staff. Administrators can grant editing access to anyone associated with the restaurant, but should be careful to grant administration privileges to only those whom you trust completely.

    Because a restaurant can have multiple account administrators, we recommend that an owner be listed as an account administrator to ensure that there is continuous ownership of the Spoonfeed account. The owner will not need to act as a daily administrator for the account, but this does ensure that there is someone with ultimate authority on the account should staffing change. 
    Why would I upgrade my personal account?  
    Spoonfeed is designed to showcase you and your career in a more robust, interesting and complete matter than you can with a traditional press bio. It is designed to let you fill in your profile behind the scenes, and then upgrade when you are ready for the world to see your content. If you find yourself wondering why no one has discovered you yet, you might want to work on getting yourself out there more aggressively. Our Personal Profiles are an effective way of doing that because media are coming here specifically to discover chefs, mixologists and sommeliers.
    Do you edit member posts?
    Spoonfeed is designed to post member content in their own words. We do not edit member content, although we reserve the right to remove posts we determine to be offensive, as well as random duplicate posts, email signatures and other visual clutter. Any unforeseen editorial issues that arise will be dealt with on an individual basis.
    Do I need to join if I have a publicist?
    Spoonfeed is designed to build your online influence by delivering tools that make social sharing engaging and effective. So, it really serves a different purpose than hiring a publicist (though it can impact the success of your PR — if you have a publicist or not!).

    First off, Spoonfeed creates a solid foundation for good marketing and PR — whether you have a publicist or not — because it helps you get all the stories, news and information that make your restaurant unique outside the four walls of your restaurant so people can discover you.
       * For those who don't have a publicist or social media consultant, RIA is a low-cost, easy-to-manage way to connect to media and a dining audience. It doesn't do everything a publicist would do, but it definitely gets you started.
       * For those who do, RIA is a way to make that relationship work harder for you by giving you a platform share the kind of information your team needs to promote you well. You hire them to promote you, we help you set them up for success by giving you a way to share what you know is most important — and promotable.
    Doesn't this take the place of PR?
    Spoonfeed is designed to build your online influence by delivering tools that make social sharing engaging and effective. So, it really serves a different purpose than hiring a publicist (though it can impact the success of your PR — if you have a publicist or not!).

    First off, Spoonfeed creates a solid foundation for good marketing and PR — whether you have a publicist or not — because it helps you get all the stories, news and information that make your restaurant unique outside the four walls of your restaurant so people can discover you.
       * For those who don't have a publicist or social media consultant, RIA is a low-cost, easy-to-manage way to connect to media and a dining audience. It doesn't do everything a publicist would do, but it definitely gets you started.
       * For those who do, RIA is a way to make that relationship work harder for you by giving you a platform share the kind of information your team needs to promote you well. You hire them to promote you, we help you set them up for success by giving you a way to share what you know is most important — and promotable.
    What kinds of messages can I receive?
    Spoonfeed has a number of message types:*Profile-building messages: these are the questions we prompt you with to let your voice be heard on current trends and issues, and to build your Spoonfeed Profile. These answers are archived and searchable by media. *Media Requests are from journalists who are looking for sources and information for their stories; *Admin Messages are messages from RIA Administrators; *Private Messages are just that; messages to you from other Spoonfeed members. Media can use this feature to contact you directly if you have a Premium account.
    Why is the restaurant description area so short?  
    Shorter descriptions encourage people to focus on the important details and, because we have so many other places for you to expand on all sorts of details, we feel that keeping this area short will encourage media to explore your content more.
    What is the difference between Question of the Day and What's New?
    Questions of the Day are designed to help you comment on topical stories in the news. They are about you, personally, and what you think on a given topic. What's New is designed to help restaurants be a part of trend and ingredient stories and are questions that ask the restaurant, as a whole, what's new on their menu.
    What are "Questions of the Day" and "What's New" questions for?
    Questions of the Day (QOTD) and What's New questions are designed to help you be a part of the culinary conversations of the day without having to follow along on Twitter all day to see what people are talking about or pay attention to what the media and diners are looking for right now.

    QOTD are questions pertaining to news of the day and are designed to be answered by individuals about their personal thoughts and opinions on a topic. What's New are questions pertaining to things going on in your restaurant — like trends and seasonal roundups — and are designed to showcase the restaurant. So, QOTD questions are for you, individually, to answer and What's New questions are for your restaurant to answer as a team.

    We built the system of QOTD and What's New to be as easy for you to participate in as possible — just hit reply to the emails you receive every day or so and your response will be captured by our system and included in the feature about that topic. 
    How do I get featured on the front page? Do I have to pay for that?
    Profiles featured on the front page are selected by us and the space is not available for purchase.
    Fill out your profile and write interesting answers. We are featuring the profiles that showcase what our service can do. Cream rises to the top. If your profile showcases what our service can do, by being vibrantly interesting and thorough, trust me, we'll find you!
     
    Why should I upload a photo?
    Profile photos are an integral part of your Spoonfeed profile. It is important to add a profile photo because people like communicating with other people they know and adding a photo offers the media and diners a way of feeling like they are getting to know you personally. It is the first step in making a connection which is the first step in good marketing.

    When you pick a photo, pick one that really showcases what you want people to know and think about you. Most headshots don't really accomplish this, but if it is a good one, by all means use it! Your profile photo doesn't have to be professional, but it should be clear, in-focus, and something you can be proud of.
    Why should I upgrade my Personal Profile?
    Premium Personal accounts are viewable on Soapbox by media and diners. When you upgrade to a Premium Personal Profile, you'll be found by media and diners looking to learn more about chefs, mixologists and sommeliers. You can also use your Personal Profile as a "home base" for your online brand, linking your profile to Facebook and Twitter so your fans can learn more about you in a professional setting.

    Steps to Upgrade:

    Make sure you have filled out your Summary, Résumé and Account info (we want this to work for you)
    Navigate to My Profile > Account > Upgrade to Premium under page Account Status
    Fill in your credit card information (you will be automatically billed $50 per month — no contracts, cancel when you want)
    How do I know when I should post to Newsfeed?
    Post to Newsfeed when you have news to share with media and diners. The goal here is to present your information professionally and completely, using full sentences and good grammar. Do not post to Newsfeed if you do not have all the details of your event worked out, such as price or menu. The reason for that is that media need the details in order to write up your news and if you only give partial information, you are just inviting them to call and get the missing info. So, it is better just to add it.

    We provide a number of categories for you to use that are great prompts for you to determine if a news item you post is "newsworthy" for media:

    Chef's Tasting Event — if you are offering a one-time or short-run chef's tasting or degustation; include background of event & menu, time/date, price, menu, if reservations are required and how to make them. Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Cooking Class — if you are hosting a cooking class at your restaurant or another location; include background of class, time/date, price, links to recipes, if reservations are required and how to make them. Do not use this category for events run by other organizations as they are the primary media contact for that cooking class, not you.
    Dinner Series — if you are launching a new dinner series; include background of series, time/date, menu, price, if reservations are required and how to make them. Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Discount Dining Event — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Discount Dining Event; include background of event & menu, time/date, price, menu, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Family Event — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Family Event; include background of event & menu, time/date, price, menu, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Holiday Event — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Holiday Event; include background of event, time/date, price, menu, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Special Appearance — for special appearances in your restaurant, such as cookbook signings; and not for times your chef is appearing at someone else's event. Include background of event, bio of guest making appearance, time/date, price, menu if you are serving anything such as hors d'oeuvres, if reservations are required and how to make them.
    Special Dining Event — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Special Dining Event; include background of event & menu, time/date, price, menu, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Special Promotion — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Special Promotion; include background of event & menu, time/date, price, menu, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Tour — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Tour; include background and logistics of tour, time/date, price, menu if applicable, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Wine Event  — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Wine Event; include background of event & menu & wine, time/date, price, menu with wine pairings, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Beer Event — if you are offering a one-time or short-run Special Dining Event; include background of event & menu & beer, time/date, price, menu with beer pairings, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your event is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Beverage News — if you have recently updated your beverage menu significantly, do let the media know about it by posting to Newsfeed. You should include highlights and special background on how/why the list was put together as it was. Also, journalists like to know about trends so if your menu sets or relates to a trend, you are going to get more play if you note that. Do not post if do not have an actual menu or menu prices.
    Chef/Staff Changes — media obviously love to hear about significant staff changes. be sure your new staffer has a profile on Spoonfeed you can link to and double check the spelling of their name and any other businesses or restaurants you list in their job history. Try to be complete when posting, giving the media an idea about the person, why they were chosen for the job, what they are hoping to achieve in the new job and when, if applicable, their menu will be in place.
    Design News/Features — significant design changes, a new art show from local artist and any other significant design news goes here. Though we would caution to stay away from "ordinary touchups" and encourage you to focus on those things that would significant news to the outside public. Check the names of all producers or outside vendors and double confirm links to their website and their contact information.
    Featured Producers — if you have discovered a new featured producer or have started a significant program with a producer (such as a farmer growing food to spec), post it here. Please check the producer's name and links to the producer's website and list their contact information as well as the nature of the relationship and why you are specifically calling out this producer for attention.
    General News
    Gossip/Celebrity — if a celebrity dines in your restaurant and you would like to make an official announcement, add it here. Be careful, the goal is to protect the privacy of the celebrity while also giving your establishment a bit of street cred. Double check the spelling of the celebrity's name before posting.
    Green News — anything from LEED certification to environment-focused events, implementation of a composting program to significant change in operations to accomodate environmental concerns should be listed here. You should include: background of event & relevant information on details of green initiative, time/date, price, menu if applicable, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your Green News is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Kids News — if you have a new kid menu, a children's program or a kid-focused event, post it here with all important details. You should include: background of event & relevant information on age appropriateness, time/date, price, menu if applicable, if reservations are required and how to make them.  Do not post if your Kid News is in early planning stages and you do not have a menu or price.
    Listings Updates (hours/etc.) — media who maintain listings in publications and online have signed up to receive updates on hours, etc. Please do post a short item to keep them up-to-date.
    Menu News  — if you have recently updated your one of your menus significantly, do let the media know about it by posting to Newsfeed. You should include highlights and special background on how/why the menu was put together as it was. Also, journalists like to know about trends so if your menu sets or relates to a trend, you are going to get more play if you note that. Do not post if do not have an actual menu or menu prices.
    New Photos Available
    Vegetarian/Vegan  — if you have recently updated your beverage menu significantly, do let the media know about it by posting to Newsfeed. You should include highlights and special background on how/why the list was put together as it was. Also, journalists like to know about trends so if your menu sets or relates to a trend, you are going to get more play if you note that. Do not post if do not have an actual menu or menu prices.
    Wine News  — if you have recently updated your wine menu significantly, do let the media know about it by posting to Newsfeed. You should include highlights and special background on how/why the list was put together as it was. Also, journalists like to know about trends so if your menu sets or relates to a trend, you are going to get more play if you note that. You can also post news such as a new private label wine you are carrying or other unique, custom or first available wines news. Do not post if do not have an actual menu or menu prices.
    Media Coverage
    Why don't you let everyone join?
    Our system is built with what is known as "structured content," which is internet-speak for "everything is specifically designed to promote one type of restaurant." Our features, for example, are designed to showcase the frequent menu changes that occur in chef-driven restaurants — which can happen daily. We hope to accommodate other restaurant and culinary professionals soon!
    Why are most of the specialties listed geared toward chefs?
    Our growing site has been focused on chefs from chef-driven restaurants since its inception. While we currently also feature beverage professionals and owners, we continue to emphasize that core group, with plans to expand into other related areas in the future.
    Why do you send so many questions each week?  
    Our goal is twofold: to help you share what media need to know and what diners want to know and to ensure a consistent presence on the internet. So, we send a number of questions each wek to ensure that you are top of mind with media and diners.
    Why are there so many questions?
    Our goal is to create the most thorough archive of chefs, their experience, their point of view, their inspirations — everything media and diners could conceivably want to know about you. You don't need to answer every question, just the ones that speak to you (and since different ones will speak to different chefs so we have lots of questions!). 
    Can I use A la Minute as an individual user or do I have to be a restaurant?
    Our goal is to connect restaurants to audiences that matter, so many of our most powerful features are designed for restaurants rather than individuals. We will certainly continue to build out our personal profiles, though, so please let us know if you have any ideas and suggestions of things you'd like to see!

