Saturday, August 16, 2008

Another Chef's Blog

As you know I've been searching for chef's blogs on the web. A good place to find them is on other chef's blogs. I found one on Michael Walsh's blog, View from the Kitchen. I just added the link to "Cuisinier's Kitchen" on my link list. I just started reading it so I'm short on info but the Chef appears to be a talented guy cooking in Seattle. Definitely an upscale restaurant serving the latest "haute" cuisine. It's looks like a big place, possibly a hotel. Seattle is a foodie town with plenty of fine diners with deep pockets. A great place for a chef to be working. Chef's often lament (myself included) about how far you can go with a menu in a food challenged city, Seattle is not one of them.

I also added a link to "Eat Wisconsin". A local guy who enjoys food and posts regularly. Mark Czerniec's blog is another local foodie whose link is on my list. In addition to Chef's blogs I also include local writers who aren't in the industry. I think it's important to network locally to promote the area's dining scene and each others blogs.

Speaking of blogs, one thing I've noticed while searching is that one thing many of these blogs have in common is a link to Michael Ruhlman's blog. If you've never heard of him he's an author who writes extensively about food and has appeared on Tony Bourdain's show as well as a judge on Top Chef. I never heard of him until an author acquaintance of mine mentioned he got a boost in sales when Ruhlman reviewed his book. I guess that's why so many foodies and Chef's include his link. The hopes of exposure. Everyone wants to be read right? When I came across his blog I added his link and shot him an e-mail about mine. He responded he'd "take a look" but he must not have found much to like. No further communication or link. I understand he probably has people falling all over themselves trying to get his attention. You can't list every one's blog. So unlike my fellow bloggers I removed his link. The least he can do is remove the ones from his blog that haven't posted in months. Besides he's not a foodservice pro and he aint local. Sour grapes? Maybe but I like people who get their hands dirty.

7 comments:

cuisinier said...

Hey Scott, thanks for the plug! Hope you and others enjoy my writing and info. I should be posting some new dessert pictures soon. take care, bill
ps- it is a private club with a plethora of well traveled and food oriented members in the heart of the city. I have cooked in Seattle pratically my whole career at various top restaurants, hotels and venues. It is a great foodie town with huge amoiunt of awesoem resources in whihc has made me who I am. Let me know if you ever are coming to town!

Salty said...

Seattle and Portland are on my short list.

Michael Walsh said...

Nice to see my name pop up! thanks. Bill is a great guy in seattle, he is not shy about posting comments either which is encouraging that someone/anyone out there is actually reading.

As for rhulman, I didn't realize i was added as link on his blog untill i set up a sitemeter account, which you inspired me to do. I am local to him, but otherwise he doesn't know me. I meet him last week, i heard his voice from the bar and introduced myself, he by no means knew who i was. I wanted to follow up with a comment on his blog, but his next post was about his fathers passing, and i didn't find that opporpriate. I think of Rhulman as a chef's best friend who can't cook, but can offer up everythiing it takes to be successful in this business other than the cooking part.

Salty said...

As we poke our heads into the writing world it must be similar for Ruhlman who is a writer to poke his head into the cooking world. I'm sure he is a better cook than I am a writer.

Salty said...

As far as sitemeter goes it's fascinating seeing where the visitors are coming from. Due to a forum I participate in I get visitors not only from all over the US but worldwide as well.

I include a link to my blog in my "signature" in the online forums I participate in.

It also makes me curious about those who visit often that aren't local.

Michael Walsh said...

My claim that Rhulman "can't cook" is totally wrong, I guess what i meant was that he has decided not to cook professionally. sorry.

Thanks again for the sitemeter tip. I use the 'referal' option to see how ppl got directed to my blog. I was blown away by how many google searches direct ppl there. I'm only averaging 60 hits a day, but I have found links to my blog in some places I would never have imagined.

Salty said...

60 a day is great!