Dating a Food Blogger, (The Rudiments Of)

In this I assume that you dear reader are in like with a food blogger. More likely to be female than male, food bloggers are one of the more passionate niche writers whose taste for words are just as delicious as their taste for food.

Dating a food blogger can be a rewarding experience, not just because she can open up an appetizing palette of degustations to your oh so fast food world, but you will be blessed with some of the best conversations ever about life and living it. Some of the most engaging conversations I’ve had were with food bloggers – food is the doorway to all things enjoyable, but only bordering on sinful.

Chocolate Fondue, originally uploaded by iPoint, iShoot.

There is a preconceived notion that food bloggers, like beauty or fashion bloggers are a bit on the smug side. This is not true. There is also a preconceived notion that food bloggers will only hazard to the most expensive restaurants in the Metro and away. Also not true. Food bloggers appreciate the best as well as the simplest meals. The common denominator is that they are more sensitive to tastes in context and can compare the best of fast foods to the worsts of fine dining.

THE APPROACH
As a guy who has a relatively high interest in technology I’ve always found that the means to connect with a food bloggers would be to talk about the camera that she uses.

Your point of entry, assuming you’re not really into food, is the camera she uses to shoot. It is a device which both of you can relate to, and as a serious food blogger, she will want to learn to maximize her camera. Whether she uses a point and shoot or an SLR, it doesn’t matter. There is always a story behind why she loves food so much, she shoots it. Ask her and she will actually put down that camera to talk to you.

La Campagne, originally uploaded by iPoint, iShoot.

THE DATE
If she asks where you’re going to take her, don’t panic as much. Be open and honest about your repertiore of choices around the area. Are you not so adventurous and will take her to a Bonifacio High Street or Greenbelt 5 dinner? Or are you willing to go to smaller, but also relatively well known havens such as the Old Swiss Inn in Makati, Swiss Deli at Pioneer, or something more cozy like Elbert’s Steak Room?

Help each other device but don’t take forever. It’s a date, not a romantic proposal – this is time to get to know each other like any couple would do. Heck if you can enjoy a night at Delifrance more than the buffet course at 7 Corners, then why hassle yourself for the latter? If nothing develops, well at least you have a friend who can take you out to a free meal invite to a Yehey! food tour 🙂

Kai Huang wrote a piece for T3 magazine on how to improve your food photography. From what I remember, the basics are really about getting up close to your food, using a small tripod and most important – lighting. I’d suggest when going out on “food blogging” dates to choose a restaurant that’s relatively well lit. From experience, one of the best well lit Chinese restaurants would be David’s Tea House (not to be confused with David’s Salon). The lighting is fantastically bright!

Maybe at some point you would even want to separate your dating habits into a “no camera” date so that you can spend more time with each other talking rather than taking photos of food that gets cold fast (ever tried taking shots of a sizzling plate? ARGH). Later on, you may want to also grab photo classes. Leo Castillo’s Photoworks is a class I would really recommend for beginner photographers who use SLR’s and point and shoots. Once you’ve graduated, you can take up a series of food styling and photography courses with Jo Avila. I’ve attended both and I can say that I’ve learned tremendous amounts about my camera and shooting food. I’ll never look at stock photos of food in restaurants the same way again.

Antonio’s, originally uploaded by iPoint, iShoot.

AFTERTHOUGHTS and TIPS
Maybe it is a bit unfair to write a piece that singles out food bloggers. But really, food is one of the best motivations to ask people out and have a good time. Being more sensitive to news of food gatherings and events (the ones organized by Yehey! and Taste Asia come to mind) can help you meet new friends in a happy environment with no pretense.

Do you have places to recommend for dates and gatherings? Do you have more tips to recommend when dating around the local blogosphere? Nonetheless I hope these tips can help you meet new people and expand your palette of tastes at the same time.

Enjoy!