As a bit of a foodie and an experimental chef, I find myself online almost daily looking for exciting new recipes to try. The first place I hit up is AllRecipes.com, which does a great job on wealth of content and community features. I can search for recipes via ingredients I have in the kitchen, rate recipes I’ve tried, read reviews of recipes, see pictures, browse categories, create a virtual recipe box, and even print out a usefully organized shopping list. What more could you ask for?
Well, recently I stumbled upon Rouxbe.com, a cross between an online cooking show and recipe resource. With its professionally shot videos that are heavy on high quality close-ups, it provides elegant instructional and inspirational qualities that are not available anywhere on AllRecipes. The site is loaded with your typical fun features like downloads, bookmarking, commenting, etc and some not-so-typical features such as separate music and VO track volumes. But what I am more excited about are the features that show a higher level of thought paid to the end user.
There are packages of downloadable iPod and HD videos (main dish, side, dessert) that would make it easy for the user to follow along while working in the kitchen. I’m not sure who is clean enough in the kitchen to feel comfortable putting their iPod near the stove (not me!!), but for people with large screen TVs or computers viewable from the kitchen, this is also a valuable option. Another great feature is the “drill-downs” (which could have a better name). These are conveniently isolated sections of recipes that highlight skills, techniques, and ingredients.
What Rouxbe lacks however is everything that makes AllRecipes so useful. With over 80 videos on the site and presumably more coming every week, they need to develop a better way to organize content, help users find the information that they want to find, and create a structure that will grow as content and community expands. Also, they need a more exciting landing page. Once you register to the site, you are presented with a less than engaging profile page with a few small pictures of new recipes and content. Since the web of the future is all about “personalization”, Rouxbe should hop on board by allowing user to have the content they want on their home page. On “My Rouxbe” I’d want healthy snack recipes, recipes that use wine as an ingredient, and dark chocolate desserts.
Yum!!
Marta Strickland
Strategists & Planners