Rouxbe Version 3.0
For those of you that have been Rouxbe fans for the past two and half years, we are happy to inform you that we are about to embark on a much desired Rouxbe facelift. With the new addition of Stewart Butterfield to our team, we wanted to take a brief step back to start making some major site improvements. But before we do, we want to hear from you.
As you know, Rouxbe has been focused solely on producing the finest instructional cooking content on the web. In fact, we’ve been in the test kitchen and producing lessons now for 15 months solid. It’s time to begin planning and implementing some supporting features that will make the Rouxbe Cooking School even more powerful.
So, we’d like to hear from you to find out what features and services you think Rouxbe should be doing and/or introducing to help you become an even better cook. We’ve already heard some great feedback, but we want to make sure that we hear from all of those that would like to contribute.
So, how can Rouxbe help you become a better cook?
Please keep in mind the following:
1. Rouxbe is not a recipe site. We do have a lot of recipe content and we’ll continue to add new recipes, but our focus is on helping you become better at cooking and recipes do not help you here (read more). The path to better cooking is skill and technique and the understanding of how each cooking process impacts the other. Recipes are your vehicle to practice your techniques and will not always get you to your desired end goal.
2. Rouxbe aims to position itself as a complement to your favorite recipe resource (whether that’s a cookbook, culinary magazine, food show or another online website). We’ll teach you how to “braise” and provide a few examples, but let’s leave the inspiration to all of the great chefs out there, your favorite recipes resources and/or even your moms and grandmas. Our goal is to help you actually become less dependent on recipes and to help you consistently have success in the kitchen.
All feedback will be most appreciated. And no ideas are bad ideas. Please post your comments below.
Next week, we will jump back into the discussions to work with you to refine some of the ideas. The goal is to work collaboratively with you and our strategic development team to short list an action plan for Rouxbe 3.0 by the end of April.
In the interim, while we will continue to produce new cooking school lessons, we will NOT be releasing new lesson content for the Cooking School until May as deploying content, uploading lessons, copy, etc… is one of the more time consuming jobs at Rouxbe. Instead, these resources will be allocated to strategic planning functions and working with you to define Rouxbe 3.0. So, use the time to get caught up in the Cooking School if you are a little behind or participate in this community-driven site upgrade with your ideas.
We will still be releasing new recipe content each week (video and text) and our staff continues to be available for questions 24/7. And like most weeks, new recipes can be found in (see Rouxbe Certified Recipes and/or the Rouxbe Test Kitchen).
Thanks for your understanding.
The Rouxbe Cooking School Team.
Hey guys,
Great work as always! My default suggestion/request has always been to include more recipes, but thanks multiple explanations as to what the site is trying to do (and why it isn’t trying to do recipes) I think I finally got that point.
Most of the drill downs are fairly specific and one idea would be to have larger topics explained. eg. One of the conversations around these parts was around the secret of stir fry and how 90% of stir fry’s were essentially the same (take a meat, take some vegi’s) and some basic instructions as to how to make a sauce. This still serves to fill the ‘drill down’ niche, but focuses more on the macro, and less on the micro.
Just a thought!
Cheers
-Steve
I really enjoy using the new techniques that I am learning here. Last week I reviewed the knife sharpening videos and sat down and sharpened my knives.
The videos are a great help.
I love your website. I am subscribed to your cooking school but have not been able to do many of the lessons yet because of work. I am trying to start doing more now. Will you be keeping the current cooking lessons when you introduce Rouxbe 3?
I really like the Rouxbe news and the layout is great; very clean and simple to navigate. where are you hoping to go with it? What do you want to see changed?
I think my number-one piece of advice would be to make the separate sections on each page a bit more discreet from one another; this would make it simpler for users to discern one element from another, when it is currently a bit difficult due to the monotone of all the elements and the background. There are boarders around each element, I know, but I still think that the look would be cleaner if the differences were a bit better defined.
How about a lesson on flavor profiles.
What herbs go with what proteins or vegetables?
I love the site and am so glad I joined!
Thanks
@John YES! Exactly what I’d use.
Really enjoying the site!
Requests in order:
1. Larger (HD at least 480p) and fullscreenable videos.
2. An ingredients encyclopedia in video/text format that lists the benefits and detractors for any ingredient (like the wonderful reference Foods that Harm Foods that Heal book by Reader’s Digest)
That’s it for now.
I totally LOVE this website! I have learned so many techniques that I would have never learned on Food TV. Yes, one can follow a recipe…technique is totally different!
