First off, if you need help, you can always reach us via our Contact page. We also recommend taking a moment to Learn More about Soapbox, as we think we have answered a number of questions you might have there. Finally, the About page tells you what's available, and why we spent the time building this software.
That said, we'll add the frequent questions we get from restaurant personnel, media and the dining public here. This serves as a resource for users of all kinds and, if you are interested, will also provide a bit of a roadmap to the future.
We just launched, so we haven't gotten a lot of questions just yet. But you can email support@restaurantintelligenceagency if you have a question, and if it is something we think a lot of people are wondering, we'll add it here.
Restaurant Personnel
Q: Who uses Soapbox?
A: Anyone can use the site. Mostly, the site was built for media and diners. Media use Soapbox to learn about restaurants they are writing about, to stay on top of trends and to research new story ideas. So, each profile contains essential facts media need and an opportunity for the chef, mixologist, sommelier or other restaurant industry professional to share his or her work history, philosophies and personality. In their own words. Restaurant profiles are coming shortly and will be a storehouse of information and news that the media can use to write about our restaurant members.
Diners use this site as the ultimate insider connection to the country's best chefs, mixologists and sommeliers.
Q: What is featured on my user profile?
A: Your user profile was designed to showcase you and help manage your online presence. We have included all the information media need to write about you, as well as a large database of questions designed to help you share your background, inspirations, philosophies and opinions.
Profile essentials include the things that should be included in a traditional bio but often aren't. It's a lot of information, but there's media gold in these details, so we encourage our members to include everything.
Included:
- Photo
- Name, Title, Restaurant Affiliation
- Basics: Age, Job Start, Hometown and Current City
- Headline: A hip shot on who this person is
- Summary: A short bio
- Specialties: Keywords that allow journalists to easily aggregate all of the members who self-select a given area of expertise
- Cuisine Specialties: Available to culinary staff members only, this feature allows journalists to aggregate experts for effortless research
- Contact Information: Members can opt not to reveal this information
- Work Experience: Both industry and non-industry career history
- Education
- Awards
- Accolades
- Competitions
- Internships
- Stages
- Apprenticeships
Also included is a section called Behind the Line. Behind the Line is a database of more than 10,000 questions that were designed to showcase you. Behind the Line prompts you to share your thoughts and stories about your career, background, philosophies, and inspirations, as well as share your opinions about trends, home cooking/bartending, and where to eat and drink around the world.
Q: What about my restaurant? I would love to have a profile for the whole restaurant.
A: We are rolling out restaurant profiles shortly, to make sure our site is stable and that our beta members have their personal profiles in order so they're ready to tackle the next step. Be on the lookout for this exciting next step!
Q: Does this replace PR?
A: We built Soapbox not as a replacement for PR but as an antidote to it.
You can learn more about our philosophies on our About page. But the short answer is that we don't consider ourselves "competition for PR" because we don't think traditional PR works for the vast majority of restaurants. That said, we do believe that a restaurant with a complete and carefully developed profile (both for the restaurant and for each key staffer), and a clear and relevant concept, can use our products to get the attention and notice they deserve.
If you have more questions, please send them along! We just launched so we eagerly await your input.
Media
Q: What do I do if I want to reach a chef and they don't share their contact information? Do I write you?
A: We encourage our chefs to share their contact information so you can contact them directly. As soon as we can finish building Mediafeed, we'll have a private space so chefs can share their contact details with you and not the general public (we're taking donations if you want to help speed that along). Until then, feel free to use our Contact page, or contact the restaurant directly.
Q: Do you send out updates and newsletters?
A: At present we do not distribute any newsletters or updates about our website. If you would like to sign up to receive advance notice of any future media-focused services, please request an invite.
If you have more questions, please send them along! We just launched so we eagerly await your input.
Diners
Q: How come you don't have a place where I can add comments?
A: Two reasons: 1) We are new and had to build the foundation first, and 2) We want to offer a place where chefs can share their thoughts and ideas without the issues of "comment trolls." We are likely going to be adding some features so diners can interact with chefs, but until we feel we have figured out the best way to do that, we are holding off and erring on the side of giving chefs all the support and encouragement we can to freely share their stories, inspirations, ideas and philosophies online.
Q: Do you send out updates and newsletters?
A: At present we do not distribute any newsletters or updates about our website. If you would like to sign up to receive advance notice of any future diner-focused services, please request an invite.
