Theorizing participatory media cultures and dinner. No, that is not a typo...

In week 7 we looked into participatory media cultures, and in particular, one that continues to have a direct effect on food culture – the social media website Urbanspoon. This post will aim on expanding on the capabilities of Urbanspoon as a participatory culture by identifying some key concepts imbued in its interactive and connected nature, and to analyse how its collaborative processes have developed a culture of everyday critics, food photographers and opinionated foodies.

The notion of participatory cultures is nothing new. The ethos of democracy was created in the shape of what essentially is a participatory culture. It is with the advent of the Internet that diverse realms of participatory cultures became exceedingly evident. Cultures based on hobbies and interests flourished under the global reach of the World Wide Web and this growth only further stimulated the spread of knowledge and granted our opinionated views a voice to communicate them with.

Urbanspoon's coverage is global. Many cities, states and towns have there own home page localised to the area containing a list of restaurants, corresponding reviews, pictures and the infamous ‘talk of the town’ sections – the most reviewed, blogged about and discussed restaurants – A.K.A. ‘the popular kids’ in the schoolyard of cuisine. 

Joining the website is relatively easy, all you need to do is create a profile – forming an online representation of self, a username and a corresponding email and off you go into the maelstrom of like-minded individuals. Joining is only necessary if you wish to participate in the websites content.

Urbanspoon acts as a hub – collating reviews from other blogs and websites, whilst granting users the ability to upload their own. The collaboration of review scores is then developed into a median percentage rating for each restaurant, giving users a collaborative power akin to a ‘reviewing democracy’ – to embrace and promote their favourite eateries, and denounce those that leave them queasy and dissatisfied.

Henry Jenkins - Participatory Cultures

So what makes Urbanspoon so popular? Delwiche and Jacobs Henderson quote Jenkins in stating “a participatory culture is also one in which members believe their contributions matter, and feel some degree of social connection with one another (at least they care what other people think about what they have created)” (2012, p. 3). In essence, Urbanspoon’s success expands on the popularity of the pre-existent food culture imbued in a city. Though the websites capabilities flourish as it embraces the social connection of food culture in a different platform – one that is interactive and constantly connected.

I can’t remember the last time I went to a restaurant without checking it on Urbanspoon first. I, like many, am a food ‘nerd’ and like to “seek guidance from collaboratively updated websites” (Delwiche and Jacobs Henderson, 2012, pp. 3-4) on how I will spend my hard earned dollars (given the sparse nature of currency to a student).  

Urbanspoon, and its collaboration of like-minded individuals, provide me with the reviews; the pictures and the menus I require to plan my minimum wage spend, but also interestingly provide a more specific section for ‘cheap eats’.

It is this umbrella premise that makes participatory cultures successful. Although Urbanspoon is specific to restaurant culture – users diversify its content based on their demographic. This ranges from analysing ‘cheap eats’ to the more expensive ‘Fine Dining’ section’s three hat establishments.

Urbanspoon’s nature of interactivity puts individuals in partial control of online content; as Darley (2000, p. 156) states as “taking a leading role in what occurs, given the means to control – at least in part”. Although Darley discusses interactivity regarding videogames, it too can be experienced through social media. The ability to interact creates a sense of entitlement and a form of ownership for users over their interests. Those who enjoyed a particular dish at Cumulus Inc. want to write about their ‘distinguished’ tastes and share their views into developing a “knowledge culture” (Delwiche and Jacobs Henderson, 2012, p. 4).

“These knowledge cultures have become an integral part of our lives; they function as prosthetic extensions of our nervous system and we often feel crippled when our access to these networks is curtailed. It is hard to believe that, for the most of recorded history, human beings were unable to instantly find answers to questions such as “How long can I safely store cooked chicken in the refrigerator?”

                                    - Delwiche and Jacobs Henderson, 2012, p. 4

Al Deen et. al. state that “online social interactions fundamentally differ form face-to-face interactions in offline social networks. Online social networking typically offers opportunities for expression that are less restrictive” (2011, p.3). The ability to construct a representation to hide behind has produced the ability for users to be more honest without scrutiny, and praise – putting the customers/reviewers and prosumers into a position of power. Anybody could be a reviewer and have some say in deciding if your restaurant is popular enough to be considered as the ‘Talk of the town’. Interactivity implies to intervene in a meaningful way – having a form of control of content uploaded and displayed on the website.  