My suggestion? Keep up the great work on technique and cooking school!
As I view the videos and take the tests….can you reward us with a certificate of completion? semester type work? Just an idea!
Love your site! Keep up the great work!
Great site! – I use it often and tell all my friends to check it out and tell all my cooking friends to check it out. The video content is my favorite, I like that it gives me a visual guide to go by in addition to tools and techniques. I appreciate the member comments which often come in handy.
Bon Appetit!
More info on herbs and spices.
How to stock your cupboard with dried and canned goods.
Baking
Scratch pancakes of healthy wheat and grains.
Preserves.
Making your own condiments.
fats and oils.
Beans and Legumes Thanks Bob
Your lessons should be free! you could take advertising in order to make money…
Taking for granted everything I love about rouxbe, here are some comments:
- additional search parameters on the recipe index. for example, search (or sort) by meat, poultry, fish, pulses
- the sort options in the recipe index don’t seem to work for me; sort by date doesn’t change the order of the recipes, for example. I’d like to reverse sort by date. How about sorting by relevance to different cooking lessons? (Ok,that might be too ambitious.) Alphabetical sorting could be helpful. I’m sure there are lots of other sort options people want that I would never think of.
- I don’t find it helpful to have desserts included in the vegetarian category. Some other entries have been sorted, um, creatively. Demi-glace in soups, creme freche in salads… ;-)
- I received yesterday’s blog email, and didn’t finish reading it. Later I tried to find that blog entry online. I quickly became frustrated and had to go back to the original email, and click on the link. I had no idea where to find that blog entry online. Perhaps there could be a link at the top level of the blog pages for the most recent rouxbe-submitted entry?
- In the cooking school, I’m not sure in what order you recommend following the lessons. Do I go down the columns or across? If there’s no recommendation, it’s a non-issue.
Thank you!!!!
I love the site and the focus on technique skill building rather than recipes.
I agree with Debbie G in that I have had a hard time searching for a recipe I had seen in the past, but I can’t remember what it was to give you an example. I have also had a hard time finding past blog entries referenced in comments.
One of the things that really sets Rouxbe apart from other sites is the excellent and speedy response all of you give to questions and comments posted. The video instruction is also better than anything else out there.
Something that might be nice is to highlight key seasonal ingredients as they come into season. Granted this is rather challenging with users spanning the globe, but an idea.
It would also be nice to have a lesson or reference resource for classic dishes that anyone who has gone to culinary school would know, but home cooks might not have familiarity with. I am thinking of things like cassoulet, bouillabaisse, darn, I can’t think of any other examples right now. I imagine it would be would be difficult to draw the line on what is and isn’t considered a classic dish. I remember the first time I heard of cassoulet and didn’t know what it was, but could tell it was one of those “big deal” dishes.
Love the site! The lessons and drill downs are great. I love that I can do them on my own time. I disagree with Tina (sorry) about advertising. The lessons and the site are worth paying for and advertising would just slow down delivery of the content and make the site annoying (like so many recipe sites). It would completely change the ease of use. Like John, I think it would be great to have lessons eventually on flavor profiles. I also think the ability to have interaction/conversation between us members and the experts at Rouxbe when we have questions in very valuable. Keep up the great work… it is hard to think of more improvements because the site is so teriffic as is!
As a chef, I have found that product identification can be crucial to the success of any cook. A video encyclopedia would be nice, with short blurbs that include information like: Where to buy, How to buy, How to fabricate, Where does it come from, etc. I realize there is some of that on here already, but learning what to cook is almost as important as learning how to cook properly, and it should be a main focus. I also agree with the person that mentioned seasonal items. Especially now, with the “econimic downturn,” we should all be looking to buy locally sourced products in order to help our communities. It would be great if there was a section on growing foods at home, and how to use them. For example, I grow all my own herbs at home, and they certainly taste alot different than the ones available from my produce company at work. Overall, I really enjoy this site and look forward to the coming changes. Thanks.
I would like to add to the chorus requesting flavor profiles. The pan-seared cod was senstional last night and I too love the site.
Here’s another thought. Often at the grocery store, the produce is often not free of blemishes like you see on TV. I’d like some ideas on how to perk up limp vegetables; how to determine what’s really fresh; and ideas vegetable substitutions I can use when the selection is not to my liking. I’d also like to see a chart of what is fresh during each season of the year.
Thanks!