If you have more questions, please send them along! We just launched so we eagerly await your input.
General Questions
Q: Can we hire you to do PR for us?
A: Restaurant Intelligence Agency is a software company that just happens to know a lot about restaurant PR. We no longer work as restaurant publicists or consultants. Nor do we recommend any publicists as we have not worked in that industry for some time.
Spoonfeed Questions
Q: There's so much here, where do I start?
A: Start with a picture. Then add your essential and extended information.
Every day, answer the QOTD and Trend questions. They post on Soapbox for free so it is a way to get your name and work out there at no cost. They are also featured on our front page with pretty pictures so they are the first place everyone will go. You want to be where everyone is going, right?
Next up, before you upgrade your account to premium and pay anything, start tackling your Behind the Line profile.
- Your Background is most useful to a journalist wanting to write a feature story about you.
- Your Philosophies and Inspirations likely contain a slew of story leads.
- The Help for Home Cooks/Bartenders is going to be heavily read — and used — by diners.
- Travel Guides, once you all start filling them out, are going to be an amazing resource. (Think about it, do people want to read what journalists think are the places to dine in a given city, or do they want to read what the chefs think? Let's consider this a class project and work on this together.)
- Trends. You know the media's obsession about trends. This is where you feed the beast.
- On the Job, Just for Fun, etc. — get to it when you can, a little at a time.
Q: The Essential and Extended information sections seem pretty detailed; why can't I just post my bio?
A: We have yet to see a bio that covered everything the media need to know, and we can count on one finger the number of bios that were actually interesting to read. It takes some time to fill out your essential and extended information but believe us, there's gold in them there details. After all, it wouldn't be strange for a journalist to do a story on chefs who've done a stage at Daniel vs. French Laundry vs. El Bulli. And best of all, your personality isn't being filtered out of your life story.
Q: If a question doesn't apply to me, should I answer it?
A: Absolutely not. This isn't a test; simply answer a question fully when it applies to you, and skip over it if it doesn't. One of the most useful tools for journalists (and fun for diners and peers) on this site is aggregation. Any question in any profile can be clicked, and the user is delivered the answers from every other member who has answered that question. If your answer shows up as just "no" or "doesn't apply," you end up adding nothing to the conversation. Which means you are seen as someone who adds nothing to the conversation.
In the same vein, if you answer "see above," you end up in a page of chefs with great and engaging answers — and then there's your confusing and odd response.
Q: Some of the chefs have really great answers. Do you have any tips for answering questions?
A: The best advice we can give you is to relax, don't be afraid of "looking stupid" or "sounding smart," and rely on The Dorothy Principal (you're already there, even if you don't realize it).
Q: I don't want to reveal my contact information; do I have to?
A: No, you certainly don't, which is why we give you the option. And rest assured that if you work at a restaurant, any journalist worthy of their reporter's notebook can find you. But, make it easy on them and, really, they'll be more likely to write about you. Later when we launch Mediafeed, there will be a privacy feature so that only the media can view your contact info.
Q: Why do you ask so many questions?
A: The food world has turned into a spectator sport, with chefs as the color commentators. The 24-hour food channels may not teach us to cook, but they sure do teach us to want to be insiders of the culinary world.
Q: Some of the questions seem kinda irrelevant; does anyone even care what I eat for breakfast?
A: The questions were developed by food journalists, food publicists and fanatical diners. Because, guess what, chefs, mixologists and sommeliers are fascinating people that seem to know better than the rest of us when it comes to anything gustatory. So, do tell us what you had for breakfast because we might find a better brand of oatmeal or we may find it charming that you start each day with a Cinnabon before cooking up food that makes us swoon. Or the magazine you've been dying to be featured in is doing a roundup on how chefs start their day...
Q: How do I get featured on the front page? Do I have to pay for that?
A: Profiles featured on the front page are selected by us and the space is not available for purchase.
Fill out your profile and write interesting answers. We are featuring the profiles that showcase what our service can do. Cream rises to the top. If your profile showcases what our service can do, by being vibrantly interesting and thorough, trust me, we'll find you!
Q: Should I use an official picture for my profile picture, or any picture I want?
A: The profile photo is not "downloadable" so it won't be used in print by media. So, we say use a picture you love. This profile is designed to showcase you and your personality, not pigeonhole you or literally box you in. We'll be adding places you can upload pictures, official and not, soon. For now, have fun.