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Food Porn Etiquette

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jun 23, 2008 3:00PM

2008_06_food_porn_fish_tacos.jpgFrom Yesterday's Tribune, Monica Eng and Chris Borelli report on the decision of New York chef David Chang's decision to ban photography from his critically lauded restaurant Momofuku Ko and ask the question, "When is whipping out the camera acceptable?"

It's certainly a valid question, especially in this day and age with the prevalence of camera phones and food blogs providing near-immediate critique of a restaurant's menu. Among Chang's rationales for his ban on food porn is the distraction taking pictures causes to other diners and staff, especially if a photographer is using flash; and Chang's notion that some shutterbugs were taking their time getting a good shot and letting their food get cold.

Eng and Borelli asked local chefs including Graham Elliot Bowles and Curtis Duffy, Bowles's successor at Avenues, about their policies regarding photography (for the record, each allows it so long as it isn't a distraction).

Have you ever dine out and run into a customer taking pictures? Did it distract from your meal? (Trib)