‘Chick magnet’ cooking blogger moves from the web to the grill

One of Montrose’s newest restaurateurs has a cooking blog named after his belief that the ladies love a man who can whip up a good meal.

“I said, ‘if you could cook, you’ll be a chick magnet,’” said Jim Collins. “It’s a joke.”

After telling that to his son and nephew — and providing some pointers in the kitchen — he launched Chick Magnet Cooking School, featuring recipes and advice columns on topics such as what every college guy should have in his dorm.

Now, Collins is gearing up for the opening of Montrose Town Kitchen & Grill at 2276 Honolulu Ave., which was previously Cucina Rustica.

A Glendale native, Collins has led several Web-based companies as a chief executive officer, but always found time to enjoy cooking at home.

Over the years, his skills in the kitchen were even auctioned off for charity. He’s sold dinner parties that have totaled more than $70,000 for local nonprofits such as Elizabeth House, a shelter for homeless women and their children.

The thought of pairing his favorite hobby with his professional life started brewing a few years ago.

“The combination of Chick Magnet Cooking School and the involvement in local community charities frankly really got me thinking about possibly opening a restaurant,” Collins said.

He’s teaming up with his wife, Angela Collins, and a few other partners in the area, which helped influence the name of the new eatery.

“We called it Town because this is our town,” Collins said.

Collins and his wife will be handling the day-to-day management of the restaurant.

Set to open either Jan. 23 or 24, Montrose Town Kitchen & Grill will carry roughly 10 dishes from Cucina Rustica to its menu along with a list of new dining options.

Some of the fare will include grilled seafood sourced from Fish King, grilled steak and roasted chicken.

The term Collins uses to describe the menu is “Cal-Italian.”

“It’s definitely an Italian-inspired menu, but prepared with the focus of a whole bunch of people that grew up in the area,” he said.

Montrose Town Kitchen & Grill will be open every day from 5 to 11 p.m. for dinner, while lunch hours are expected to begin about two months after the grand opening.