The Urbanspoon mo

The convergence of technologies into Mobile devices continues to increase the coverage of social media. The speed and accessibility provided through 3G/4G connections and Wi-Fi coupled with mobile applications allow for programs like Urbanspoon’s app. to run seamlessly. This constant connectivity dramatically broadens the market for its users, ensuring the website can be accessed at anytime, regardless of the device. Giaccardi (2012, p. 4) quotes Greenfield in stating:

“Social media are increasingly becoming mobile. They are contributing to new mindsets and skill sets, fostering a culture of participation unrestricted by schedules and locations. This mobility promotes a continual activity of interaction in which we are immersed and involved, all the time.”

(Greenfield 2006)

The connectivity experienced through mobile devices is especially relevant when you consider physical nature of food. A picture can be taken within minutes of being prepared by a chef, and a review can be completed just after a meal. This makes for a seamless process that has begun to naturalise itself into modern day dining. There isn’t a need to transport around cameras, laptops and notepads when devices such as the iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet can complete all tasks via a wireless connection directly to the website the review will be published on.

Giaccardi (2012, p. 4) claims participatory culture built via social media is not limited to its online interactivity and virtuality; “it is also interwoven with physical objects, places and activities that are augmented and enhanced with social data and connectivity.”

Restaurants can flourish with the right reviews, and others face demise with a bad few. Social media applications such as Urbanspoon don’t create this shift of power, though they allow it to be more accessible through participatory cultures, ensuring every customer is as important as the last to a restaurant – You’re only as good as the last meal. Any mobile phone wielding, selfie-taking hipster could supplement a restaurants success or aid in its poor online representation.

Giaccardi (2012, p.4) quotes Leadbeater stating, “In this more plural and collaborative culture, the boundaries between amateur and professional, consumer and producer, grassroots and mainstream are breached, if not erased”. The sheer number of ‘social media keyboard warriors’ could see you taking information from the wrong sources. You can’t be expecting that the user ‘JoeBlogs69’ has the technical knowhow to understand the subtle touches and techniques required to complete a classic French Jus, or that ‘Maccasfan74’ will definitely be approaching the regional Italian fare on offer with an open mind. This is both a positive and negative implication of participatory media cultures. On one hand, unparalleled honesty from a user not experienced with reviews or familiar with a particular cuisine could present as genuine, though the credibility (or lack thereof) presented in a judgment could also be the reason you missed out on trying something or someplace completely different. We can’t forget about the ‘Trolls’ - Nothing stops a biased, publicity-seeking restaurateur from jumping on Urbanspoon and collating a review that makes a restaurant look like the food messiah. Thus is the nature of the Internet.

The affects of participatory cultures have seen a shift in listening to the critics to listening to the publics. Participatory cultures are continually democratising industries. Though this does not take away from the validity of restaurant reviews in The Age’s Epicure, the 2014 Good Food Guide, or San Pelligrino’s ‘Top 50’, Urbanspoon offers a more localized, informal and user-friendly approach to the whole eating out process.

Acclaimed Chef & Restauranteur Jaques Reymond

The Age’s Good Food Guide continues to set the official benchmark by offering coveted ‘chefs-hat’ awards to restaurants, though Urbanspoon’s ability to bring together like-minded individuals and to spread the renown of smaller establishments has only enhanced the explosion of contemporary cuisine in our generation. Its interactive and connected nature promotes discussion, and ensures that notoriety is not just down to the mutually exclusive big names or powerhouses of the industry. 


Urbanspoon ensures every preference and every budget can be matched to a restaurant, whether your taste is the $285 degustation at the three-chef-hat Jacques Reymond or the $11 Burger with the Lot from Melbourne icon Andrew’s Hamburgers. Urbanspoon caters for all.

Thank you for reading – Michael.

