Filming in a Restaurant Kitchen: What You Need Consent For

Filming in a restaurant kitchen is allowed when you film your own space, your own food and your own staff. You need consent from guests before their faces or voices appear, and you should avoid shots that show personal data such as names on orders or card receipts. A short, clear permission process keeps your videos useful and your business safe.

What you can film without asking

Your kitchen is your workplace, so you can film equipment, worktops, hands, pans and plates. You can film your own employees while they work, as long as the footage is used for normal business purposes and does not embarrass anyone. You can film your own dishes, your own menu boards and your own signage.

Keep the focus on the process. A close shot of dough being stretched or a sauce being finished looks good and avoids most privacy questions. If a guest is visible in the background, either ask them or choose a different angle.

Consent for guests and staff

Guests are the main area where consent matters. If a person is recognisable, ask them before you publish. A simple sentence works: "We are filming a short video for our social media, may we include you?" If they say no, respect it and delete the clip.

For staff, get agreement in writing as part of their normal contract or a short internal note. Explain where the video will appear and that it may stay online. Staff can change their mind later, so keep a record of who agreed and when.

Children need extra care. Ask a parent or guardian before filming a child, and do not film children you cannot identify. If you are unsure, do not use the shot.

Hygiene and what not to film

Open kitchens are watched closely, so treat hygiene as part of the story. Film clean surfaces, washed hands and correct storage. Do not film bins, dirty cloths, raw meat left out or anything that looks careless, even if it is only a brief moment.

Avoid shots that show personal data. That includes order tickets with names, delivery labels, card terminals, computer screens and reservation books. Turn screens away or film from an angle where text is not readable.

Do not film areas guests should not see, such as staff toilets or storage rooms, unless you have a clear reason and permission. If a health inspection is in progress, do not film it.

A short checklist before you publish

• Check every clip for recognisable faces and ask those people first.
• Keep a written note of who agreed and the date.
• Hide or blur names, phone numbers and card details.
• Remove shots of bins, dirty cloths or unsafe food handling.
• Ask a parent or guardian before using footage of a child.
• Tell staff where the video will be posted and how long it may stay online.
• Delete any clip where someone asked not to be filmed.
• Keep the final video short and focused on the food and the team.

How this works in practice

A cafe or small restaurant often films one or two short clips during a quiet moment. You do not need a film crew. A phone on a small tripod, good light and a clean worktop are enough. Film in short bursts of 10 to 35 seconds so the clips are easy to use later.

Once your clips are ready, upload them to Relsko. The assistant asks at most a couple of questions and proposes three concepts. You pick one, and Relsko makes three cut variants of that concept. You download the one you like. It uses only your own footage, adds no stock scenes, and the standard export is available to everyone. Animated captions are in beta, and the interface and in-video text work in 16 languages. Publishing to social networks, dubbing and multi-client workspaces are in preparation.