Click. Tweet. Eat. Repeat.

‘Foodporn’ has become one of the hottest hashtags and the trend of photographing one’s food before devouring it, is a hotly-debated topic in the international culinary scene. So, while a series of pop-up restaurants in the UK, The Picture House, rewarded people who posted photos of their food on Instagram and Twitter with free meals, New York-based Michelin-star restaurant Momofuku Ko strictly prohibits food photography.

The scene is a lot more encouraging back home and restaurateurs are banking on innovative presentation and social media to grab eyeballs. When Ellipsis, Colaba, opened in April 2012, the restaurant remained booked for several weeks owing to the right kind of media hype. Today, its award-winning chef, Kelvin Cheung, an ardent user of Instagram, posts photos of the dishes that will be served at his popular weekend brunches. Within minutes, his followers book a spot at the spread through the photo app.

With exposure to shows such as MasterChef Australia, restaurants are realising that serving regular butter chicken in a kadhai won’t impress patrons anymore. The rise of social media, however, has made them push the envelope. Today, food presentation is not limited to a sprig of rosemary on baked chicken or a colourful salad on the side.

At Andheri’s Treesome Cafe, burgers are served in metal cages. Its quirky dishes have been a hit with people who like to flaunt the interesting places they eat at. “Having pictures clicked and shared on social media platforms is a big trend, so chefs have become more conscious about plating,” says chef Kshama Prabhu of The White Owl. Chefs have started using micro-greens, edible flowers and molecular gastronomy to make food look pretty.

At Delhi’s Farzi Cafe, another one of Kalra’s Massive Restaurants, food is served with cutesy twists. Chicken tikka masala comes in a bright red telephone booth and rolls are served in hand-made trucks. “Every dish is conceptualised with the intention of telling a story. We use the telephone booths because the dish originated in London,” Kalra explains. At the end of the meal, the cheque comes attached to a mini-typewriter, making it a perfect Instagram moment.

After the opening of Colaba-based Social last month, elements of its quirky interiors and gimmicky presentation — bathroom-tiled bar, menu and glasses with hashtag prints — populated  various social media platforms, ensuring that the restaurant is packed every night.

“Even in home kitchens, people are paying close attention to plating up when entertaining guests,” says Rushina Ghildiyal, food writer and consultant. Restaurants are using Instagram to market their brands or talk about upcoming promotions. “Word-of-mouth is the speech of digital media. People who post photos on Instagram end up becoming unpaid ambassadors of the restaurants,” says chef Ajay Chopra of The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Chefs and food bloggers also use Instagram to gain more patronage.

It may seem like social media has aided the restaurant business on the whole, but restaurateurs admit there are downsides too. People’s enthusiasm to click the best shot can sometimes cause inconvenience to other guests. Owner of Social, Riyaaz Amlani also believes that social media can be a double-edged sword, exposing a property to bias and criticism. “There’s a pressure every moment, and negative reviews tend to spread faster.” Agrees Chopra, “While social media does glorify food, people need to remember that a book should not be judged by its cover.”

meenakshi.iyer@expressindia.com