Before we get completely starstruck, a basic query: Why do onsite foodservice operations choose to partner with a celebrity chef? There are a few reasons, says Megumi Robinson, Vice President of services at Belle Communication,
a public relations agency focused on foodservice brands, influencer marketing and cutting-edge ways to connect food with people through media, orchestrating events like a Gen Z-focused French fry pop-up at Lollapalooza and an influencer-led summer camp for flavor forecasting.
Belle Communication also does a lot of work and research in the chef partnership space, including creative projects with celebrity chefs that do more than provide a cool social media post (although that’s obviously a great perk).
“Chefs can help accelerate innovation or introduce new concepts, globally inspired flavors and it’s an opportunity for those larger organizations to bring a leader in this space to help advise in these areas,” Robinson says. “These types of collaborations can be a differentiator; they can bring cultural relevance, interest and intrigue when differentiation is really hard when it’s hospital vs. hospital or airline vs. airline.”
Today’s partnerships between celebrity chefs and onsite foodservice operations are much more in-depth and intentional now than even ten years ago.
“The best types of collaborations and partnerships we do are when it’s not just ‘one and done,’ it’s a deeper collaboration,” Robinson says. “Everything from bringing in a celebrity chef to help with the R&D process, almost serving as an advisor to the in-house corporate chef team; we see that having the most impact: Get behind the scenes.”
Robinson’s research finds that Google searches for “chef partnership” have gone up 1,400%, so you could say it’s trending, to put it lightly.
