Food columnist says we're suckers for food fads and restaurateurs are cashing in

We line up for hours to get our hands on the latest, most instagrammablefood itemsnot because we can't wait to eat them,but because "we're suckers," said food columnist Cory Mintzon CBC's Metro Morning on Monday.

And restaurateursknow this.

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"It's a baked-in part of the experience," Mintz said as he recalled a conversation with a Toronto chef about the evolution of the expression 'you eat with your eyes first.'

"He told me he doesn't plan any of his businesses without conceiving some part that's intended to be photographed," said Mintz.

Anything to get you snapping.

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"It could be with a dish or with the architecture [of the space,]" said Mintz. "It's a built-in marketing device for his restaurants."

There's are even trends within the trend of taking photos of food.

For example, "bounty, dishes that overflow, resulting in stuff that drips," saidMintz, referencing the current vogue ofice cream that drips onto the customer's hands as they grip a cinnamon-sugary, ultra-messychurro cone.

"No one likes to have ice cream all over their hands but they do it for the photo."

Fads v. Trends

Ink-coloured charcoal ice cream is the latest food fad taking Toronto by storm though it won't be king for long.

Mintz says it's important to distinguishbetween food fads and food trends, because the latter can actually do some good.

"The fads are the Unicorn Frappuccino, the charcoal ice cream, rainbow grilled cheese, rainbow bagels," he explained prime examples of image being valued over taste.

Trends, on the other hand, "can change how we do things, start conversations aroundlabour conditions or getpeople shopping two times a week for fresh groceries instead of just one," said Mintz.

#uglydelicious

Mintzsaid he hopes the next trend is toappreciate humble eats that get back to theessenceof taste and nourishment.

"I take photos of food because I am a food writer, butI also like food that's not beautiful and meant just to be photographed," he said.

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He encourages people to take a look at the 'ugly delicious'hashtagstarted bychef David Chang of theMomofukuempire.

There you'll seeanaemic-looking,splattered, and simple plates of food, celebrated for being satisfying and tasty, if not beautiful.

Because ugly foodneeds love too.