Where do chefs hang out online?

October 8, 2007 1:32 PM

Where do you professional chefs (and serious wanna-be professional chefs) hang out online?
posted by bingo to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

I used to hang out at Chow.com, but that seems to be at least many snobby foodies as people who actually cook.

The Smoke Ring's forums have professional BBQ caterers, restaurant staff, and competition teams.
posted by mkb at 1:49 PM on October 8, 2007

Tony Bourdain used to post fairly regularly on eGullet but not so much anymore. They still get quite a few people in the industry (famous and not-so-famous) as well as foodies.
posted by Atom12 at 2:08 PM on October 8, 2007

From what I've seen over the past year or so, fewer and fewer people take eGullet seriously.
posted by foodgeek at 2:15 PM on October 8, 2007

really, foodgeek? I was just about to suggest it, but I haven't really been around for the last year. What's happened?
posted by mumkin at 2:46 PM on October 8, 2007

@foodgeek: yup. most of the original band of luminaries have left, and the mods are more heavy handed than necessary.

I have found that food industry types tend to at least watch local restaurant/food forums, and often participate. most major cities have a site or three, and it doesn't take long to get a flavor of each.

for instance in PDX we have portlandfood.org, portlandfoodanddrink.com and regional boards on chowhound.com and egullet.org--all populated with different types of people.
posted by markovitch at 2:46 PM on October 8, 2007

Are you at all into baking? Many professional bakers and authors of baking cookbooks are on the wonderful Bread-Bakers email list. I love it.
posted by GaelFC at 3:06 PM on October 8, 2007

Don't know where they hang out online, but the egullet crowd is pretty knowledgable and can provide useful feedback on non-trivial cooking questions. I recall a fiery-but-informed debate on what methods and ingredients constitute a proper French demiglace, for instance, that I can't imagine seeing anywhere else.

It's true there aren't so many professional chefs, but is that really what you're looking for? Or do you want to mingle with hard-core, enthusiastic, experienced home cooks?
posted by Brian James at 6:02 PM on October 8, 2007

eGullet is good and definitely has a strong contigent that is in touch with and/or involved with professional restaurant work. I know of nothing better.
posted by Miko at 8:33 PM on October 8, 2007

Response by poster: It's true there aren't so many professional chefs, but is that really what you're looking for?

Yes, I'm looking for either professional chefs, or amateur chefs so serious that they might become professional chefs.
posted by bingo at 8:58 PM on October 8, 2007

It's not a forum, but I can guarantee you professional chefs read Food Arts. Hands down, it's the best food publication out there. It's an industry pub, but there's more than enough info for the amateur as well. They've got a lot of their content online. I love it.
posted by Atom12 at 6:43 AM on October 9, 2007

Michael Rhulman's site is very good, as is Harold McGee's. The thing is, a good many pro chefs don't really have time to hang out online. They're pro for a reason: they're always working.
posted by cooker girl at 8:27 AM on October 9, 2007