Let’s Make Content Your Secret Weapon
By Corey Nelson
Every restaurant has those “secret” ingredients that take a dish to the next level. Customers become Regulars when they feel connected to more than just what’s on the plate, when they feel connected to the people, process, and story behind the food. That’s where a video showcasing your secret ingredient can connect the dots, build your brand, and create a community! Filming a video is a lot easier than it looks: here’s some video basics and a pro tip to get you started!
Set Your Station
Format: This is a 15-25 second vertical video with a voiceover describing the secret ingredient and why you use it. It should be posted to Facebook, Instagram Reels, and Tik Tok.
Location: For this video, lighting and sound is key. If possible, shoot in natural light. If you are shooting in the kitchen, film in the most well lit area. Since you will be speaking on the ingredient as you film, pick an area that has the least amount of noise. If at all possible, switch the hood off for the 30 seconds you are filming.
Cleanliness: Before you start filming, how clean is your station? Remember you are showing your kitchen to the world. Are those towels folded in the background? Is that cutting board clean? Small things like this go a long way!
Positioning: Filming a video of the secret ingredient works best when you are anywhere from six inches to a foot away from the ingredient. This will help capture the perfect tight shot. Remember to click on the screen to focus on the ingredient before you start filming!
Presentation: When filming the secret ingredient, capture the presentation side. People wanna see the best parts of the ingredient.
Sound: While you are filming the secret ingredient speak as if you are describing what it is to a new line cook. What it is and why you use it are important!
Here are a few images to give you an idea of different ways you can position this shot:
Saba (Cured Mackerel)
Pickled Daikon
Nukazuke Cucumber
Here is an example of what the secret ingredient video should look like:
Pro Tip
To make your video pop and make the guest feel like they are there in the kitchen, use motion in your video. Take your video to the next level by slowly moving the camera towards the ingredient, moving from side to side, or from 45 degrees to above while you are filming.
These are just a few helpful tips to get you started on your content journey. Don't worry if it's not perfect. Focus on a Capture over Create mindset! Remember people want to see the raw and real and feel like they are getting behind the scenes access to what happens in the kitchen every night. Now go and post your Secret Ingredient video to Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and tag us @bestservedpodcast. We’ll amplify it.
Corey Nelson is the Content Producer at Best Served Creative as well as the Owner Operator of Corey Nelson Productions. He likes watching the Broncos, playing Fantasy Football, and creating food content in his free time.
The information contained herein contains a wide range of process and experiences. It is solely your discretion as to which you are able to master and use to attain the best results.