    To access A la Minute or On The Menu, create a Restaurant Profile for your restaurant so you can post there.
    Can I use On the Menu as an individual user or do I have to be a restaurant?
    Our goal is to connect restaurants to audiences that matter, so many of our most powerful features are designed for restaurants rather than individuals. To access On the Menu, create a Restaurant Profile for your restaurant so you can post there.
    How do diners find out about On The Menu items?
    On the Menu posts are included in all our newsletters, which go to diners as well as media. You can also autopost to Twitter and Facebook from On the Menu, ensuring that you are taking advantage of our SEO optimization tools just by posting!
    Do On The Menu items get sent to media?
    On the Menu posts are all our newsletters, which go to media as well as diners. 
    What is On The Menu for?
    On the Menu is where our members post the latest dishes, desserts, drinks, special beers and unique wines for sharing with diners and media. Like everything else on our site, it is designed to solve a specific problem — how to let the media know what's new on menus now in a searchable, professional format.  
    What is On the Menu?
    On the Menu is where our members post the latest dishes, desserts, drinks, special beers and unique wines for sharing with diners and media. Like everything else on our site, it is designed to solve a specific problem — how to let the media know what's new on menus now in a searchable, professional format. 
    What are the cuisines for?
    Obviously media want to know what you're cooking now, but they also want to know — and probably don't know — what cuisines you are well-versed in enough to be queried about and/or included in other stories.
    Do you share my contact information with anyone? Ever?
    No, we do not share, sell or barter your contact information with anyone. Nor will we. Ever.
    Do Press Releases get distributed to media?
    No, items posted in Press Releases do not get distributed to media. We added that feature as most restaurant publicists do not have online press rooms and thus nowhere to house their press releases online.
    Is this just another site that I have to visit?
    No — it will be the only site you have to visit. Our goal is to create a complete and full-service platform for managing your online marketing. A ground zero, if you will.

    First off, you should consider your Spoonfeed account as an online press kit. By simply filling in all the applicable questions and fields, you will be providing media with a comprehensive, searchable and always available research center for learning about your restaurant and key staff. We have also included a media request feature media use to contact our members when they are working on stories and need sources.

    At present, you can link your Facebook and Twitter to Spoonfeed and, by generating content from this site, ensure that you are more effectively impacting your online influence than if you posted directly to the social feeds.

    Next up, you will be able to upload your customer list and our site will auto-generate an email newsletter to your customers, keeping them abreast of your news automatically.
    How do diners find out about Newsfeed items?
    Newsfeed posts are included in all our newsletters, which go to diners as well as media. You can also autopost to Twitter and Facebook from Newsfeed, ensuring that you are taking advantage of our SEO optimization tools just by posting!
    What is Newsfeed for?
    Newsfeed is where Spoonfeed members post the "official news" they want to get out to the media — and to diners. Think of this section is where you post your "press releases" on news, events and information in a slightly more formal format. On Newsfeed, media expect news they can use, written professionally and completely. 
    What is Newsfeed?
    Newsfeed is where Spoonfeed members post the "official news" they want to get out to the media — and to diners. Think of this section is where you post your "press releases" on news, events and information in a slightly more formal format. On Newsfeed, media expect news they can use, written professionally and completely. 
    Can I use Newsfeed as an individual user or do I have to be a restaurant?
    Newsfeed is specifically designed to get news into the hands of media and news is generally associated with a restaurant, even if it is about a chef or person. So, Newsfeed is a restaurant-only feature. If you would like to post press information to Newsfeed, please create a restaurant page for your restaurant and you can access it through there.
    What’s the difference between A la Minute and Newsfeed?
    Newsfeed is for press releases that the media might write about. When you post to Newsfeed, be complete with all the info you would get to the media about the event, promotion, etc. Or if you release a new menu, that the menu is uploaded and linked. We send Newsfeed posts to media directly. If your news is more oriented toward diners (say, your new menu starts Thursday but is not linked), it’s probably a better fit for A la Minute, which is also featured in our Daily Dineline newsletters. Both of these features (and their distribution) are available to Premium members only.
    What’s the difference between A la Minute and Newsfeed?
    Newsfeed is for press releases that the media might write about. When you post to Newsfeed, be complete with all the info you would get to the media about the event, promotion, etc. Or if you release a new menu, that the menu is uploaded and linked. We send Newsfeed posts to media directly. If your news is more oriented toward diners (say, your new menu starts Thursday but is not linked), it’s probably a better fit for A la Minute, which is also featured in our Daily Dineline newsletters. Both of these features (and their distribution) are available to Premium members only.
    What’s the difference between A la Minute and Newsfeed?
    Newsfeed is for press releases that the media might write about. When you post to Newsfeed, be complete with all the info you would get to the media about the event, promotion, etc. Or if you release a new menu, that the menu is uploaded and linked. We send Newsfeed posts to media directly. If your news is more oriented toward diners (say, your new menu starts Thursday but is not linked), it’s probably a better fit for A la Minute, which is also featured in our Daily Dineline newsletters. Both of these features (and their distribution) are available to Premium members only.
    Why would I post to Newsfeed?
    Newsfeed gets your news in the email inbox of media around your town, the country and internationally — as part of your membership. It is the cheapest way to reach a dedicated audience of food, lifestyle and business media. It also posts to Soapbox so diners can keep abreast of what you’re doing.
    Why would I post to Newsfeed?
    Newsfeed gets your news in the email inbox of media around your town, the country and internationally — as part of your membership. It is the cheapest way to reach a dedicated audience of food, lifestyle and business media. It also posts to Soapbox so diners can keep abreast of what you’re doing.
    How does the media interact with SpoonFeed?
    Media use Spoonfeed to send you media requests, view your press kits, search for story leads and data, see exclusive behind-the-scene information about you and the restaurant, and monitor trends that we note and you respond to. It is a one-stop-shop for everything reporters need, making it easier for you to manage your PR without a middle man and freeing up our time to concentrate on what matters most.
    What does it mean if my account is Basic?
    Media and diners cannot see Basic accounts. We built our system that way because we want users to take time building out their Profiles before sharing them with the world. So remember, if you have a Basic account, media and diners can't see the Spoonfeed content you’re posting.
    What is a James Beard Region?
    Just like it sounds, these are the actual regions the James Beard Foundation uses to categorize award nominees. Many media instantly recognize these regions as a sort of geographic shorthand — and of course, you might someday be nominated for a James Beard award (if you haven't been already). 
    What is the fact sheet for? 
    Just like in old school paper press kits, our Fact Sheets are an easy, organized listing of the essential facts media need to know about your restaurant. How important is the fact sheet?      Spoonfeed is, first and foremost, designed for media to get the information they need to write about you. It is a blueprint, so to speak, for you to create and maintain an online press kit. An accurate, up-to-date fact sheet is the foundation of any press kit, online or not. Fill it out. Fill it all out. 
    Why do I have to indicate the chef in charge of the menu?
    Journalists are often doing roundups which outline who worked for whom and when. Adding this little bit of information really helps the media who are researching stories.
    How much does it cost to join?
    It's free to join and you'll immediately begin to receive Media Requests from journalists working on stories. You can begin responding to these immediately, connecting to the media for free.
    What is a Media Contact?
    If you prefer to have someone else field initial media requests and contacts, you would list him or her here. Be sure to choose someone who is reasonably available and informed about you and your restaurant.
    What happens on my personal account if I set up my Facebook and Twitter? 
    If you link your personal account to your Facebook and Twitter profiles, you can elect to autopost your Behind the Line, What's New and Question of the Day answers to your personal feeds.
    Why would I post to A la Minute?
    If you ever wondered how to let everyone know about some awesome special you've created or some new beer you’ve tapped, then welcome to A la Minute. The foundation of marketing is letting people know what you are doing — so we built a way to communicate to the people who matter. A la Minute reaches a much larger audience of diners than your own social media — and you can link your A la Minute content to your Facebook and Twitter accounts to reach your friends and followers.
    Why would I post to A la Minute?
    If you ever wondered how to let everyone know about some awesome special you've created or some new beer you’ve tapped, then welcome to A la Minute. The foundation of marketing is letting people know what you are doing — so we built a way to communicate to the people who matter — in a way that helps you build your influence and SEO. A la Minute reaches a much larger audience of diners than your own social media — and reaches your own friends and followers as well with an SEO-enabled sharing platform that helps you create online buzz.
    Why do I need to upload a photo?
    If you don't upload a photo, you miss out on the opportunity to get yourself in front of media professionally and start developing a relationship with them by connecting with them as a person.
    Can media see my Profile on Spoonfeed? 
    If you are a Premium member, they can! If you are a Basic member, they can not. The media can only see the Profiles of Premium members. If you have uploaded a lot of material and are ready to share it, it’s time to upgrade to a Premium account so the media can learn about you!
    Why should I grant someone editing privileges?
    Granting someone editing privledges to your account will allow someone else, say your publicist or assistant, to post to your account without having to access your private password. We built in this feature as we understand that chefs are busy and may need help from time to time. 
    What is Front Burner?                                 
    Front Burner is the area of Spoonfeed where we collect information about trends, news of the day and other timely topics. Front Burner not only lets you and your restaurant weigh in on things that diners and media are talking about, it also is an area that will be accessed heavily by media and diners when we roll out our new plans for relaunching Soapbox, the digital magazine written by chefs.
    Can anyone join?
    For now, our site is limited to chef-driven restaurants and their staffs. As we continue to grow, we will begin to open up membership to other types of restaurants, food producers, distillers and breweries.

       * Chefs, owners, mixologists, sommeliers and restaurants join Spoonfeed to create their online press kits, release their daily news and reach more media and diners.
       * Publicists use Spoonfeed to streamline promotion of their clients, collaboratively managing their accounts online to save time and get more media coverage.
       * Media use Spoonfeed to query members directly, research facts and menus, pick up photos for publication, and get inspiration and ideas.
    How do media use Top Tags?
    First and foremost, Top Tags are an at-a-glance look at your restaurant, offering up a shorthand version of what is important to you and what you want people to know. Beyond that, they are clickable words the media and diners use to filter the list of restaurants on our site in order to make sure they are discovering you when they are searching for information.

    Last but not least, keywords that help you develop and grow your online influence. We have embedded your restaurant's keywords into all of the sharing that originates from our site, ensuring that every share directly impacts your search rankings. By answering questions and shaing them in your social feeds, you are making tangible improvements in your online influence, SEO and the chances that people will discover your restaurant in random searches online.
    How does Features work?
    Features are the workhorse of your online press kit. The section includes both keywords and online press questions. There are four different sections to features: Cuisine, Beverage, Design, Other. Be sure to explore and fill out all four sections as fully as you can (it might take you some time but you only have to do it once!).

    The keywords are clickable and help media find you by associating you with a topic they are researching. They are also the pool of words you can select from when you decide on your Top Tags, which we have designed to drive your online influence.

