In a shocking – and almost anti-social media – move, one of London’s high coveted restaurants that prides itself with three Michelin-stars has banned diners from snapping pictures of their food. And you may want to listen to their reasoning, for it does make a little sense.

No Photos, Please!

According to popular French chef Michel Roux, who founded The Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire, customers who photographed their food upset him. So to get rid of the behavior, he put up a sign that prohibits diners from photographing their meals and sharing it on social media. Hanging at the restaurant door, the sign reads “No photos, please.”

But why were the chefs so upset? Isn’t social media sharing good publicity? Well, Michel and his son Alain, who is now the fine dine’s chef-patron, they would rather have diners eating the meal while it’s hot and enjoy the food as it should be, instead of creating a fuss about the perfect filter.

“What are they doing? Maybe once during the meal you want to take a little photo of something because it’s unusual. But what about the flavours? A picture on a phone cannot possibly capture the flavours”, says Michel.

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Here’s Why It’s A Big Deal

You may wonder about what the big deal is. So what if a restaurant doesn’t let you tell the world what you ate? Well, you will want the world to know if you ate at The Waterside Inn.

Founded in 1972 by French brothers Michel and Albert Roux, the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 1974, shortly after the Michelin guide was created. And over the years it earned the other two Michelin stars for its exemplary food. Fun fact: the Bray-based restaurant is one of only five restaurants in Britain that hold the coveted three stars: Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck; Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester; Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea; and newcomer Araki, a London sushi restaurant with just nine seats, reports Daily Mail.

Moreover, given its popularity and elegance, a six-course tasting menu at the restaurant costs £167.50, while fine wine costs up to £390 and a portion of good ol’ pan-fried foie gras will set you back by £57. That should give you an idea of the kind of food that comes out of the Roux’s kitchen. Here’s a peek into their menu:

With the aforementioned three Michelin-stars and a 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor, the Rouxes have hosted the likes of Pippa Middleton and various other stars.

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Not The First Ban

This is not the first time that Roux family has prohibited its diners from doing something. Last year, Michel’s nephew, Michel Roux Jr – who is chef-patron at the family’s other eatery, Le Gavroche in London – banned ringtones at the table but has been known himself to take pictures of meals. Though his recent book did not carry any images. “It’s a statement, isn’t it? Does the Bible have pictures?”, Roux Jr. said in an interview.

Well, it’s hard to argue with Jesus.

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