Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson launches food website for men

It's a foodie website for dudes.

In a cyberworld saturated with mom-friendly cooking sites, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson has launched Food Republic to cater to men, an "underserved" audience in today's conversation about food, he says.

The site, which went live last week, is written for both swinging bachelors who "want to impress a date with (their) budding culinary skills or by making a killer martini," as well as for the health conscious, chef-dad, who wants to whip up nutritious meals that are "more clever than chicken nuggets or grilled cheese," reads their MO.

For boys who like their toys, the site also offers sections on the kitchen version of power tools (cooking gadgets like microplane zesters), the token beautiful, semi-naked woman on her favorite "man-cooked" meal (this week features Tika Sumpter from TV series Gossip Girl) and healthy eating tips from pro athletes like NBA star Derek Fisher.

Sleek and minimalist in black, white and red, the website is divided into categories like Food, Drink, Recipes, Places, Politics, and will publish new recipes and how-tos everyday. It also promises to draw star power in the form of sports stars, stock brokers, artists, musicians and celebrity chefs who will share their cooking experiences, favorite restaurants and bars, and what they're drinking and eating.

Swedish chef Samuelsson was the youngest chef to receive a three-star restaurant review from The New York Times while he helmed NY restaurant Aquavit. He was 24 at the time. Tuesday, he hosts US president Barack Obama and the first lady at his newly opened restaurant Red Rooster in Harlem for a party fundraiser at $30,800 a plate.

Magazines like Men's Health and Esquire also have dedicated online sections for food and nutrition, which address the topic in ways that resonate loudly with their audience. This week's main food stories in Men's Health, for instance, include "The Science of Steak," and "Manliest Restaurants."

Meanwhile Esquire food writer Tom Junod's story, "My Mother Couldn't Cook," is a finalist for a James Beard award in the category of Personal Essay.

http://www.foodrepublic.com/