Video for Foodies

Two items showed up in my reader that may interest not only foodies, but those interested (as I am more and more) in the online video space.  They’re almost diametrically opposed, though, which makes it more fun to watch and see how it plays out.  One is offered by a major brand focused on brand-name chefs.  The other is from an unknown company focusing on food, not personalities.

First, the more food-focused offering.  A Canadian startup called Rouxbe is producing approximately 4 instructional videos each week, according to Josh Catone over at Read/Write Web. 

The videos are presented as multi-part, indexed flash movies in an attractive video player (see this free video for pan-seared cod as an example). Videos are shot mostly from an overhead angle and narrated, step-by-step. Using the player, users can jump to any specific step in the video, pause, rewind, skip, or replay.

Cristina Ledesma of 901am writes about the other offering, this one from Food & Wine magazine.  It sounds interesting as well, though it packs star power behind both its magazine title and the video talent.

Foodandwine.com is currently airing video segments of [Bobby] Flay, [Emeril] Lagasse, Mario Batali, Jacques Pépin and other star chefs preparing their signature dishes at the 2006 Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen. This month, the epicurean website began adding more original content, starting with a series of videos with Chef Joey Campanaro from New York’s The Little Owl demonstrating a full romantic menu, and Chef Shea Gallante of Cru demonstrating a summer menu. In addition, coverage of the 2007 Food & Wine Classic and interviews with other prominent chefs will also be available as foodandwine.com expands its Web 2.0 offering, which includes podcasts, blogs and a Wiki-enabled portion of the site.

Two very different approaches to a similar vertical video space.  One aimed more at the home cook, the other at the foodie who may or may not wield pots and pans himself. It will be interesting to see how it pans out (I really didn’t originally intend the pun there, but I had to leave it once I noticed it).