John
I love Rouxbe! I believe it is worth the money (actually more than worth the money spent on it!) and should not be offered free. I do find the courses helpful and am slowing working through them;
Some things that I do look for in other venues, and would love to have your expertise on:
- wine pairings with dishes
- use of local produce (or substitutions for supporting local producers)
- herbs and spices (loved your moroccan spice mix – would love more on how to make our own spice mixes)
- ideas for a dinner club evening (theme nights, etc.)
I’d love more videos on recipes like Opera Cake, or making your own chocolates, etc.
All in all, I am a huge fan and am recommending your site everywhere I go… I offer to do my homework in friends’ homes, and end up teaching them techniques I’ve learned from you…
Your #1 fan!!!
Knowledge of seasonal ingredients are great but that also depends on which part of the continent you live. What may be in season in Canada is not in season in Australia, for example.
I prefer not to see any advertisements on the site for obvious reasons.
I would like to request for more video recipes of traditional dishes including desserts of different countries all over the world.
Thank you.
Rouxbe thoughts and suggestions . . .
First let me say I will miss you for the month you will be gone. The weekly lessons are something I look forward to.
I have never been much of a recipe follower except for two instances ? baking and trying something new that I am totally unfamiliar with. I have a deal with my wife that whenever I find a new recipe I will follow it the first time and then I can make any changes I want. I don?t keep the promise very often, though, because as I learn the techniques, I can see areas of any given recipe where something can and will go wrong if the directions are followed.
If you are planning on changing the site, one thing I would like to see is the ability to go back to a lesson and comment on it without having to go into steps portion of the lesson. Also, the blog section in general is a bit hard for me to navigate.
The videos are great and I wouldn?t change anything on that. I would like to see a short tutorial on how to use the site to put together recipes (or techniques) to share. I have wanted to do that, but the methodology kind of escapes me.
A directory of the various drill downs would be helpful so they can easily be included in on line recipes.
A glossary section might be helpful.
Anyway ? keep up the good work and don?t change the site so much that we can?t recognize it.
Paul ;-)
Oh, one more thought. It would be helpful to be able to go back and edit submitted replies. Sometimes glaring errors aren’t seen until they are published.
As a health nut and someone with gluten allergies I would love it if you would include suggested alternative ingredients that take food allergies into consideration.
I love the videos and the recipes, but find it really frustrating that many of the best recipes include at least one ingredient that I cannot consume. Also, it can be very difficult to find some ingredients so it would be nice to know what would be a suitable substitute when you find yourself in a pinch.
First, I’d like to say that I like the current design because it doesn’t get in the way of the content. I think one of the worst things you could do is to change the color palate. The beautiful food photography always stands out with your minimalist design.
There are however a few changes that I would welcome with open arms.
1. The integration of the blog with the site. Currently there is only a link in the footer of each page. It would be nice if it was included in the main site navigation at the top of the page and didn’t open as a separate window.
2. iPhone/iPod Touch. If I’m making crème brûlée for the first time I don’t want to run back to the computer to make sure it’s ready to come out of the oven. I want to be right there in the kitchen comparing my crème brûlée to what I see in the video. That’s why I’d love to see iPhone friendly video from Rouxbe.
3. Search. We could use a search box in the header of each page that searches the recipe library, cooking school and drill downs.
4. Recipe browsing. As Rouxbe’s recipe library grows it becomes more difficult to browse. I think the addition of sub-categories would help that greatly. For example you could click ?Mains? > ?Chicken? to see all main dishes that feature chicken.
Anyway, I do love the site and hope you can keep it going for a long, long time.
I love Rouxbe, and there really isn’t much I’d want changed. Please don’t take advertising as was suggested, this site is very worth paying for.
I’d like to have the ability to talk to other students when on line.
Maybe, the one thing that drives me crazy is looking for something I found once, and now I can’t find again, it’s my memory, but some sort of index would be great.
The money I spent to join Rouxbe has benefited me more than I can say. I’ve learned so much.
I now keep my very old lap top computer in the kitchen…no more sitting around the fireplace drinking wine, my friends bring their wine into the kitchen and listen to what ever technique I’m using that night!
My first suggestion is: don’t change it too much! Also, I don’t agree with the proposal of the advertising agreement.