    The more extensive questions in Online Press Kit help you give the media detailed background that sparks story ideas and helps them craft stories about your restaurant. By spending some time filling out each question completely and compellingly, you are creating a vast repository of information

  • Best Praticestop

    What staff should I include?
    Your Spoonfeed Restaurant Profile is designed to be an online press kit, so you should include any staff you want the media to write about.
    Which staff should I list on Spoonfeed?
    Your Spoonfeed Restaurant Profile is designed to be an online press kit, so you should include any staff you want the media to write about.
    Do you have any tips for adding our restaurant city, state, zip?
    Your Spoonfeed account acts as an online press kit for your restaurant, so ensuring that all information is entered correctly is essential. For your city, state and aside from making sure it is accurate, it is also helpful to use standard capitalization. Typing in all lower case or upper case can look visually appealing but it is generally recognized as unprofessional. So, we always recommend following standard grammatical practices.
    How should I fill out my Background?
    Your background is designed to be a short, 250-word recap of your career. Hit the high points here and you can fill in the rest in your Behind the Line.
    How often should I update my menus?
    You should update your menus whenever you have a new menu, no matter how small the change. One of the biggest complaints about restaurants from both media and diners is that they do not make their most recent menus available online. It is your best sales tool, why ignore what it can do for you? It only takes a few seconds.
    Should I include a cookbook or book I was mentioned in or only one I wrote?
    You should definitely add any book you wrote or in which you played an integral role.
    What are the essential parts of the profile I should fill out so media can find me?
    You need to be Premium to be discovered by media, but if you are, the essential parts of your personal profile to fill out for discovery are: Name, photo, title, restaurant, cuisine, specialties
    You also need to be Premium for your restaurant to be discovered by media, but if you are, the essential parts of your restaurant profile to fill out for discovery are: Restaurant name, address, James Beard Region, Metro Area, Features and Top tags.

    Beyond that, there are keywords embedded in our search functions so the more information you fill out on your basic and restaurant profiles, the more ways you will turn up in the results when media and diners enter search terms.
    Can I use any profile picture I want?                                 
    You can, of course, but we want to remind you that Spoonfeed is designed to help you professionally. So, while a lot of people have fun with their Facebook pictures, you might want to stick with something more professional here.
    Should I select cuisines I am cooking now?
    Yes, the cuisine/s you are cooking now, as well as others you feel familiar enough with to contribute to that conversation.
    Shouldn't I just select all the keywords to ensure that media find my restaurant no matter what they search for?
    Whoa, hey there, Buster. Your intentions are surely good — one should always do the most they can to participate in their own media success. But not being forthright about what you can speak about would be good intentions gone wrong. Select only the keywords you feel you can talk about confidently and specifically with media. Your integrity will go a lot farther with media than duping them into contacting you!
    Should I answer questions with "No" or "Doesn't Apply?"
    While it is awesome you want to put in the 100% effort, you really should not answer a question unless you can offer up something meaningful. So, don't answer unless you have something amazing to say because these questions are designed to showcase you and your stories.
    How do I know when I should post to On The Menu?
    Whenever you have a new dish on your menu, you should post to On the Menu. The idea of On the Menu is to have a searchable, organized record of the food and beverage at your restaurant. So, the more you post, the more food and drinks you include in your database. Also, because diners love to read about new dishes and drinks, adding to On the Menu increases your online influence by drawing your audience in and making them a part of your restaurant. 
    How often should I update my pricing?
    Whenever there's a new menu, you should definitely revisit your pricing. Additionally, any time there is a price change to a significant percentage of the menu, it is a good cue for you to update those fields.
    Is there anything I should do when I upload a menu to make sure the media see my new menu?
    When you post a new menu, it is a good idea to add "Menu News" item to Newsfeed. All Newsfeed items are packaged up and sent to media as press alerts so the media would be alerted that a new menu is available.
    Should I hook up my personal or restaurant Twitter account?
    When it is shared, personal profile content maps to your personal Twitter profile and restaurant profile content maps to your restaurant's Twitter account. So, you should link both to your accounts.

    You can link your personal accounts in "edit my profile" and you can link your restaurant accounts in "edit my restaurant."
    Should I hook up my personal or restaurant Facebook account?
    When it is shared, personal profile content maps to your personal Facebook profile and restaurant profile content maps to your restaurant's Facebook account. So, you should link both to your accounts.

    You can link your personal accounts in "edit my profile" and you can link your restaurant accounts in "edit my restaurant."
    What are some examples of good headlines?
    Well, we love "The Sultan of Succotash" (Mike Lata),  "Chef/owner/writer/problem solver" (Jimmy Bannos), "Redefining fine dining" (Phillip Foss), "Rustic with a hint of badass" (Stephanie Izard), "All the meat fit to eat" (Rob Levitt),  "Comfort revisited" (Dan Smith), "Sommelier at large" (Belinda Chang), "Does this dish seem weird? It makes sense in my head" (Chrissy Camba) ... you get the idea. 
    What happens if I wait a week (or longer) before answering a "Question of the Day" or a "What's New" question?
    Well, the world will keep turning, but really, this system is designed to help you contribute to your own success. Like the lottery, you have to play to win! Also, if the question means a great deal to you, you should answer it whenever you can so that is becomes a permanent part of your profile.
    How often should I post to A La Minute?
    We recommend posting to as many of the prompts as possible each day, scheduling your entries to autopost to Twitter and/or Facebook throughout the afternoon and early evening. By posting all available information, you are helping keep your restaurant — and talents — top-of-mind with media and diners.
    How often should I post to On the Menu?
    We recommend one or two posts a day, keeping your restaurant — and talents — top-of-mind with media and diners. If you link up your restaurant's Facebook and Twitter accounts, you’ll also find that posting once or twice a day to On The Menu keeps your content fresh on those sites as well.
    How should I determine which stages/internships to include?
    We recommend a combination of the ones with recognizable chefs/restaurants and the ones where you learned the most, regardless of star power.
    Do I have to fill out all the fields in On the Menu?
    We highly recommend that you fill out all the fields when posting to On the Menu. This feature helps you keep a living record of your food, so you should take every reasonable opportunity to present it in its best light. Each of the fields — emphasis on price and keywords — was selected because makes a busy journalist’s job easier. Keywords are clickable on Spoonfeed, so adding keywords to your On the Menu posts ensures media will find your dish when they are doing research on a trend or ingredient. Don't use keywords that don't apply, but do select every keyword relevant to your post.
    Should I invite my staff to join SpoonFeed?
    We highly encourage it. SpoonFeed works at its best with complete staff involvement. Use it with your entire staff to share tasting notes, collaborate on ideas for new dishes, coordinate events planning — you name it. SpoonFeed is an internal communication tool that helps you manage your staff without managing more email.
    Should I answer old Questions of the Day? 
    We ensure that there is value in everything you post to Spoonfeed. First, you get the benefit of building, over time, a comprehensive database of your ideas, philosophies and inspirations. You can also share your responses on social sites, leveraging the influence-building tools we have integrated into all content shared from Spoonfeed. Finally, you are increasing the opportunities diners and media will have to find you by uploading more content. So, if the answer is important to you, we say go for it!
    Should I answer old What's New questions? 
    We ensure that there is value in everything you post to Spoonfeed. First, you get the benefit of building, over time, a comprehensive database of your ideas, philosophies and inspirations. You can also share your responses on social sites, leveraging the influence-building tools we have integrated into all content shared from Spoonfeed. Finally, you are increasing the opportunities diners and media will have to find you by uploading more content. So, if the answer is important to you, we say go for it!
    How important is it to fill out my Resume? 
    Very. Right now, it can be tough for media to get a snapshot of a chef's career by piecing together bits and pieces from a bio, Facebook, LinkedIn and stories written about you. Making it easy on them by filling out your Resume means you are making it easier for media to write about you — and also making sure that when they do, they don't call you (or your publicist) over and over with “just one more question.” Remember: you pay your publicist for their time, make sure they are set up for success so they can use it wisely.
    Should I use an official picture for my profile picture, or any picture I want?
    The profile photo is not "downloadable" so it won't be used in print by media. So, we say use a picture you love. This profile is designed to showcase you and your personality, not pigeonhole you or literally box you in. We'll be adding places you can upload pictures, official and not, soon. For now, have fun.
    What kind of photos should I upload to the photos tab?  
    The Photos tab is where you can post your press photos. These are photos for which you have promotional rights and are large enough for the media to use (300 dpi, 4”x6” at a minimum). You should include:*food shots, both desserts and savory*drinks and wines or beers that are unique to you*photos of staffers the media may write about*location shots, both indoor and out
    What kind of photos should I upload to the photos tab?
    The Photos tab is where you can post your press photos. These are photos for which you have promotional rights and are large enough for the media to use (300 dpi, 4”x6” at a minimum). You should include:   *food shots, both desserts and savory   *drinks and wines or beers that are unique to you   *photos of staffers the media may write about     *location shots, both indoor and out
    Does it matter if I never update my hours?
    The internet is full of a lot of "almost right" information about restaurants. Menus are "almost current" and pricing is "almost correct." Making sure there is a place where media can get accurate information about your restaurant is essential. It makes it easier for media to write about you and it ensures you aren't misinforming would-be diners. Think of Spoonfeed as your online press kit — the definitive word on your restaurant — by keeping all the data up-to-date.
    Does it matter if I never update my pricing?
    The internet is full of a lot of "almost right" information about restaurants. Menus are "almost current" and pricing is "almost correct." Making sure there is a place where media can get accurate information about your restaurant is essential. It makes it easier for media to write about you and it ensures you aren't misinforming would-be diners. Think of Spoonfeed as your online press kit — the definitive word on your restaurant — by keeping all the data up-to-date.
    What if I don't have all the facts for each job I had?
    The best idea is to do the best you can to fill out each job profile.
    Some of the chefs have really great answers. Do you have any tips for answering questions?
    The best advice we can give you is to relax, don't be afraid of "looking stupid" or "sounding smart," and rely on The Dorothy Principal (you're already there, even if you don't realize it).
    The online press kit section is really long; what is most important?
    Start with the sections you are most known for or want to promote the most, then plug away at the other sections over time. Don't overdo it in one fell swoop — but you should also remember that this kind of system favors those who participate in their own success fully rather than those who try to cut corners.
    How can I be sure I am writing a good restaurant tagline?
    Start by just getting the basics about your restaurant across. Don't worry about being clever or creative, focus on being simple, accurate and clear. As an example: If you need more than a quick soundbite to explain the style of cuisine you are serving, you probably need to simplify that message. If you want some feedback, please do send your proposed tagline to us for feedback.
    How do I manage SpoonFeed?
    Spoonfeed is about involvement, not management. That said, there is a little bit of learning to do to get the most out of Spoonfeed, just like it took a little bit of effort to learn Facebook. But trust us, we work with chefs, so we made it easy. In fact, SpoonFeed will feel a lot like Facebook, only better, because while Facebook may be fun, it really isn't designed to promote you. Spoonfeed helps to make you more successful.
    Why do I need to select a specialty?
    Specialties are searchable by media researching stories, which means you will appear in the company of all the others who have identified with that specialty, increasing your changes of coverage.
    My PR firm sends out releases for us, should I also post them to Newsfeed?
    Posting to Newsfeed gives your news social oomph by taking advantage of the influence-building design of our sharing tools. If you would like our system to bypass the media distribution of your posts, please just let us know.
    What’s the most important thing I should do when posting to On the Menu?
    Post a good photo. This is so important that we have a blog post about the need for chefs to take food photography lessons. If you invest time now to take better photos, it will pay off in the long run.
    What’s the most important thing I should do when posting to On the Menu?
    Post a good photo. This is so important that we have a blog post about the need for chefs to take food photography lessons. If you invest time now to take better photos, it will pay off in the long run.
    We don't like to use standard "cuisine types" how can I add my own?
    Parts of this website are all about you and parts of this website are all about the media. This would be one of those sections that make life easy for the media because they end up having to fit your cuisine into established categories as part of their job. We have places where you can really bust out the idea of your cuisine — like your summary — so don't worry that a "boring category" is the only message that will get out there!
    Should I add all my accolades to that section?
    Our database can handle as many as you want to add so do add the accolades   of which you are most proud.
    How often should I post to Newsfeed?
    Only post to Newsfeed when you have legitimate news to share with the media. That can be twice in one day or once a quarter, depending on your restaurant and what's going on. Remember to post your holiday news, events, promotions, menu changes and other key information the media needs to include you in roundups and stories. The more compelling your news, the more the media will cover you. But don't worry about clever writing. The media are far more interested in complete, accurate facts — the clever turn of phrase is their job.
    Should I answer a media request if I don't have information the journalist is looking for?
    No. Simply weigh in when a request is relevant for you, rather than send a message the journalist can't use.
    Should I just input my bio into the summary?
    No, the Summary section on Spoonfeed is designed to be much shorter than a traditional biography and should just feature a snapshot of you and your career. There are plenty of places in your profile that you can really expand on some of the highlights of your biography.
    How often should I update my facts page?
    Monthly. It may seem like a lot but if you do not, the media who are fact checking your listings will call your restaurant to ask about these simple facts, taking up staff time and also running the risk that a staff member who doesn't have updated information gives the media wrong information. You may not think this will happen at your restaurant, but it will, trust us, it will. We have dated each of the entries so media know when it was last updated. The more you update your facts, the more media will trust that the information is accurate.
    What if I don't know the date of my job start, just the month?
    Month and year is fine. If you've been somewhere for over five years, just the year will suffice.
    Why is it important to add my Metro Area?
    Metro Area is a search filter we built into the system so that diners and media can find restaurants in a geographic region. If you are not in a major metropolitan area, select the closest one to you. If you feel you come from an area that should be listed as a Metro Area, please let us know!  
    Should I add competitions I participated in but didn't win?
    If it was a significant competition you were invited to participate in, definitely. And if you placed well, certainly. Mostly, if you were proud of participating in the competition and would like the media to know you were a part of it, you should include it on your profile.
    Do I have to add all my work history?
    Here's a place where we suggest that you use your best judgement since you know best which posts are relevant to your current career. You don't have to list every dishwashing job, but don't be coy and omit posts at closed restaurants or those that ended badly — especially if they are common knowledge. Even if they're not, Google remembers everything, so by selectively listing only great jobs, you might make yourself looking disingenuous.
    Why should I add a pairing to my On The Menu post?
    A good deal of what we built into Spoonfeed are tools media need to get their job done, so we've included lots of fields that are specifically designed to make sure your sharing gets the most media mileage.
    What are the best tips for answering media requests?
    First of all, read it carefully. A lot of people — including publicists — skim the media request and provide an answer that is completely irrelevant. Second, only answer those requests for which you have something that contributes to the journalist’s story. Funny quips, or just a "no," is a waste of the journalist's time. Thirdly, read our blog post on answering media requests.
    How do people use their Personal Profile?
    First and foremost, your Personal Profile is designed to be the most comprehensive online database about you as a restaurant professional. For the chef who is established and well-covered by the media, a completed Personal Profile can be a place to direct media who seem to ask the same questions over and over. For the chef who is just emerging on the culinary spotlight (say, opening his first restaurant), a Personal Profile helps media get to know you a bit before they interview you, helping them understand what's important to focus on during the interview. For the up and comer, a Spoonfeed Personal Profile can be a way to get a foot in the door with media who've yet to discover you. The strategy here is to fill out as much as you can, spending time on inputting the information completely and accurately once — and you'll never have to do it again. You'll have a professional record you can share with future employers, investors, journalists or anyone else who needs a full picture of your professional career.
    Why do I have to add a cuisine type?
    Cuisine types have become a shorthand for media and diners. They are a necessary evil of being a restaurant and they also help you get discovered by diners and media looking for a specific food choice. So, do your best to pick the one that matches your cuisine most closely.
    Does it matter if I just write "see above" in my answer?
    Building your online influence means making the most of every question so you can foster sharing and discovery. By "dialing it in" you are wasting an opportunity to engage people, which means you are wasting your time by posting anything. We've built tools for driving SEO and influence online right into the site so that each time you answer a question well, it will contribute to making an impact on your restaurant's reach online. We do the strategic thinking for you so you can just focus on sharing your knowledge and opinions and boom, you are practicing strategic digital marketing automagically.
    Should I answer Behind the Line questions that don't apply to me?         
    Behind the Line answers can be displayed so that a journalist can see every answer on one page. There is nothing worse than a string of awesome answers showcased on a page and then someone's answer simply saying "No." Don't be that guy. Also, don't be the guy who posts the snarky answer. This site is designed to help you professionally and get more media coverage. Being a jerk doesn't entice any journalist to write about you.
    Do you have some tips for uploading a good profile picture?
    Be sure to pick a photo that helps journalists see what you look like. People, by nature, are very visual and the more the media can feel they are interacting with an actual person, the more of a "relationship" they will feel they are forming with you. So, no clever pictures of your knives or your favorite tattoo, unless of course that tattoo is on your face!
    What is the most important thing I should do when posting to Newsfeed?
    Be complete. If you are posting an event, remember to add the essential information someone would need to write about the event — who, what, when, where, why, how (include dates, times, prices, restrictions, relevant websites, ticket info, etc.). For instance, when posting a new menu announcement, include some background on the direction and inspiration and some featured dishes, with prices (and maybe a thought or two on why they are featured). Also, include a URL for the menu.
    What is the most important thing I should do when posting to Newsfeed?
    Be complete. If you are posting an event, remember to add the essential information someone would need to write about the event — who, what, when, where, why, how (include dates, times, prices, restrictions, relevant websites, ticket info, etc.). For instance, when posting a new menu announcement, include some background on the direction and inspiration and some featured dishes, with prices (and maybe a thought or two on why they are featured). Also, include a URL for the menu.
    What sorts of notes should I add to my work experience?
    All sorts of information can be added here, including special contribution to the menu or special projects you worked on while at the restaurant.
    Why do I need to add my birthday?
    Age helps put you in context in terms of your career path and experience. It's also important for the more and more frequent media roundups of culinary professionals in particular age categories. 
    What kinds of awards do I enter on my Resume?
    Add in the awards that you are most proud of or that represent your career.
    Isn't it better to choose every Area of Expertise so the media find me no matter what?
    Actually, you are better off just picking the topics about which you can speak authoritatively. If you can't speak authoritatively on an area of expertise you have selected, you will diminish your credibility with media and they may dismiss your responses in the areas for which you actually do have the required expertise. Be honest with yourself, it will earn you respect and notice for your legitimate contributions.
    Should I include my nominations for, say JamesBeard, in the Resume?
    Absolutely! If you aren't going to toot your own horn, who is?
    If a question doesn't apply to me, should I answer it?
    Absolutely not. This isn't a test; simply answer a question fully when it applies to you, and skip over it if it doesn't. One of the most useful tools for journalists (and fun for diners and peers) on this site is aggregation. Any question in any profile can be clicked, and the user is delivered the answers from every other member who has answered that question. If your answer shows up as just "no" or "doesn't apply," you end up adding nothing to the conversation. Which means you are seen as someone who adds nothing to the conversation.
    In the same vein, if you answer "see above," you end up in a page of chefs with great and engaging answers — and then there's your confusing and odd response.

