Can we no longer do without the background of haute cuisine?

Recently, the content creator couple behind the project Cosa mangiamo oggi? (which, with over 400 thousand subscribers on YouTube, is one of the most appreciated in Italy in the food and wine sector) proposed a format that was very positively received by users: showing the behind the scenes of fine dining. For example, a few months ago they spent three days in the kitchen of Cracco Portofino, led by Mattia Pecis – included in October in the ranking of the best under-30 chefs by the magazine Il Gambero Rosso. The video – which lasts almost an hour and currently has over 350 thousand views – was well received right away: «the ultimate format», commented a user. Watching it gives an idea of how a dish is born in such a restaurant, how the supply chain is structured, or how the brigade organizes for service. «The purpose of this video is not to eat from start to finish simply showing you a sequence of dishes [...]: it’s to bring you into the life of a chef and the behind the scenes of a restaurant that seems apparently simple to manage [...], but in reality is much more complex than you imagine», says Franci of Cosa mangiamo oggi? to introduce the content.

A similarly well-received video was made on Venissa, a Michelin-starred restaurant led by chefs Chiara Pavan and Francesco Brutto. The same goes for the one dedicated to Trattoria da Lucio, by young chef Jacopo Ticchi, where a segment even shows how the fish auction is held at the Rimini fish market. Notably, this way of depicting fine dining is increasingly popular on platforms, including YouTube. On the magazine channel ItaliaSquisita, one of the latest videos focuses on a typical day at Eleven Madison Park, New York’s three-Michelin-star restaurant. A few weeks ago, content creator Gabriele Vagnato spent 24 hours with Isabella Potì of the Bros restaurant in Lecce (1 Michelin star), showing – albeit with humor – how they prepare for the evening service: «What happens inside starred kitchens? Why do those dishes cost so much? How does one earn a star?», Vagnato asks at the beginning of the video. All this curiosity about fine dining and how it works has developed relatively recently, also because the sector – for various reasons – has gradually become less elitist and “stiff”, piquing the interest of people who would typically not frequent such restaurants.

Revealing the behind-the-scenes of fine dining benefits everyone

In recent years, content about fine dining on social media has multiplied. While projects like Cosa mangiamo oggi? and Juice, among others, have helped make it more “pop”, many restaurateurs, particularly on Instagram, have sought to make it feel less distant from the general public. Establishments such as Trattoria da Lucio, Allegra or Ferdy Wild, among others, base their communication on this concept: they publish plenty of content – even relatively amateurish – that effectively humanizes fine dining, showcasing dish preparations, pre-service meetings, or dish trials, among other things. The result is that a new generation of young customers is approaching a world that traditionally catered to a niche audience.

Thanks to Instagram, it’s as if the culinary experience offered by these restaurants no longer ends with simply tasting the dishes on the menu: users have the opportunity to "experience" in advance parts of the restaurant, especially from the inside, by observing the preparation phases of the dishes they will later taste, the work in the kitchen, and the staff’s approach. All of this, therefore, creates a kind of narrative that begins long before sitting at the table and becoming actual customers. This type of communication also fosters a sense of familiarity and loyalty. Sharing the behind-the-scenes of the restaurant world is not a new concept, but until recently, it was done almost exclusively by industry magazines in their print editions, aimed at a very specific audience, made up almost entirely of true enthusiasts and industry professionals. Today, however, this aspect of the restaurant world is increasingly accessible to everyone, offering benefits to both sides.