I recently became aware of Youtube’s food network, Tastemade, which offers an iPhone app for shooting high-quality, one-minute videos of your dining adventures. Tastemade is a simple way to share restaurant outings, recipes or just your favorite dish. The company is an LA-based startup that’s existed for about one year, and was started by two former founders at Demand Media.

The appeal of the app is that it lets anyone be their own Guy Fieri without all of the expensive video equipment and the time-consuming editing process. The built-in tutorial helps guide you along, first selecting background music and text for the opening, and then moving on to filming a series of clips of the ambiance and food.

I downloaded the app and tested it out at the opening of quick-service Italian restaurant Vapiano, in the Loop. I loved how easily the app sewed each clip together and made them flow seamlessly. Yes, the app drains your battery, but you can set it up so it only uploads your video over WiFi. You can even record your video clips and then piece them together when you’re not sitting down to enjoy your meal. The app has Foursquare integration which allows you to tag your location, as well as find videos of places nearby. In my experience, the app doesn’t work well in loud or low-light settings, but there are several tutorials on Tastemade’s site that cover tips for these topics and more. You can also easily share videos via social networks or embed them on a blog or website.

If you’ve always wanted to play Rachael Ray, then this app’s for you!

Have you tried the Tastemade app yet?