THE ANATOMY

OF A PERFECT

INSTAGRAM POST

We tapped two Boston-based talents, Boston Hospitality Group chef/owner Chris Coombs and Outlook

Kitchen and Bar executive chef Tatiana Rosana, whose Instagram insights are rivaled only by their skills

in the kitchen.

They may not always agree on best practices, but both award-winning chefs have plenty of tips proven

to lead to Instagram gold. And as Coombs points out,

@chefchriscoombs

@bostonchops

@bostonchopsdowntown

@deuxave

@dbarboston

For his downtown location of popular steakhouse Boston Chops, Coombs

invested more than $5,000 in a social media-friendly table, complete with

overhead LED lights, a daylight-esque color temperature of 6,500 degrees

Kelvin, and adjustable lamps diners can control to get the perfect shot.

“Great images require great lighting. If we don’t provide great lighting, it doesn’t matter how beautiful the food is; it will not shoot well.”

What about restaurants that ban phones from the table?

“I think that they are silly. Who doesn’t like free marketing?”

CHRIS COOMBS

C O O M B S ’ I N S TAG R A M D E A L B R E A K E R S :

C O O M B S ’ C O R E P R I N C I P L E S :

c o l o r b r i g h t n e s s c o n t ra s t

c l a r i t y fo c u s

SECRET FORMULA

f i l t e r :

C L A R E N D O N :4 0

s h a r p e n :

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v i g n e t t e :

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ex p o s u re :

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c o n t ra s t :

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Half-eaten food is gross.

Hands rarely make a picture better.

Shadows don’t ever help an image.

Never shoot anything so tight that you can’t

tell what it is.

In post-edit, don’t futz with the natural color

of food. It makes it look strange.

@chef.tatiana

@outlookkitchenandbar

With a passion for drawing and painting (and even a degree in creative writing), Rosana has blended art and science for her photo-worthy plating skills, often documented with the #TheArtOfPlating tag.

TATIANAROSANA

R O S A N A’S P R O T I P S :

Take pictures from di�erent angles. If it’s a dish with a lot of

texture, don’t be afraid of getting up close and personal. If the

composition of the plate is the star, shoot from above to

capture the beauty of the plate.

Add a human element to your photos. I often take photos with

my hand in the picture, holding a mug of co�ee or a

particularly interesting piece of fruit or vegetable. It allows your

followers to connect on a more personal level to your

photograph, and I find that pictures like this gain more likes

than others.

Find photogenic surfaces. Wooden surfaces give food a rustic

look, while white tables provide a clean backdrop for your

#ArtOfPlating pictures. If you don’t have a pretty

surface, try using a tablecloth or linen under the plate (but opt for subtle, uncluttered patterns), or get

creative with sheet pans, tiles, or paper.

Make sure your photos play nice with each other. If your overall Instagram page looks visually appealing,

you are more likely to gain followers and likes. Space out posts like quotes and selfies so that there are not

too many of the same kind of photo in a row.

Natural light is life. Morning and late afternoon light is usually the best. Take your photo close to a window

or away from artificial lights since they can change the color of your photos.

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R O S A N A’S N O - N O S :

AC T I O N S H O T S :

Avoid plates and backgrounds that are the

same color as your food if you want the food

to stand out.

Over-stylized plates don’t allow your followers

to relate to your post, so don’t be afraid of

shooting your dripping ice cream cone if you

think it’s a pretty shot.

Never zoom in if you’re shooting on your

phone. It will reduce the quality of your shot

and lessen the definition of the picture.

Instead, just move your phone closer.

Never use flash. Overexposure can ruin a

picture. If you aren’t around natural light,

use a friend’s phone to illuminate your plate.

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Rosana explains the thinking behind some of her best posts.

“This photo is one of my favorites because

all of the colors really pop. The detail and

closeness of the shot allows you to really

see all of the textures in the dish.”

“This picture is a great example of blank

space and composition of a plate.

Allowing your photo some breathing

room gives your photos a cleaner look and

draws your eye to the main subject.”

“This photo is a great example of taking a

candid in-the-moment shot from an

interesting angle. It shows o� not only the

food but the people in the background as

well, which makes the photo more

relatable.”

“This photo really uses texture and angle

to tell a story. By focusing in on the first

couple garganelli and letting the others in

the background fade away, it gives the

allusion that the pasta keeps going

forever.”

Sometimes it is really hard to know

which posts will be the most successful.

Sometimes you just get lucky.

AC T I O N S H O T S :

Plating this butternut squash in a circle

draws the eye into the dish.

The colors of this co�ee and fig based

dessert really pop on a white plate.

I only use my iPhone for food shots,

I edit completely on Instagram.

Here’s her proven editing strategy.

As Chris and Tatiana have made pretty clear:

Instagram is free marketing and whether you’re active on

Instagram or not, your guests are.

If you’re looking for more tips and tricks for getting started and taking a starring role in your

guests’ feed, get this free guide to Instagram marketing for restaurants!

https://resources.upserve.c

om/restaurant-marketing-st

rategies-instagram.htmlDOWNLOAD

In charge of your restaurant’s social media marketing strategy, but

overwhelmed by the thought of building a quality online presence?

The new Instagram-friendly table at Boston Chops.

resources.upserve.com/restaurant-marketing-strategies-instagram.html