    How do I know when I should post to A la Minute?
    A la Minute is designed to help you increase your online influence by showcasing what is going on in your restaurant today. By posting to A la Minute, you are making sure you are including the information diners want and media need in your social feeds and also contributing to developing your rankings in search. While it is recommended that you space out the postings in social feeds, answering all applicable questions each day is a good way to build a solid foundation for your social media content. 
    What are the top 10 ways a publicist can use Spoonfeed?
    10.  To field and manage Media Requests to make sure your answers stand out in a crowd.
    Already in charge of speaking on your behalf to media, a publicist can make sure your responses are complete and coherent, not just something you dash off in the heat of service or prep.

    9.   To strategically post your Spoonfeed responses to your restaurant's Facebook page and Twitter feed.
    Spoonfeed helps you share information that publicists can use as content or inspiration on your restaurant's social media sites.

    8.   To post your news on Newsfeed and link to it on Twitter and Facebook, making sure it reaches as many people as possible.
    Publicists understand that the media need to get your news so they can reach their readers. Our service helps reach diners, too, by giving your news a home base they can link to on social media. We also amplify that work with newsletters and social media outreach designed to reach new diners who haven't yet discovered you!

    7. To use your Spoonfeed answers as a catalyst for pitching media on stories.
    We help you share your inspirations, philosophies, background and career plans so they can get the information they need to represent you fully. Just as journalists are using our system to get insider information about chefs, publicists are using it too — and they are getting more story ideas to pitch to media, getting our members more coverage.

    6. To help keep your staff on track to use A la Minute every day so you reach more diners.
    We built A la Minute because we believe what restaurants are already doing every day is exciting enough to draw in diners. But until now, there was no way to get that information from the restaurants to the dining public. A la minute is a place to record your killer pairing of the night, the newest dish on your menu, the best wine deal and newest drinks — and some fun personality stuff, too. We get it out to diners. It is a great opportunity — but only if it is used. Publicists can not only make sure your information is posted, they can also make sure you are posting strategically and not just tossing it up there and hoping.

    5. To link to your Personal Profile in pitches and press releases, giving media more access to more of your fascinating stories.
    With Spoonfeed, once a publicist gets the media's attention, they have a home base where they can send the media to learn more. There's more information there, all presented in easy-to-digest bites, than any publicist could hope to share on their own.

    4. To direct media to your Personal Profile before interviews, giving them great information about what makes you tick so the interview can be more interesting and the story more compelling.
    Spoonfeed, housing all your inspirations, philosophies, background and career plans, helps journalists learn about you before the interview. According to Kevin Pang, "I spent 20 mins reading up on a chef and my interview questions to him were 10 times better because of it." We'd add — the story he wrote was better, too.

    3.  To use Keywords in your Personal Profile and Restaurant Profile to find other chefs and restaurants that can be used to support trend pitching.
    Ever notice that most stories include a bunch of restaurants or chefs and not just one? That's the media being fair and balanced. It is often frustrating for a chef to get lumped in with other people, but publicists understand that packaging a story idea as a trend with other chefs is a surefire way to get some ink. Because Spoonfeed is designed to aggregate restaurants and chefs who are, for example, using similar ingredients or techniques, publicists are easily able to package story ideas and pitches for media.

    2. To link to your Restaurant Profile when responding to diner Twitter and Facebook inquiries to ensure that diner gets the most up-to-date news on your restaurant.
    Having a vast database of information about you and your restaurant at the ready, a publicist can respond to diner inquiries, linking to information on Spoonfeed. This draws the diner back to your profile again and again, getting them more involved in who you are and what your restaurant's about.

    1. To keep your Restaurant Profile up-to-date and ready for media.
    By keeping your menus up-to-date, a publicist can direct media to download the menu themselves whenever they need it. Photos are easily gathered up and displayed in one place so the journalist who needs them can pick from the very best. And all your facts can be checked by the journalist themselves, rather than via phone call with a publicist — every publicist would rather be pitching a feature story with a writer than confirming your hours with an intern!