Some points:
- more tags and the possibility to search through the recipes with more than one tag (for example: main + meat)
- for me it would be useful to have the possibility of adding some personal comments to the recipes (comments that I can see in myrouxbe and no one else can see: a sort of personalization of the recipes)
- have you ever seen the service in the program iphoto that allows you to print a personal photobook which is delivered to your home? if there was a similar service on Rouxbe, I definitely would use it (with an affordable price) to create a cook book with my selection of rouxbe recipes along with my comments
- I would find useful to have also the texts in the cooking school (I’m Italian and sometimes I don’t understand everything you say in the lesson).
- among the things I found more interesting in Rouxbe there are the hygienic measures. Maybe it could be worthy to create an area devoted to this topic.
I’m going to miss you in this month!
One thing I don’t like. ..
When I get an email announcing a new recipe on the site, the link in the email takes me to a page which contains only a partial recipe.
To see the full recipe I have to log on. But when I log on from that page, I am not taken to the recipe but to a generic welcome page.
Then I have to do a search for the recipe title to find it.
I’d like to be able to get to the recipe in a more straight forward manner.
drill downs and recipes:
As a user, I’d find useful to have the possibility to decide whether myrouxbe page displays the latest recipes/drill downs or some of them picked up randomly every time the page is refreshed or each time I log-in.
Wondering if is possible to have a separate index or section of recipes and techniques that are authentic to the difference cuisines of the world. For example: Mediterranean, Cajun, Mexican, Japanese, etc. Even France can be broken down to two very different cuisines (Northern and Southern, (Provence).
Also, I like the idea of having a quick reference to various spices and herbs that traditionally or best compliment different foods.
I agree….No advertising.
Just want you to know that I think Rouxbe is fantastic and through you, I am actually learning to cook without a recipe. I don’t know how many times (lots), when I’m in the middle of cooking, I say: “Wow, thanks Rouxbe”.
Oh, and I am so looking forward to the lessons on how to cook Fish. Pleeeeze, soon. :)
I’d love to have a way to see recipes in metric. It’s not *that* hard… I hope I am not the only customer from outside North America :) Even if you want to de-emphasize recipes, there’s still temperatures.
I like the suggestions above re finding out more about ingredients. How to combine them (also a “non-recipe”, no?), how to store them, when are they in season (think a calendar with ingredients with links to recipes – not that hard), how to buy and store them. Filling a pantry is always a nice topic – Tigers & Strawberries has had some excellent posts on the subject.
Also something on menu planning and execution perhaps?
I would like to second Jurie’s request for metric measures as well as Canadian/US measures. Also ingredient weights are important.
I also would not like to see ANY advertising on Rouxbe.
Suggested pairings for entrees would be a help.
A section on Sous Vide would be very interesting.
Thanks,
Phil
It seems to me that many of us are missing the point of RouxBe- and that would be an international site that teaches technique so each of us, with the skills imparted here, can take whatever ingredients are available at any particular time and make what ever we want. An international entity would be hard pressed to give information on locally seasonal ingredients.
It isn’t designed to be a cookbook and, really shouldn’t be. Cookbooks can be found anywhere. The techniques we learn here will allow us to find which recipes will work for us and what we have to do to be sure they work.
As far as measurements are concerned, they are easily converted and many kitchen scales can be switched from avoirdupois to metric measurements. And, really, the measurements are only important for baking.
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to let all of you know that your feedback is fantastic. Wish I had you all here in our internal planning meetings :-)
We are working through your ideas and hope to present a draft plan to you in the next week or two.
New lessons will resume in May as promised. We were actually able to plan and shoot many new lessons and they all look great, so stay tuned.
We’d also like to run our plan by you all for your input. It is going to be really exciting to begin working on some new features. Rest assured though, Rouxbe is not going to change too much – we are only trying to implement more features and benefits that will help people become better cooks.
Stay tuned. And thanks again everyone.
Cheers,
The Rouxbe Team!
[...] Related to this previous post [...]
Rouxbe Version 3.0 Status Update Here:
http://blog.rouxbe.com/rouxbe-30-status-update-step-2/
Thanks again everyone for your feedback. Look forward to moving forward with you on all this stuff.
Cheers
Joe
Fantastic site, I keep forwarding the blog postings to my co-workers and I know some have signed up to the site. As a culinary instructor I appreciate your focus on technique over recipe. Confidence and creativity come from a good foundation of skill and technique not memorizing a list of ingredients.
One thing that would be great to include as little side notes is some science behind cooking from sources like Harold McGee, Herve This and Howard Hillman or even guys like Heston Blumenthal. Focusing on technique is great but sometimes understanding the science behind the technique can reinforce it so it makes more sense.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers,
Andrew