Reference List:

Al-Deen, .N, Hana, .S & Hendricks J.A 2011, Social Media: Usage and Impact, Lexington Books, retrieved September 7th 2013, http://www.deakin.eblib.com.au.ezproxy-f.deakin.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=795614

Delwiche, A., Jacobs Henderson, J. 2012, The Participatory Cultures Handbook, Taylor & Francis, retrieved October 4th 2013, <http://deakin.eblib.com.au.ezproxy-m.deakin.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1024648>

Giaccardi, E. 2012, Heritage & Social Media: Understanding heritage in a participatory culture, Taylor & Francis. retreived October 6th 2013, <http://deakin.eblib.com.au.ezproxy-m.deakin.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=988002>

Raessens, J. 2005, ‘Computer games as participatory media culture’, Handbook of

Computer ­Game Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp. 373-388

Hollywoodizing your dinner

Verb

To Hollywoodize.

        (Transitive) To adapt to the norms and ideals of Hollywood; to make glitzy, superficial, thrilling, etc.

Derived terms

Hollywoodization

(http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Hollywoodize)

The image of celebrity and entertainment influences western culture.

Hollywood has long been a representative façade of Western culture and entertainment. It is the home of a multi-billion dollar film industry, with the sign that represents a cultural edifice for film buffs and actors alike.

Hollywood’s spread is global, with its effects transferring to many cultural trends. In essence, it further represents the development of a global culture, consuming the individual nature of singular cultures, and subsequently ‘westernizing’ them in a process of ‘integration and denationalization’ (Klein, C 2004, p.361) to appeal to a broader audience.

‘Hollywoodisation’ spreads further than film. It can be attributed to many forms of entertainment, and many forms of interests. The Hollywoodisation of food is in fact more familiar than you expect.

Klein quotes Cowen (2002) in stating ‘cross-cultural exchange, expanded consumer preferences and greater aesthetic diversity’ are all affects of globalisation. The representation of culture we are sometimes presented through food is often ‘Hollywoodized’ in a way, so our western palates can adapt to flavours they are not use to.

Fusion cuisine constitutes the blend of two or more cultures of food (the integration Klein speaks of), and when successfully done can create something original and complimentary. When fusion is done wrong, it can represent little more than an atrocity to the ingredients used.

Chin Chin's Kingfish Sashimi with coconut, lime and chilli.

Fusion cuisine began as a means of creativity, but also to bring new foods from China, Japan and India (to name a few) to a new demographic, still inherently carrying the western touch we are use to.

The Asian-based fusion restaurants of Melbourne such as Chin Chin, Red Spice Road, Coda and Gingerboy continue to show a sense of ‘cultural heterogenisation’ (Klein, C 2004,p.362) by adapting and making them representative of Melbourne and its diversified population.

                                   Tetsuya Wakuda - One of Australia's finest chef's based in Sydney, 'fusion' cooking

            

Chin Chin, located down flinders lane in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, presents a contemporary spin on classic Asia flavours. Dishes such as ‘Kingfish Sashimi with coconut, lime and chilli’ present Thai flavours, Japanese technique, coupled with a modern, ‘glitzy’ western presentation.

Red Spice Road, on Mckillop st., again in the Melbourne CBD, produces desserts such as ‘Lemongrass panna-cotta with watermelon jelly and lychee donuts’ –The ingredients, and flavours inspired by the South East of Asia, the techniques – inherently western and familiar.

The adaptation present in the process of ‘Hollywoodisation’ seeks to provide us with a more extravagant and overzealous interpretation that is familiarised to the attributes of localized cultures. This is evident in the intertwining of film industries in Hollywood, and reflective also through the food we eat in our restaurants, and at home.

Hollywood truly is a global phenomenon, in more ways than expected.

Thanks for reading, till next time…

Reference List

Klein, Christina 2004, ‘Martial arts and globalisation of US and Asian film industries’, Comparative America Studies, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 360-384.

New media, new coverage, new celebrities...

I first read about chef Yoshihiro Narisawa on a blog in 2012. Their was one post compiling a small review with pictures of the Tokyo-based chefs restaurant. Yoshihiro’s blend of regional Japanese ingredients coupled with the flair of French technique displayed in the images on his website encouraged me to pursue my research on one of Japan's 'celebrity' chefs.

