About Messy Cuisine
What is Messy Cuisine?
Several years ago, friends and I decided to produce our own cooking show. What might we call it? The Messy Chef was born, a moniker inspired by my own mother’s description of my abilities in the kitchen. “You might cook well, but you sure are messy.”
Messy Cuisine is a website dedicated to restaurant reviews and future online video productions of The Messy Chef. I hope to find ways to make the site more interactive for visitors.
How do I see all the restaurants you have reviewed?
Under the navigation section, choose Category > Restaurant Reviews and the page that is displayed will show all reviews in alphabetical order.
Is Messy Cuisine a business?
No, a pasttime and a passion.
Messy Cuisine Logo
Who designed the logo for Messy Cuisine? I did. It was produced using Adobe Illustrator. It’s adapted from the typeface PMN Caecilia.
Tell me more about the Restaurant Reviews…
Unlike the NY Times, or other well-established locations, the reviews I write may be based on one or more visits, but sometimes it is just one. Typically, I’ll cover the best and worst points. I usually mention what I had, and make comments too on the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The ratings I assign are not derived from some complex rubric, but are a genealized, overall reaction to my meal at the particular restaurant. I do not discriminate on price: cheap eats can earn a top rating, just the same as an expensive restaurant. I think price and formality, however, can affect your choice when dining, so I’ve begun to use a 3-tiered indicator for price to guide your choices.
About the Chef
Not a chef, really… a gourmet, or simply an enthusiast for good things in life. I have shared reviews of places I eat online for over 6 years. I typically go out a lot, due to convenience and a desire to try new things. At home, I gravitate towards Italian cuisine, but also French technique and simple dishes and dinners. My baking skills aren’t great, but I do love a good pie or croissant.
Show Models
Probably my favorite TV program for cooking is TV Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa, for its style and content. We’re also inspired by NBC’s hit comedy show, The Office, and have attempted some take-offs on that filming style and charactature.
The Blog
The blog is powered by WordPress, the open source blog engine. I evaluted several content management systems (CMS) when beginning, but I was most familiar with this and its templating system.
Where else do you recommend I learn about good food online?
I really like a number of food blogs, which I link to up above in the main navigation area, a blogroll, so to speak. I also have included a link below to Vaynerchuck’s Wine Library TV.
Chloe
Said this on August 2nd, 2007 at 7:43am:This sounds amazing! For those of us who don’t do a lot of cooking, where can one find pure vanilla essence?
MessyChef
Said this on August 2nd, 2007 at 3:26pm:this product is available in fancier food stores. I picked up mine at Williams sonoma by mistake, intheir baking section. This product is a thick goo with the vanilla specs in it. You could also scrape 2 beans, or use extract.