"There is a need for a simple well curated recipe site though, there is always lots of interest"

Does BBC Food count? It's ad-free if you are in the UK (possibly not if you're outside the UK). It has a wealth of recipes and food-related content:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food

Honestly this is what I use most of the time because it's hit the mark nearly 99% of the time. Quite a variety of recipies, and actually the comment section is genuinely full of useful information!

It is my usual go to, thought a crowd-sauced job might be nice :P

I do use them from time to time, one of the better sites.

Honest question: What is your problem with traditional cookbooks like "Le guide culinaire"[0]? They are a curated source of recipes which stood the test of time.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_guide_culinaire

Not OP, but I’ve got no problem with them. In fact given how bad most recipe websites are, I’ve largely returned to them.

I just bought three really thick cookbooks from a public library sale.

I’ve found nothing better than the NYT Cooking site. High quality recipes well indexed, well formatted. Not ridiculously overwhelmed with ads.

Alas, not free -- but for my money, well worth it.