    Spoonfeed is a custom-built tool to power PR. 
    What are some unique ways I can use Spoonfeed?                                         
    1) Post all the accurate information about your restaurant for staff to access when media call and ask questions. You may not know it, but your staff likely gives out erroneous information — or “don’t knows” — to media who call. Happens all the time. Spoonfeed can help with that — and you don't need to be a Premium member to use the service this way.     2) To make sure that your PR firm has accurate, up-to-date and complete information at their fingertips.
    What are five tips for creating great On The Menu posts?
    1. Telling a good story is important. One of the most valuable features of On the Menu is the fact that chefs/mixologists can share the story behind the dish or drink they are sharing. It draws in diners who are interested in learning the behind the scenes and it helps media suss out stories which they otherwise wouldn't know were there. The story behind the dish, authentically told in the chefs voice, is the magic that makes the greatest impact on a great post to On the Menu.
    2. Good photography is important because, well, you've heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. We say a good picture is worth at least a few customers. There are a lot of articles on taking good food photography but if you want to know the one thing that will make the greatest impact on the quality of your photos it is: take the photo next to a sunny window to capture natural light.
    3. Fill out all the fields. We added a space for pairing and price because it is important to media. If you add those two pieces of information, you are increasing the value of your post in the eyes of media. Takes two seconds, worth a lot.
    4. Utilizing keywords. We designed keywords to help media discover more restaurants and chefs, so by utilizing as many keywords as applicable, you are increasing your reach and thus increasing the lifetime value of the post to your career.
    5. Frequency of posting. We recommend that you post only one or two posts to On the Menu per day. That way, you are spacing out your posts in order to reach media more frequently rather than "shooting your wad" in one go.
    What are five tips for creating great A La Minute posts?
    1. Consistency is essential so figure out a schedule that will work for you and stick with it. Most restaurants print out the questions and assign someone to answer them during pre-shift each day.
    2. Use your time wisely. You can schedule posts for Twitter and Facebook, spreading out the news throughout the day and evening and posting on different platforms at different times of day.
    3. Make your answers short but memorable. Unlike Twitter, you are not restricted to 140 characters so make sure you add in a little behind the scenes as well as the main topic.
    4. Don't be afraid to post the same item on another day. If your excited about something, you should definitely share it!
    5. Spelling is important so make sure you get the right spelling for new dishes, drinks, purveyors, etc.
    What are five tips for creating great Newsfeed posts?
    1. Accuracy is job one. Media can not use inaccurate information and tend to get justifiably upset when they are fed wrong information, no matter how innocently conveyed.
    2. Completeness is the second most important feature of a Newsfeed post. Menus without pricing, opening announcements without a guess to opening, events without dates and/or times and the like are all glaring omissions that the journalist will be required to follow up on if not provided. That kind of followup is considered, by the journalist, to be an unnecessary waste of their time and they tend to resent it.  Be complete.
    3. Sticking to the facts instead of focusing on flowery or creative writing is important also. Leave the writing to the journalists, your job is to get the information across as clearly, accurately and completely as possible.
    4. Timeliness is next (although everything here is important so don't consider it being point four an indication that it doesn't matter!). It is important to give the media time to react and act when you send out news. What this means is lead time — so they can get the release, pitch it to their boss, work it into the schedule, due the necessarily interviews and research and then do the writing and editing.
    5. Post-distribution access, by which we mean you should be available after you send out the item in case a journalist has some follow up questions. You are posting the information so media can write about it. Be sure to follow through so they can.
    What are some unique ways I can use Spoonfeed?
      1) Post all the accurate information about your restaurant for staff to access when media call and ask questions. You may not know it, but your staff likely gives out erroneous information — or “don’t knows” — to media who call. Happens all the time. Spoonfeed can help with that — and you don't need to be a Premium member to use the service this way.2) To make sure that your PR firm has accurate, up-to-date and complete information at their fingertips.
    If I know my chef (mixologist or sommelier) won't use Spoonfeed, should I still open an account for them and list them on our restaurant account?
        Your Spoonfeed account is your online press kit. If you wouldn't leave that staff out of your press kit, why leave them out here? Everyone who media need to know about should have an account and be listed on your restaurant press kit. They don't need to be upgraded, but they should be included so that media know they work there.
    What is the best way to answer a Media Request?
    Fast, Factual and Fully. First off, it is important to know that Media Requests are distributed to large groups of members, often to everyone on Spoonfeed, so often, the first few answers are the ones media use. Being a first responder ensures your answer is considered. Next up, focus on providing some accurate facts so you build long-term credibility with the journalist because they see that you are a reliable source for information. Lastly, and likely most importantly, is to answer fully. Because so many chefs are responding, the ones that tend to post a good answer with interesting information that actually relates to the request tend to be the chefs who are most successful. Even if you are short on time, to make your effort worthwhile, make sure you give the writer a reason to seek you out for more information. 
    What menus should I upload?
    Because your menus are your primary marketing tool, we have built a system that can handle all your menus. So, while you will want your primary menus to be featured at the top, you are welcome to include any menu you feel you want to share with media — including private dining menus and special event tasting menus you feel specifically represent your cuisine. Also, please feel free to leave old menus up as an archive. Our system can house unlimited menus and having a centralized place online where people can access your menu archives.
    What should I list as my username?
    Your username can be anything you choose (that isn't already taken) but should be something somewhat professional as the media will be able to see it in the URL of your profile.
    Where can I get some help writing my restaurant tagline?
    We are unable to help our members with writing tasks, so we suggest checking to see if someone on your staff has some writing expertise. If not, there are always plenty of food writers who are able to help restaurants with writing tasks for a smallish fee (or maybe just a tasty dinner!).
    Why is adding a price important to my On the Menu post?
    To the media, no dish is complete without a price, so, it is a valuable service to media to add the price to all your dishes.
    Why is our opening date important?
    Your opening date is an important piece of information for media who are writing about your restaurant. Taking a few minutes to get the right answer is valuable as you only have to do it once and the information is available in perpetuity for media.

  • General Usetop

    I am outside a major Metro Area, why can't I add my town?
    Your town will display in your address, however, for the sake of helping media and diners find you, we have created broader geographic strokes with our Metro Areas.
    We did a soft opening over a month, do I list date of our official opening or the first day we did service?
    Your opening date is the first date you accepted payment for your food/drinks, even if it is discounted rates for practice period. 
    I selected my specialties and they didn't save properly, what did I do wrong?
    Your connection may be slow or you may not have hit "Save changes to specialties." Try it again and if you again face troubles, please contact us so we can help you!
    Our city, state, zip is wrong, can we change it?
    Your city, state and zip can be changed on the Details tab in "edit my restaurant."
    Where do I get the best transit information to input here?
    Your best bet for making sure you have the best transit information is to check a few online sources, such as Google places, Zagat and OpenTable.
    How can I change my response to a What's New?
    Your answer to any What's New can be edited by navigating to the "answer today's questions" and locate the question then select "View my post" and then click edit. Edit your question and hit save.
    How can I change my response to a Question of the Day?
    Your answer to any Question of the Day can be edited by navigating to the "answer today's questions" and locate the question then select "View my post" and then click edit. Edit your question and hit save.
    I am participating in an event and I would like to help promote it, should I post something to Newsfeed?
    You should only post to Newsfeed for events that you/your restaurant is hosting or for which you are the primary spokesperson.
    How can I delete someone from my restaurant account?
    You need to be an administrator to delete someone from your restaurant account. If you are an administrator, go to edit my restaurant > Edit the restaurant you are working on > Staff page and click delete next to that person's profile. S/he will be removed from your restaurant but will still have access to their personal account.
    Do I have to answer What's New questions via email?
    You don't "have" to do anything and certainly you should only answer questions you can answer well, with something valuable to add. But we have designed this system so that the things you share contribute to your online influence and SEO (meaning, they are designed to make meaningful impact on how you show up in search rankings on Google). So, the more you share, the better you share, the more impact you will make online.
    How many menus can I upload? 
    You can upload as many menus as you have. Our system is designed to be a permanent record of your restaurant, so feel free to upload all of your menus, including for special events, if you feel what you are doing is exciting enough that the media might want to peruse it, even down the road.
    If I don't want to receive notifications, what should I do?
    You can turn off your Profile-building notifications but, at present, you can not turn off private messages, media messages and admin messages. We assume you need those.
    How do I join
    You can request an invitation here. We process the invitations quickly — so if you are a member of a chef-driven restaurant, you can be sure you'll get started soon. If you are not working at a chef-driven restaurant, we'll get to you as soon as we are able to expand our member base to include all the awesome farmers, artisan distillers, cookbook authors and everyone else!
    How do I hook up multiple Twitter accounts to Spoonfeed?
    You can not hook up multiple accounts to Twitter. You can hook up any one account you deem appropriate to your personal profile and any one account you deem appropriate to your restaurant profile. We recommend that you connect personal to personal and restaurant to restaurant as the content on Spoonfeed is specifically designed to share that way.
    How do I hook up multiple Facebook accounts to Spoonfeed?
    You can not hook up multiple accounts to Facebook. Your personal profile will link to your personal Facebook account and your Restaurant Profile will link to your restaurant's Facebook account.
    How many accolades can I list?
    You can list as many accolades as you want so we advise you start with the ones of which you are most proud, adding in other accolades as they come.
    How do I change the order of menus that I post to the site?
    You can drag and drop menus to display in the right order. Navigate to edit my restaurant > select the restaurant to edit > go to Menus tab and then simply hover over the menu you want to move, click and drag to the right place in the order.
    Should I leave old menus up on the site when I add new menus?
    YES. We actually recommend it, as an archive for media — and for yourself. In our work as publicists, media asked for old menus more than you can imagine. Leaving old menus on Spoonfeed while uploading new ones is good practice. Don't worry, your newest menus will be filed at the top and because all menus are dated, you can be sure that no one will get confused.
    Can I leave old menus up on Spoonfeed?
    YES. We actually recommend it as an archive for media — and for yourself. In our work as publicists, media asked for old menus more than you can imagine. Leaving old menus on Spoonfeed while uploading new ones is good practice. Don't worry, your newest menus will be filed at the top and because all menus are dated, you can be sure that no one will get confused.
    Can I invite people from other restaurants to Spoonfeed?
    Yes. Our national network of chefs is growing all the time, and we're actively developing several new cities. We've built invitation requests into many of our pages; just add their information and your friend or coworker will be sent an invitation to join. Or, if you know of chefs or restaurants who could benefit from this service, and you want to see your city's culinary community benefit from our many features, please give them our contact information and we'll take it from there.
    Can I upload my private dining menus?
    Yes! We encourage you to share as much information as you can so you can use our site to help streamline as many administrative tasks as possible. By uploading your menus onto a fact-filled online press kit, you have a great link to share with potential private dining  clients who want to know more about your restaurant and philosophies.
    Can I invite people that aren't at my restaurant to SpoonFeed?
    Yes, you can! In fact, we've included a link at the top of your profile page so you could invite friends (you can find it unt photo in the upper right hand side. Just click that button, add their information and your friend or coworker will be added to the list and sent an invitation when we have space. If you know of chefs of restaurants who could benefit from this service, please give them our contact information and we'll take it from there!  
    Can I edit an old answer to Behind the Line? 
    Yes, absolutely. You can edit or delete any answer you have posted to our site (including accidental duplicates), and we encourage you to keep your Profile timely and reflective of who you are today.
    What happens to my response when I post to Question of the Day?
    When you respond to a Question of the Day, your response is logged in our database and becomes a permanent part of your profile, searchable by media and diners. We also make sure that your responses are viewed by media and diners in our site construction and newsletters.
    What happens when I answer the What's New or the Questions of the Day?
    When you answer a What's New or a Question of the Day (QOTD), your answer is logged on the site in your Restaurant Profile (What's New) or Personal Profile (QOTD) and becomes a permanent part of your profile which media and diners can search at any time.
    Someone else on my restaurant account answered a What's New question and I want to add my own answer, how come I can't do that?
    What's New is a question for your Restaurant, rather than you, so each restaurant can only provide one answer. If you would like to add additional information to a question that has already been answered, you can edit the answer by navigating to the question and hitting "edit."
    Can I get some help writing a headline?
    We're happy to give you feedback if you have some ideas and want to run them by someone. That said, we are not able to help write headlines and recommend that you look for a local writer to help you with some key parts of your profile.
    Which accolades should I add to Spoonfeed?
    We recommend you post all of the press hits and awards that you are proud of. One of the great features of the internet is that storage is easy so you can add as many as you want. But, as a best practice, you should start with ones of which you are most proud and then move onto accolades that support and showcase what you want people to know about your restaurant.
    Why should I list my contact information if I don't want anyone to see it?
    We need a way to help you access your account should you loose your password — and we'd like a way to reach you if we have some tips and hints that can help you look good in front of media. We do offer a way to cloak your contact information so that no diners and no media can see it.
    I need some help, how can I reach someone by phone?
    We have customer support line available 9am – 9pm  that can be reached at (312) 572-9082.
    What if I cancel my subscription mid-month, can I get a refund?
    We do not issue refunds, but will keep your profile live until your calendar month is complete.
    What if I cancel my subscription mid-month, can I get a refund?
    We do not issue refunds, but will keep your profile live until your calendar month is complete.
    Can someone look over my summary and give me some feedback?
    We do aim to help our members get familiar with posting on their own, but if you send us your summary or have other areas of the site you'd like some advice on, please do contact us and we would be happy to provide you with some feedback!
    If my cuisine is not listed, what should I do?                                 
    We are happy to consider adding any cuisine to the list, let us know what you are interested in adding and we'll add it if it is something the media can use.
    I don't want to receive a lot of mail, why do I have to add my email address?
    We appreciate your entering a valid email address where we can reach you so we can share vital site news with you. You can turn off notifications for the questions we send each day but you still receive media requests (important!), private messages (from your friends!) and admin announcements (precious few!).
    Do I put internships and stages in the work experience area?
    We actually have special sections for stages and internships because we do believe they are a vital part of many people's careers.
    What are the best options for adding my dress code?
    Use the standard accepted conventions for your dress code.
    How do I change which Twitter account is hooked up to Spoonfeed?
    Twitter will link to whatever account you are logged in as when you link the accounts. To change accounts, simply unlink the current account, and re-sign in with the new account.
    How do I upload a headshot? 
    To upload a profile picture, you will first need to make sure the photo you want to use is housed on your computer's hard drive and that you know where it is located. Then, navigate to "edit my profile"  and on the "summary" tab, you can upload a photo by clicking "choose file" and then hitting "upload headshot." 
    How do I upgrade my restaurant profile?
    To upgrade, just navigate to the details page on the restaurant profile and at the top of that section you will see "upgrade to premium" and can put in a credit card there! it will autorenew until you cancel and you can cancel at any time. 
    How do I unlink my Facebook and Twitter accounts?
    To unlink your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts, navigate to edit my profile > Account tab and then scroll down to Facebook and Twitter sections. You can then click "disconnect" button for each.

