Sef Steakhouse has become a staple in Cheltenham's vibrant independent restaurant scene – and the team is about to open a new Italian restaurant in Gloucester, too.
But, before that, it tasked digital marketing agency, Content Chef, with helping it create an online presence before the restaurant was even built. Founder, Daryl Charman, sits down with SoGlos to share how his business helped Sef achieve a prime position in Gloucestershire's competitive foodie scene.
How did your collaboration with Sef come about?
The owners found us through Google and got in touch because
they wanted to work with an agency that felt the right size. Not too big, not
distant. Local, responsive, versatile and adaptable. Things we genuinely pride
ourselves on.
Our conversations began in February 2023, several months
before the restaurant opened. When we first visited the site at The Quadrangle,
it was still rubble and construction. Being involved from that early stage,
supporting the launch in May 2023 and seeing what Sef has become today, has
been incredibly rewarding.
As an agency, we work with clients at all stages of their
journey, but being there from the very beginning always brings a different
level of connection and commitment.
What was the main objective for Sef?
The biggest challenge was building momentum and buzz ahead
of launch. The location is fantastic, but with so many restaurants struggling,
it was vital to give Sef the strongest possible start.
Early on, this had to be done with very limited visuals and
content. We had to be creative and proactive, particularly in the first year,
spending a lot of time on site capturing content, staying hands-on and keeping
interest high. We also leaned into the growing food influencer space in the
Cheltenham and Gloucestershire area, which has since become a staple part of
all big and small restaurants in the area. Gifted collaborations enabled us to
form some real connections and a community among notable figures in the local
area.
We were only informed of the official launch date around a
week in advance, which meant working reactively to maximise reach through
social media in a short space of time. The launch was a huge success and since
then, we have continued working closely with the team to help the business grow
and evolve.
What did your work with Sef involve?
Our work with Sef is ongoing and full service. It includes:
- Monthly content shoots covering videography and photography
- Writing all social copy in-house
- Social media scheduling and community management, including DMs
- Aligning content and paid ads with seasonal menus and business goals
- Paid social campaigns to drive bookings year-round
- Influencer strategy, managing relationships with local creators to support menu launches and increase reach
- Regular reporting and review meetings
- Marketing consultancy, with Daryl acting as a sounding board and helping coordinate ideas, promotions and PR opportunities
How did you help Sef stand out in the competitive Gloucestershire food scene?
In the early stages, we focused heavily on quality and
experience. The food speaks for itself: dry-aged cuts, charcoal cooking and
attention to detail.
We shaped the content strategy around the food, the
atmosphere and the fact that Sef is an independent restaurant, which matters
more than ever in a world dominated by chains.
The aim was to position it as the place for special
occasions, while also creating reasons for people to return regularly. The
introduction of the Sunday roast played a big role in turning Sef into a repeat
destination, not just a one-off visit.
It’s also worth noting that we 'played the hits'. Restaurants often want to post about every dish again and again, when they
don’t always need to. If you’re known for something, lean into it. It’s as if
The Rolling Stones spent the whole concert playing new material and forgetting
to sing 'Satisfaction' or 'Paint It, Black'.
People follow Sef because they like steak. So, we try to really gear our strategy around capturing these different cuts.
How did you measure the success of Sef's campaign?
One of the clearest indicators of success is the launch of Banchina Italian, a new project by the same team at Gloucester Quays. We're also working with the team on this exciting new launch, which is testament to our ongoing relationship and the trust Sef has in Content Chef.
Other results include:
- Growing Sef’s Facebook and Instagram accounts from zero to over 7,000 followers organically.
- Strong and consistent engagement across social channels.
- Serving 125,000 customers in its first 2.5 years.
- Supporting the promotion of new menus and roast lunch through paid social and influencer activity.
Rather than one viral moment, the real success has come from
consistency and compounding effort.
Can you recommend any marketing trends or tools you think restaurants and other small businesses should be utilising?
Trends should always be filtered through the brand and the
audience. For Sef, we avoided gimmicky trends as the audience is more premium in
terms of spend and expectations. That said, we do use trending music and visual
styles subtly to maximise reach and stay relevant without losing brand
integrity.
For more relaxed or casual venues, people-led and
humour-driven content can work extremely well, particularly on TikTok. The key
is authenticity. Chasing trends for the sake of it rarely works.
High-quality visual content is becoming more important, not
less. Everyone has a phone, which means elevated photography and videography
stand out even more. Bringing videography and photography in-house has allowed
us to create more story-led, intentional content rather than just posting for
the sake of it.
Other important tools and approaches include:
- Using paid social alongside organic content rather than relying on one alone. Content should also be specifically shot to suit this medium – and a separate strategy is required.
- Remembering that organic social media shouldn’t be treated as your sole sales platform. There are other elements of marketing required in the strategy, where they can work hand in hand.
- Reviewing performance regularly and adapting instead of sticking rigidly to a plan. But, on the flip side, always giving the strategy enough time to see whether it’s effective or not.
- Knowing that offers don’t always equal new business. Turn your restaurant into an experience and the must-visit destination and you won’t have to dilute your messaging or reduce your profits by constantly providing offers.
- Prioritising platforms where your audience already is, rather than trying to be everywhere. A perfect example of this is Facebook. It’s a brilliant platform, but when only 1.65 to 5.2 per cent of your followers (on average) see your posts, it’s not always beneficial if you don’t have a budget for ads or are aiming for a younger audience.
How can Content Chef help similar businesses?
If anyone needs support with photography, videography, social media or wider marketing, they can contact us by emailing daryl.charman@contentchef.info or calling 07539 427688.
