'Facebook for foodies' keys on growth

ChefKey, a locally owned social media site that bills itself as "Facebook for foodies" and is launching a national promotional campaign this week, has ambitious growth plans: at least 10 million users within a year.

Boasting that it is a "culinary media platform (offering) the best features from every social-media site you already know and love," ChefKey lets users share recipes and photos, chat about culinary matters, seek restaurant recommendations and generally interact with fellow foodies, chefs, food and beverage companies and culinary students and educators.

In the afternoon Irvine will discuss his career, offer tips about the restaurant business and meet with culinary students who will be part of a ChefKey competition this fall.

Irvine was chosen for the ChefKey launch event in part because of his friendship with longtime Capital Region chef David Britton, who owned Springwater Bistro in Saratoga Springs for eight years and currently runs the Pies on Wheels mobile pizza kitchen.

During its national rollout, ChefKey in coming weeks will unveil a fundraising effort for a national charity that will involve a celebrity chef and a restaurant chain with more than 200 locations, said Laura Laz, the site's founder and CEO.

While she has a Facebook page and a website for her business, Emmons said the culinary focus of ChefKey, even with its small current membership, makes it an ideal way to connect with customers.