    Please note: we have designed Spoonfeed to help you increase your online influence by linking the system to social outlets. By linking your social feeds to Spoonfeed, you are ensuring the distribution of your content to audiences that are likely to appreciate and lift up your profile — generating more buzz and developing stronger customer loyalty.
    How can I create a Restaurant Profile for my restaurant?
    To start building your Restaurant Profile, please begin by checking the restaurant directory to make sure your restaurant is already listed. If it is, click on it, check to see who the account administrator is, and ask them to add you.

    If it isn't, navigate to edit my restaurants > Add a Restaurant
    How can I see who currently has editing privileges?
    To see who has editing priviledges on your account, navigate to "edit my profile" and then navigate to the "account" tab. You will see the names of authorized editors of your personal profile.
    I lost my password, what should I do?
    To reset your password, just hit "FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?" link that is underneath the login fields. Let us know if you need additional help!
    How can I revoke who has editing privileges?
    To remove the priviledges of another user, navigate to "edit my profile" and then navigate to the "account" tab. You will see the names of authorized editors of your personal profile and can click the word "remove" next to the name of the person you want to revoke privliedges.
    Why do you email questions to me each day?
    To reach notifications, navigate to My Profile > Account

    A chef's job is best described as "right now." As in, there are so many things you have to do right now, it is hard to think about doing things to prep for down the road. But just as you do prep for your kitchen before service, you need to do prep for your career before you need that next job, that investor or that TV opportunity.

    So we've set up a way to remind you that you can do just a little prepping for your career every day — and you'll end up with a lot. We also understand that some busy chefs would appreciate the ability to delegate building their Personal Profile to someone else — so we've added the ability for you to forward particular emails to another RIA member to handle on your behalf, and the ability to assign other members access to manage, contribute to, or edit your content acting as "you."
    How do I receive What's New questions via email?
    To make sure you are receiving notifications, you need to do two things in the Account table in your personal profile. First, select "Receive email notifications" at the top of the tab and second, enter your active email account into the "User Details." Hit save and you're good to go.
    How do I receive What's New questions via email?
    To make sure you are receiving notifications, you need to do two things in the Account table in your personal profile. First, select "Receive email notifications" at the top of the tab and second, enter your active email account into the "User Details." Hit save and you're good to go.
    How do I link up my Facebook and Twitter accounts to my Spoonfeed content?
    To link up your Facebook and Twitter accounts, go to the account page for your restaurant and scroll to the middle of the page. There, you will see Facebook and Twitter buttons and by clicking them, you will be directed through the process. Please note, though you’re in your restaurant account, both Facebook and Twitter require that we link these accounts to "actual people." So, each person with a Spoonfeed account who wants to autopost to social media needs to link up the account themselves. (Just like Facebook page administrators are connected to your personal account.)
    How do I link up my Facebook and Twitter accounts to my Spoonfeed content?  
    To link up your Facebook and Twitter accounts, go to the account page for your restaurant and scroll to the middle of the page. There, you will see Facebook and Twitter buttons and by clicking them, you will be directed through the process. Please note, though you’re in your restaurant account, both Facebook and Twitter require that we link these accounts to "actual people." So, each person with a Spoonfeed account who wants to autopost to social media needs to link up the account themselves. (Just like Facebook page administrators are connected to your personal account.)
    I don't want my A La Minute item to post to Twitter and Facebook, what should I do?
    To keep your content on RIA instead of sharing it with your social audience, just click the boxes "Don't crosspost to Twitter" and "Don't crosspost to Facebook."

    Keep in mind, we have built a great deal of SEO optimization tools into all the social sharing that happens from our site so you won't get the advantage of our influence-building features if you don't share these items with your followers.
    I don't want my Newsfeed item to post to Twitter and Facebook, what should I do?
    To keep your content on RIA instead of sharing it with your social audience, just click the boxes "Don't crosspost to Twitter" and "Don't crosspost to Facebook."

    Keep in mind, we have built a great deal of SEO optimization tools into all the social sharing that happens from our site so you won't get the advantage of our influence-building features if you don't share these items with your followers.
    I don't want my On The Menu item to post to Twitter and Facebook, what should I do?
    To keep your content on RIA instead of sharing it with your social audience, just click the boxes "Don't crosspost to Twitter" and "Don't crosspost to Facebook."

    Keep in mind, we have built a great deal of SEO optimization tools into all the social sharing that happens from our site so you won't get the advantage of our influence-building features if you don't share these items with your followers.
    How can I grant my publicist editing privileges so she can manage my Spoonfeed account?
    To grant someone editing privledges, you first need to make sure the person to whom you are granting access has a Spoonfeed account. If they do, you can log into your account and navigate to "edit my profile" and then navigate to the "account" tab and the second section is "editing." Add the person's name in that box and click "Save Editing Privledges."
    How do I grant someone editing privileges?
    To grant someone editing privledges, you first need to make sure the person to whom you are granting access has a Spoonfeed account. If they do, you can log into your account and navigate to "edit my profile" and then navigate to the "account" tab and the second section is "editing." Add the person's name in that box and click "Save Editing Privledges."
    Someone at my restaurant answered What's New and I want to add my answer as well. What should I do?
    To edit a What's New, whether to clarify an answer or add to it, you can navigate to that answer and hit edit. Make the changes and hit save and you are done.
    How can I create my own Top Tags?
    To create Top Tags, first you should navigate to edit my restaurant then select the restaurant you are working on. You will first add all the tags for your restaurant in the Features tab, making sure to select for Design, Cuisine, Beverage and Other. Then, you can navigate to Top Tags and select your 15 keywords that will be integrated into your SEO campaign from RIA's site.
    What happens if my Spoonfeed Account Administrator changes?
    To change an account administrator, simply navigate to "Edit my restaurant," then select the restaurant you want to edit. Hit staff and you can edit or delete for each staff member. You can also add a staff member by hitting "Add employee."
    How do I calculate check average?
    To calculate check average, for each section of your menu, add up the total of all the items listed in that section then divide by the number of items in the section. Don't fudge the numbers down to seem less expensive, if people notice you are not being honest, they'll notice and it will reflect poorly on your trustworthiness.
    Should I list my publicists' phone number and email in my contact information if I don't want anyone to contact me?
    To anticipate the privacy needs of our users, we designed the system to have various levels of privacy for each individual piece of contact information. So, the phone, the email, etc., is each controlled individually and can be viewable "to media" or "to nobody" or "viewable to the public at large."
    How do I answer What's New questions via email?
    To answer What's New questions via email, simply hit reply and add your response above the part of the email that says "Reply above this line." Please note, any auto-signatures should be deleted from your response. 
    How do I answer Question of the Day questions via email?
    To answer Question of the Day questions via email, simply hit reply and add your response above the part of the email that says "Reply above this line." Please note, any auto-signatures should be deleted from your response. 
    How can I list one person as the Media Contact but have the email go to someone else?
    This request is outside the technical capabilities of our site and we would argue it is not "good business" for the internet. We recommend you list the name and email of the person who will be receiving it as transparency and authenticity always trump other ideas when it comes to the internet.
    Why do I need to add a credit and title to each photo?
    This is information needed by media who want to use the photos, so we made it required to ensure you add it.
    Why can't I show a PDF of the actual media clip on Spoonfeed?
    This feature is coming soon!
    What is the best way to fill in my payment options?
    The standard abbreviations for payment options include: Cash, Visa/MC, Amex, Discover, Diner's Club, JCB
    What if I don't know the opening date of the restaurant?
    The opening date is important so this would be a place where we'd suggest you go looking for the information. For one, many media outlets require writers and editors to list the opening date of a restaurant, and they'll be grateful if you don't make them go hunting.