The last 20 years has seen the notion of cuisine escalated to a cultural monolith. The rise of the celebrity chef has brought forth media coverage to the mainstream, it has inspired sub-cultural trends such as the 'foodies' and their constant circulation of Instagram snapshots, and brought us mobile apps to help us learn how to cook like Curtis Stone. Before new media and mobile technology, a chef of Narisawa's ilk would be unknown to someone like me in Australia. The coverage of the worldwide food obsession through new media has only facilitated the spread of renown for a new breed of chefs, restaurants and recipes.

The notion of ‘the specular economy’ revolves around the way in which we, and our subsequent audiences produce, perceive and distribute various images and text through new media (Marshall, P. D. 2010, p. 499).  Through technological advancements, we now have an audience with a ‘sophisticated appeal to individualisation within coordinated cultural trends’ (2010, p. 499). In our case, this is the foodies.

Narisawa recently received the 2013 number one restaurant in Asia ranking. In his home country of Japan, Narisawa is renowned for his environmentalist ways, so much so that his use of regional ingredients is inherent in not only the food, but also the handmade plates and serving platters used in presentation.

The two-way mirror projection of the self, inherent in ‘the specular economy’ facilitates the spread of restaurant Narisawa and Yoshihiro Narisawa's ethos on food. The ‘exchange and interchange of a networked culture’ (Marshall, P. D. 2010, p. 502) is something that new media has built, progressively, with blogs, forums and social media becoming the playing grounds for interests and inspiration - after all that is how I first learnt of Narisawa.

The technique and food of Narisawa is held in high regard in the east. Now thanks to our globalised societies, Yoshihiro is receiving renowned as one of Asia’s finest celebrity chefs in the west as well.

Thank you for reading, till next time...

Reference List:

Marshall, P.D 2010, ‘The Specular Economy’, Society, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 498-502

Urbanspoon: Participating in what you eat

Urbanspoon's interactive interface has turned it into a 'foodie' phenomenon

I can’t remember the last time I went to a restaurant without checking it out on Urbanspoon. When it comes to dining out, I always like to do my research. Whether it is just to get a grasp of what’s available on the menu(s), or to read about the general jive of a place its handy to have reviews, pictures and ratings, and the ability to make a reservation (see video on 'Rezbook' below) just a click away.

Urbanspoon’s successes lay in the websites collation of blog and critic reviews and user content. Its nature of interactivity puts individuals in partial control of online content; as Darley (2000, p. 156) states as “taking a leading role in what occurs, given the means to control – at least in part”. Although Darley discusses interactivity regarding games, it too can be experienced through social media websites.

Urbanspoon doesn’t require you to sign-up to view its content, anybody can read reviews and look a Instagram shot food pictures. To review, upload and well, ‘interact’, you must first create a profile. This grants users the ability to structure online representations of themselves, much like the creation of a character in a video game. From signing up, the ability to review, comment and slander restaurants you didn’t like, or bow down in praise to those you do, all begins.

Al Deen et. al. state that “Online social networking typically offers opportunities for expression that are less restrictive” (2011, p.3). The ability to construct a representation to 'hide behind' has produced the ability for users to be more honest without scrutiny – putting the prosumers in the drivers seat like never before - with an international audience online. 

Anybody could be a reviewer and have some say in deciding if a restaurant is popular enough to be considered in the ‘Talk of the town’ section. It is this Interactivity that allows users to 'intervene' a form of control; uploading and commenting on content to distinguish its 'like-ability' to other users.

The popularity of Urbanspoon has seen a shift of focus from listening to the critic to listening to the public. The Age’s Good Food guide was formerly my year long culinary bible throughout my apprenticeship, but being the opinionated person i am, the participatory media culture of Urbanspoon has now taken over!

Thanks for reading, Till next time...

Reference List:

Al-Deen, .N, Hana, .S & Hendricks J.A 2011, Social Media: Usage and Impact, Lexington Books, retrieved September 7^th 2013, http://www.deakin.eblib.com.au.ezproxy-f.deakin.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=795614

Raessens, J. 2005, ‘Computer games as participatory media culture’, Handbook of

Computer ­Game Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp. 373-388