Bravo capitalizes on food content trends with launch of The Feast
The world of gastronomy, like most industries, has seen huge changes due to the advent and growth of technology. Famous chefs are more accessible, and better known.
Recipes are both readily available and endless in quantity; One can’t help but notice the short videos being distributed across Facebook from sites like Tastemade, Buzzfeed, and Tasty (which is owned by Buzzfeed) among a litany of others.
The demand is obvious; people who enjoy cooking want recipes that are easy, quick, and delicious. In response, BravoTV is expanding its presence in the food world with a brand new platform it dubs The Feast.
Bravo is uniquely positioned to prosper with its new platform, given its recent online success (Bravo had 12.1 million unique visitors in December), and in food programming, with Top Chef, which is now in its thirteenth season. According to Lisa Hsia, Executive VP at Bravo, the impetus stems from learning that “Bravo’s audience has a craving for life outside the frame of their favorite Bravo shows.” And the decision comes on the heels of the site’s success with its pop culture blog, “The Daily Dish,” which has seen triple-digit growth.
The Feast will be much more than recipe videos. It will certainly have new and exciting recipes, but it will also curate destinations, restaurant guides, and chef profiles. The platform, as its name suggests, will be a hub for everything food, combining lists that evoke food nostalgia with serious discussions about the industry.
One of biggest strengths for The Feast will be its pairing with Top Chef. In addition to access to Top Chef judges, like Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, and Gail Simmons (along with celebrity guest judges) the platform will utilize its connections with chefs who have competed on the show. Many of those chefs have gone to to successful careers and many are innovating in cities around the country. That repository of talent will be huge boost for the site.
With more focused platforms on the way, including a travel site called The Jet, Bravo seems poised to help grow its online footprint. With Its previous successes and the knack for creating interest among its viewers, The Feast should be a welcome addition.