    ProTip: For a soon-to-open restaurant, it is important to list an estimated opening date and to update it regularly until it is confirmed. You'd be surprised how many journalists are hovering out there waiting for that new place to open, and there's really no reliable place to find out.
    I don't have a logo, what should I upload here?
    The next best thing for a restaurant to upload, if there is no logo available, is a picture of the front of  your restaurant. 
    How can I make my logo bigger?
    The logos on our site are a standardized size for visual consistency to optimize our user's experience. We do recommend that you upload a high-resolution version of your logo to the site, though, so media who need access to it can download it easily.
    Why can I only pick one cuisine for my restaurant?  
    The cuisine category is designed to mirror the way media classify restaurants, and most media only list restaurants under one cuisine. You can add any descriptive text to your description and press kit, but for media purposes, we are trying to make Spoonfeed useful for them so that they write about you more — and bother you with unnecessary questions less.
    The thing I want to share doesn't fit into the existing categories on A La Minute, how do I add my own?
    The categories we have created for A la Minute help you share the most basic information that diners want to know and media need to know. If you would like us to consider additional categories, please send them along to us for review!
    When I added a photo, it uploaded sideways. What should I do?
    Spoonfeed orients pictures lengthwise, so if you upload a picture with horizontal orientation, it may rotate. Just open the picture on your computer and crop it to be wider than it is high and re-upload it.
    Can I get my notifications sent to my publicist/assistant?
    Spoonfeed is designed so you can have someone else manage your account. Go to My Profile > Edit Profile > Account and it is right there at the top. You can also set your Profile up so that someone else and access/edit it from their own account. We recommend this set-up rather than just giving them your password, so you can keep private messages private.
    Why can’t I add photos to A la Minute?
    Since people are so busy and distracted, A La Minute focuses on quick bursts of information that diners can grasp at a glance. That said, we are open to feedback, so let us know if you think we should add photos.
    My restaurant is showing up in the wrong place in the restaurant directory, what should I do?
    Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. When your restaurant is first listed, we provide the opportunity to include a "sort name" that will override the system if, for instance, the name of your restaurant is "The Restaurant" and you want it to show up amongst the Rs and not Ts. If you would like to change the original selection, please let us know and we can sort that out for you.
    Why are there so many price options to fill in?
    Pricing is important to media, so we’ve included ways for you to list your pricing in as many categories as media tend to ask for it. Again, if you record your details here, the media can get what they want when they need it, which makes for happy journalists. Happy journalists write about you more.
    Why do you include so many pricing fields? 
    Pricing is important to media, so we’ve included ways for you to list your pricing in as many categories as media tend to ask for it. Again, if you record your details here, the media can get what they want when they need it, which makes for happy journalists. Happy journalists write about you more.
    How can I get some in-person help with using this site?
    Please email our tech support or call our customer support line available 9am – 9pm that can be reached at (312) 572-9082.
    How come I receive a copy of the Media Requests in my email in box when I have a publicist?
    Our system is designed to include your publicist in your marketing efforts but it is not designed to divert attention from you. And believe it or not, the media would love to hear from you!
    What happens if I don't upload a photo?
    Our site, just like Twitter, shows an empty silhouette, which doesn't do much to help you build a relationship with media.
    Can I access Spoonfeed from my smart phone?
    Our site is not yet "mobile friendly," so you might have some trouble accessing it from a smart phone. That said, we have built in some ways to add key information via email. You can participate daily by responding to the questions we send you by simply hitting "reply" and you can email in On the Menu items by using a special address that is linked to your restaurant's account. To access the code, visit your restaurant's On the Menu input screen.
    I posted something to the website and it didn't show up on the Dashboard, how come?
    Our dashboard has a one hour delay to ensure it loads quickly. Rest assured, our system captured it as long as you hit "Post/Save."
    What if I want to remove a cuisine?
    On the Summary page of your profile, each of the cuisines associated with your account can be removed by simply clicking "Remove."
    It is easier for me to schedule a bunch of On the Menu posts at once, how can I do that?
    On the Menu offers a way to schedule items for Facebook and Twitter but not for Spoonfeed. So, when you post an item to our site, it will show up in the database for media immediately, which is a good thing as they need fast (and first!) access to information. You can spread out when the items post to Twitter and Facebook, though, by selecting the date and time you would like the items to post.
    Is a headline required?
    Nothing is required. But why not give yourself an edge and stand out in the crowd with a clever (but meaningful, not snarky) summation of your personality as a chef?
    What if I don't have the name of our design team?
    Nothing is required in Spoonfeed but the more details you offer up, the more you give the media to chew on. If your restaurant was designed by a professional, you should do what you can to track down the name of the person and their firm. If the design isn't very important, you should feel comfortable skipping it.
    Does my employee have to fill out their Personal Profile to be listed on our Restaurant Profile?
    No, if you want to list an employee on your Restaurant Profile, they need a Personal Profile but it can be Basic — and basically empty. We do recommend that you upload a photo so that your press kit looks professional. You can do this on Basic accounts.
    It is easier for me to schedule a bunch of Newsfeed posts at once, how can I do that?
    Newsfeed offers a way to schedule items for Facebook and Twitter but not for Spoonfeed. So, when you post an item to our site, it will show up in the database for media immediately, which is a good thing as they need fast (and first!) access to information. You can spread out when the items post to Twitter and Facebook, though, by selecting the date and time you would like the items to post.
    How do I know if my restaurant has an account?
    Navigate to the Restaurant Directory and scroll down. Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. Note: if your restaurant begins with the word "The " or "A," it may be listed under "T," or "A" or the first letter of the primary word in the restaurant name.
    How do I add additional jobs to my Work Experience?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Work Experience." Select "add another" and then input Restaurant Name, Title, City, State, Country, and select the Date Started, Date Ended. Enter the name of Chef in charge of the menu and select if you were in fact that chef. Indicate if you were on the opening staff and add the type of cuisine served at the restaurant. Finally, if you would like to add additional notes, you can do so in the notes field. Hit save.
    How do I add items to Stages?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Stages." Enter the name of the establishment and the name of the person for whom you staged. Then select the start and end date, noting that you can exclude an end date if you were at the internship for a year. Add the location. Then add anything into the final field that you feel is relevant to your stage. Hit save.
    How do I add items to Internships?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Internships." Enter the name of the establishment and the Name of the person for whom you interned. Then select the start and end date, noting that you can exclude an end date if you were at the internship for a year. Then add anything into the final field that you feel is relevant to your internship. Hit save.
    How do I add items to Education?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Education." Select "add another" and then select your school from the drop down. If it is not listed, add the School Name, City, State and Country. Add the Graduation Year if you graduated, leaving it blank if you did not. You can then add the Degree, Focus, and Scholarships. Hit save.
    How do I add my cookbooks to my profile?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Cookbooks." Enter the name of the cookbook and the Publisher. Finally, add the date the book was published. Hit save.
    How do I add items to Competitions?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Competitions." Select "add another" and then add the Name of competition, How did you place and What year you participated. Hit save.
    How do I add items to Education?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Apprenticeships." Enter the name of the establishment and the Name of the person for whom you apprenticed. Then select the year Then add anything into the final field that you feel is relevant to your internship. Hit save.
    How do I add an accolade?
    Navigate to "Edit my profile," select "Resumé" and then scroll down to "Accolade." Select "add another" and then input the name of the piece (the title), run date and type of media. Then add the hyperlink and select "Save."
    What should I input for wine by the bottle details?
    Many restaurant wine lists are labors of love so we wanted to give your restaurant a way to highlight the list with a short field that is showcased on your online profile. There is more opportunity to add information and details in the Online Press Kit, but consider this a summary of what you are trying to achieve and why.
    I uploaded photos to my Restaurant Profile but now I get an error message when I look at the Restaurant Profile on Soapbox?
    Likely what happened was there was a non-standard character in the filename of your photo. Resave the photo on your hard drive, using only standard letters and numbers, and re-upload the photo. If you continue to face troubles, please contact us so we can help you!
    What if I have a Specialty that’s not listed?
    Let us know and, and if it fits our criteria we'll add it.
    I linked up our restaurant's Facebook and Twitter accounts, so how come other other people on my staff can't seem to autopost?
    Just like Facebook page administrators are connected to your personal account, each person with a Spoonfeed account who wants to autopost needs to link up through the resto page the account themselves. 2. each personal who will be posting to spoofneed with autopost expecttion must vist the edit restaurant page themselves to link their personal need previous admin authority

    Just like Facebook page administrators are connected to your personal account, each person with a Spoonfeed account who wants to autopost needs to link up through the resto page the account themselves.   resto hookup is diff from personal   who can post to your resto fb and twitter through spoonfeed accoun - take seriously    follow standard internet protocol wherby an indi must be authorized personally     must be previously authorized as an admin of the resto’ fb page     and be in possssion of resto twitter logon and password    2. each personal who will be posting to spoofneed with autopost expecttion must vist the edit restaurant page themselves to link their personal need previous admin authority    individual can post to ind fb and twitter
    What if I didn't graduate?
    It's ok! You can add information regarding to the course of study and leave the graduation year field empty.
    What if my picture looks grainy?
    If your picture looks grainy or blurry after you upload it, you have selected a poor picture. Why not try another one of higher quality!
    What if my picture uploads sideways?
    If your picture appears sideways after you upload it, you need to rotate the original picture on your computer, resave it, and re-upload the photo. If you have trouble, please feel free to send the photo to us so we can help.
    I am having trouble uploading photos to Spoonfeed, what should I do?
    If your photos are very large, they will take a long time to upload, possibly even timing out your connection in the middle of the upload. First thing, make sure your photos are .jpgs. Next make sure they are no larger than (NEED SIZE) and have no non-standard characters in the filename (such as # or ©). If you are still having trouble, send the photo to us so we can help.
    My logo is showing up fuzzy/blurry, what should I do?
    If your logo is fuzzy or blurry it means it is a low-quality file. Try uploading a larger file to ensure that the resolution is clean.
    How do I add my own keywords to Features?
    If you've got an idea for a keyword we missed, please let us know!
    If you're in the weeds, between jobs or on vacation, you can set your Notifications to "off" for as long as you like.

    Regardless of your Notifications setting, you will continue to receive Media Requests, administrative messages and messages from other Spoonfeed members.
    What if I want to change my answer to a Question of the Day or a What's New question?
    If you want to edit an answer, navigate to the question in "Answer my questions." Then click "View Post" and then "Edit." You can then edit the question.
    What happens if I select the wrong James Beard Region?
    If you select the wrong James Beard region, you will actually show up in the wrong filter — and even more importantly, you won't show up in the right one! So, media who are looking for restaurants just like yours will be unable to find you. We listed the states that are included in each, for reference. So, double check to make sure you selected the right region!
    I need some help writing a summary, where should I go for help?
    If you really don't feel comfortable writing a summary on your own, you should reach out to a local writer — or maybe someone on your staff — to help. That said, the media and diners do love hearing from the chefs directly so we say give it a try and see how you do before you give up!
    We have multiple lines, which phone number should I add?
    If you have multiple lines, you should add the primary line listed on your restaurant phone bill.
    How can I have a specialty added?
    If you have a specialty that is not currently listed, please contact us and if makes sense for the site, we will add it to the site.
    How can I suggest a question for What's New?
    If you have a question you'd like us to throw out to the membership, please send it to us for consideration.

    For reference, What's New questions are posed to "restaurants" and are designed to help aggregate information about trends and new products and innovations that occur at the restaurant. 
    How can I suggest a question for Question of the Day
    If you have a question you'd like us to throw out to the membership, please send it to us for consideration.

