Why Chef Ajay Chopra Finds Social Media Awesome

Facebook is Chef Ajay Chopra's favourite medium.

We quiz Chef Ajay Chopra on being fascinated by the world of social media, and how it has helped him look at food in a changed way.

Has the growing interest in food on social media affected your life as a chef?

Yes, in a big way! That's because everybody out there gauges you as per your social media presence. To be honest it’s a great platform to make your presence felt, and to access the exciting world of food out there by the simple click of a mouse. It has enabled me to think bigger and better.

How has social media impacted your journey as a chef so far?

As the executive chef of Westin Mumbai, I was not that bothered about social media as the team would make posts on my behalf. Now as an independent chef, I realise that a personal touch is important to get maximum traction. Today, people are curious about what I do as a chef on a daily basis, and also look forward to the recipes and photos that I post. That's a huge change.

Tell us something that you have learned, thanks to social media, and which helped you grow as a chef?

I am truly inspired by food videos especially those of molecular gastronomy. Apart from that, I also like the recipe videos produced by Buzzfeed. I am learning every day!

What do you dislike about social media when it comes to your work?

What I don’t like is that too many people have an opinion about food. While the rest make updates just for the sake of being heard.

Twitter, Facebook, YT, Instagram...what excites you the most and why?

Although Twitter is quick, Facebook excites me the most as I find it more elaborate and expressive. Nowadays I am totally fascinated by Facebook's Live video feature.

What can we expect next from Chef Ajay Chopra on social media?

I am planning to create short, quirky food videos and share them with my followers on Facebook. A new YouTube channel is also in the pipeline.