    For reference Questions of the Day are questions we ask individual members about their opinions and ideas. 
    Can I submit a question to the group?
    If you have a question suggestion, please forward it to us for review.
    How can I edit my Personal Profile?
    If you click "My Profile" you will be taken to the "Edit" feature.
    I am trying to create a restaurant profile and I can't see the name of the person I want to list as my Media Contact?
    If you can't see the name of the person who you want to list as your media contact, you need to first make sure they have an account and then make sure they are part of your staff (your publicist, working on your account, can be part of your staff for the purposes of Spoonfeed).
    I don't see my Media Contact listed, what should I do?
    If you can't see the name of the person who you want to list as your media contact, you need to first make sure they have an account and then make sure they are part of your staff (your publicist, working on your account, can be part of your staff for the purposes of Spoonfeed).
    What if we are in the middle of the street and not at an intersection?
    If you are not located at a corner (or one or two addresses down), we recommend that you list your cross streets as, say, bet. Main St. & Madison Ave.
    What do I do if I can't upload my picture?
    If you are having trouble with uploading your headshot, it could be that the picture is too large. Resize the picture on your computer and try uploading again. If you are having trouble, you are welcome to send the photo to us.
    How come my restaurant Facebook account is not showing up on the account list on Spoonfeed?
    If you are an administrator of your Facebook account and have connected your Facebook account to Spoonfeed, any page for which you are an administrator will show up on your options on the restaurant profile. If it does not show up, it could possibly mean you are looking at your personal account and not your restaurant account or you are not properly logged in with your Facebook credentials. Try unlinking and relinking the accounts. If you are still having trouble, please contact us.
    It is taking a really long time to upload photos, what should I do?
    If the photo upload is taking longer than it should, your either working off a slow connection or your photos are too big. Likely, you can't do anything about your connection speed but you can reduce the size of your photos. To do that, open the photo on your hard drive and change the size of the photo. Then try to re-upload. If you are still having trouble, please send us one of the photos so we can troubleshoot and/or help.
    What should I do if my restaurant serves two kinds of cuisine?
    Hum, that's a good one. Just as the media will have to pick one cuisine to list your restaurant for diners, you will need to pick one, the dominent one, you believe best represents your cuisine.
    I have multiple parking options, why can I only pick one?
    GOOD QUESTION! I HAVE NO ANSWER!
    How can I add someone to my restaurant account?
    Go to My Restaurant > Edit Restaurant > Staff. There, you will be able to input their email and, if they have an account using that email, their name will come up. You will be given the opportunity to invite them onto the system if they do not have an account.
    How do I change which Facebook account is hooked up to Spoonfeed?
    For your personal profile, Facebook will link to your personal Facebook account. For your restaurant profile, you can use the drop down associated with Facebook linking on the restaurant profile and all accounts for which you are an administrator will show. Simply pick the appropriate account.
    Can I export all this background to a future employer?
    For now, you would need to upgrade your profile and send the link to Soapbox, rather than Spoonfeed — unless your future employer has a Spoonfeed account! 
    How can I upgrade my Restaurant Profile?
    First, make sure you have filled out your Features, Fact Sheet and Photos, and your Menus are up-to-date (we want this to work for you!).
    Navigate to Upgrade to Premium, located on the Account Tab in Edit Profile.
    Fill in your credit card information. No contracts. Cancel when you want.
    What kinds of accolades can I post?
    First and foremost, add the accolades that really showcase your restaurant well — picking the most influential publications/blogs and the longest and most supportive articles. Don't feature anything that may have been written before a major chef change or a major concept change — you want the accolades you pick to be helpful to readers, showcasing what they can expect if they visit your restaurant.
    Why isn't there some place I can just upload my resume so I don't have to type this all in again?
    Everyone's resume is different — some are more complete than others. Our goal was to create a standardized and comprehensive format for everyone to follow so media could get to the information they need quickly and efficiently. The good news, if you post here once, you'll never have to keep track of your resume ever again!
    How can I share my On The Menu post on Facebook and Twitter?
    Every On the Menu post offers a way to schedule the post on Twitter and Facebook. You will need to first hook up your restaurant's Facebook and Twitter accounts, which you can do on the Details tab. Then for each post, you have the option to schedule the post to automatically replicate onto Twitter and Facebook at an appointed time.
    How can I share my Newsfeed post on Facebook and Twitter?
    Every Newsfeed post offers a way to schedule the post on Twitter and Facebook. You will need to first hook up your restaurant's Facebook and Twitter accounts, which you can do on the Details tab. Then for each post, you have the option to schedule the post to automatically replicate onto Twitter and Facebook at an appointed time.
    How can I share my A La Minute post on Facebook and Twitter?
    Every A la Minute post offers a way to schedule the post on Twitter and Facebook. You will need to first hook up your restaurant's Facebook and Twitter accounts, which you can do on the Details tab. Then for each post, you have the option to schedule the post to automatically replicate onto Twitter and Facebook at an appointed time.
    How can I share my Spoonfeed content with my diners?
    Diners can enjoy an editorial version of our Premium members' Spoonfeed content on Soapbox, our digital magazine.
    How can I find out which restaurants and chefs are on Spoonfeed?
    Click on either the Restaurant Directory or the Personal Directory.
    How can I edit my Restaurant Profile?
    Click "My Restaurant" and then select the restaurant you would like to edit. If you do not have an edit button, it means your account administrator has not granted you access to do so and you should contact them.
    How can I get my email notifications sent to my publicist or assistant?
    Beneath the Notifications, you'll see an Editing section with a dropdown list of all the site's active members. Here you can assign one or more trusted individuals the access to manage, contribute to, or edit your Profile and answer questions on your behalf, with the understanding that their content will post in your name. This is a great tool for super-busy chefs; just remember to be judicious to whom you grant this access, and to remove the access should someone with that access move on. Be sure to click "Save Editing Preferences" after each individual you choose to add.
    Can I link this to my book on Amazon?
    At present, we don't offer the ability to link to your book on Amazon.
    How do I add my restaurant to the restaurant listing on Spoonfeed?
    All you have to do is create a restaurant to get your restaurant listed on Spoonfeed directory listing. Go to edit my restaurant > create a restaurant and start filling out the profile. Your restaurant will not be accessible to media until it is upgraded to Premium. At that time, though, it will also be accessible to diners on Soapbox.
    I am a restaurant in a hotel but don't want to list the hotel because we consider ourselves an independent restaurant, what should I do?
    A lot of hotel restaurants do a great job of breaking out of the mold of hotel restaurants. That said, your Spoonfeed profile functions first and foremost as an online press kit and the best practices for any media relations program begins with forthright honesty. So, if you are located in a hotel — or any other venue — your best bet is to list that venue on Spoonfeed so that media don't have to go chasing the information down.
    It is easier for me to schedule a bunch of A La Minute posts at once, how can I do that?
    A la Minute offers a way to schedule items for Facebook and Twitter but not for Spoonfeed. So, when you post an item to our site, it will show up in the database for media immediately, which is a good thing as they need fast (and first!) access to information. You can spread out when the items post to Twitter and Facebook, though, by selecting the date and time you would like the items to post.
    How many menus can I upload?
        You can upload as many menus as you have. Our system is designed to be a permanent record of your restaurant, so feel free to upload all of your menus, including for special events, if you feel what you are doing is exciting enough that the media might want to peruse it, even down the road.
    How do I change the order of employees on my Restaurant Profile?

    You can drag and drop employees to display in the right order. Navigate to edit my restaurant > select the restaurant to edit > go to Staff tab and then simply hover over the employee information you want to move, click and drag to the right place in the order.

    Can I add anything I want to the cuisine served?
    Cuisine is a tricky thing for a lot of restaurants. Distilling down what a chef is trying to accomplish into one word can seem limiting.But standardized words not only is an important function of search, it is also most useful to media and diners to have some kind of recognizable reference point. So, we have provided a standard cuisine list from which to pick your cuisine — if you'd like to bust out something more creative, we have included the tagline/short description for you to add more context to your cuisine, philosophies and style.
    How do I post to A la Minute?
    To post to A la Minute, navigate to "edit my restaurant" and then select the restaurant to which you are posting. Navigate to the A la Minute tab and then select the information you want to post. Enter in your post.
    * If you would like the system to autopost to Twitter and Facebook immediately, you can just hit "post."
    * If you would like the system to autopost to Twitter and Facebook at different times, enter those time and hit "post."
    * If you do not want your post to autopost to Twitter and/or Facebook, you can check "don't crosspost to..." and it will only post to RIA.
    How do I post to On The Menu?
    To post to On the Menu, navigate to "edit my restaurant" and then select the restaurant to which you are posting. Navigate to the On the Menu tab and hit "Add a New Item." First, you will add the Name of Dish/Drink/Wine/Beer; users generally post the menu name here. Then add in your description/background. This area is where you can tell the story of your item, including some of the interesting background of how the dish came together and/or the ingredients or method you use. It is a place to share your creativity and help you draw people into your food and drinks — giving media story ideas and diners a reason to get our from behind their computers and dine at your restaurant. Please share the price and pairing and select the appropriate keywords for your dish.

    Before you hit post, you can set your sharing preferences.
    * If you would like the system to autopost to Twitter and Facebook immediately, you can just hit "post."
    * If you would like the system to autopost to Twitter and Facebook at different times, enter those time and hit "post."
    * If you do not want your post to autopost to Twitter and/or Facebook, you can check "don't crosspost to..." and it will only post to RIA.
    I don't see my employee listed, how do I add them?
    To add an employee, navigate to "edit my restaurant" and then select the Staff tab. If your employee has an account, enter in their first and last name or email address and they will show up. You can click to confirm you have the right person selected and you are then directed to select their editing and posting privledges on Spoonfeed.

    If your employee does not have an account, you will be given the opportunity to invite them to Spoonfeed. You can enter their first name and last name, select a username and then enter in their email and they will be sent an invitation.
    What happens if I list the wrong address for my restaurant?
    Everything on our site can be edited, so, to correct your address, just navigate to "edit my restaurants" and select the restaurant you want to edit, then on the Account tab, you will see the restaurant address field. 
    What happens if I select the wrong Metro Area?
    Everything on our site can be edited, so you can easily correct your Metro Area by navigate to "edit my restaurants" and select the restaurant you want to edit, then on the Account tab, you will see the Metropolitan Area drop down.
    What happens if my Media Contact changes?
    If your Media Contact changes, you need to first make sure the new contact has a Spoonfeed account. If they do, you can change the Media Contact on the Account tab on your restaurant profile. If they do not yet have an account, you will need to first sign them up for Spoonfeed, which you can do from the Staff tab. Let us know if we can help!
    What if I only know the month or year of our restaurant opening?
    If you've been open more than five years, the year alone will suffice. Less than five years, do make a wee bit of effort to find out the date or at least the month of opening.
    What if I want to list two people as a Media Contact?
    While many chefs and restaurants often have more than one contact, for the purposes of Spoonfeed, we only offer space for one Media Contact. It is best to select the person who is most readily available.
    Why can I only pick 15 Top Tags?
    Top Tags are an at a glance look at your restaurant, a shorthand to help people understand what your restaurant is about quickly. They are also the keywords we embed into the sharing you do from our site, so when you select Top Tags, you are selecting the keywords that will drive your SEO with all shares from Spoonfeed and Soapbox.
    Why can I only post PDFs?
    Uploading a PDF is the fastest and most standardized way for restaurants to share their menus online. Because our site is designed to house archives of menus, and not just one, we wanted to make the sharing tool as easy and quick for restaurants as possible.
    Why can't I just add myself to the restaurant where I work?
    Because Spoonfeed is designed to be a restaurant press kit, we have built in a lot of extra controls to help restaurant owners and their publicists control information that appears on the profile. Just a courtesy so they don't feel like it's the Wild West!
    Why do I still get Media Requests if my notifications are set to "off."
    We assume all our members would like to know about media opportunities so we default that notification to on for all our members.
    Why is my town not listed in the Metro Area list?
    Metro Areas are designed to group restaurants and members into logical groupings for media and diners. So, it is best to pick the Metro Area you are closest to. If you feel your town should be included, give us a shout and if it makes sense, we'll certainly add it!

  • Publicisttop

    How does hooking up my clients' social feeds help me reach more media?
    The social web has created a huge problem for publicists: clients are sharing their news and information on twitter and Facebook and the media who follow them are reaching out and following up on that news directly, bypassing the publicist and cutting them out of conversations.

    We wanted to help solve this problem. So we set out to help media get access to the rich and diverse content chefs and restaurants are sharing while ensuring that follow up on that information is done with the publicist. We do this with Social tab on Spoonfeed. The social tab aggregates all your client's social feeds on one platform so it's easy for media to access them. And more important, all of the status updates offer media an easy way to get more information about the post — by clicking a button that sends you, not the client, an email.

    We think it is a great feature for media because it gives them an easy way to follow up on things they are interested in — and more importantly, it puts you front and center in that conversation. 
    My clients look to us to be their solution, not to ask them more questions. Won't this just give them more work to do?
    Actually, with Spoonfeed, you are providing your client with an effective tool for increasing their online influence and impacting their search rankings.

    Also, we find that clients not only appreciate the focus on what they are actually doing in the restaurant, but that by participating in Spoonfeed, they are providing their PR and SM agents with valuable information they don't normally receive from their clients.

    Spoonfeed is fun, interactive and designed to help a chef make an impact online with every post.
    How can I easily access my clients' accounts without having to log in as them individually?    
    As you know, you can easily become an authorized poster to your client's restaurant account. We also built a tool for you to become an authorized editor of your client's personal accounts so you can edit them easily from your own login — and not be forced to log into their account each time you need to post or edit something.   

    This feature is listed on every member’s "Account" page. You or your client needs to login as the client, navigate to Edit Profile > Account, then, under Editing, select your name from the list. Hit save and you are done.   

    When you are ready to post or edit something on your client's personal account, simply select them from the Personal Directory (or search for their name) and you will see the "Edit Profile" button. You have complete access to their account and can make any changes as needed.   Please note, you will not have access to their messages from this feature.

  • Mediatop

    What do I do if I want to reach a chef and they don't share their contact information? Do I write you?
    We encourage our chefs to share their contact information so you can contact them directly. As soon as we can finish building Mediafeed, we'll have a private space so chefs can share their contact details with you and not the general public (we're taking donations if you want to help speed that along). Until then, feel free to use  our Contact page, or contact the restaurant directly.
    A restaurant told me you were their marketing firm/PR firm, are you the right person? And if not, who should I contact?
    The staff at RIA actually doesn't represent any restaurants so we are sorry but we are not a media contact for our restaurant members. Our members post a media contact for their restaurant, which we recommend is the best person to reach out to for information. Sorry about the run around but we are not able to help with inquires about individual restaurants or members on the site.
    Are you a PR firm? Should I contact you for information and questions about the restaurants on this site?
    RIA doesn't represent restaurants. We actually just run the website which restaurants use to connect with media and diners. So, all of the content, etc. is managed by the restaurants themselves and you should contact them directly with your query.

    Each restaurant profile does offer our members a place to list the media contact for their restaurant. They would be the best person for you to contact.