Gourmet (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Gourmet magazine was a monthly publication of Condé Nast
and the first U.S. magazine devoted to food and wine. Founded by Earle R. MacAusland (1891–1980) and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale.
On October 5, 2009 Condé Nast announced that Gourmet will cease monthly publication by the end of 2009, due to a decline in advertising sales and shifting food interests among the readership. Editor Ruth Reichl
, in the middle of a tour promoting the Gourmet Today cookbook, confirmed that the magazine's November 2009 issue, distributed in mid-October, was the magazine's last.
The Gourmet brand will continue to be used by Condé Nast for book and television programming and recipes appearing on Epicurious.com
.
, formerly the Boston Cooking School Magazine which had been published since 1896. Much of the content was similar – articles on food, recipes by the magazine, recipes submitted by readers, recipes requested by readers and advice sought by readers. But American Cookery was in black-and-white, printed on newsprint, with smaller pages and content focused on America. Gourmet was upscale, slick, in color, with a focus on Europe and New York City, and most of its recipes carrying French names.
Gourmet began publication just before America entered World War II, which brought war rationing. Its upscale audience was urged to save the issues and to use the recipes after the war and rationing ended.
bought the magazine in 1983.
On October 5, 2009 Condé Nast
CEO Chuck Townsend announced that the magazine will cease monthly publication; the company "will remain committed to the brand, retaining Gourmet’s book publishing and television programming, and Gourmet recipes on Epicurious.com
. We will concentrate our publishing activities in the epicurean category on Bon Appétit
."
for Gourmet was Ruth Reichl
. The executive editor was John Willoughby, the executive food editor was Kemp M. Minifie, and the executive chef was Sara Moulton
.
Editors in chief:
, Gourmet Today, released a few weeks before the news, saw a significant spike in sales. The cookbook includes over 1,000 recipes for everything from vegetable dishes to cocktails.
on PBS as a follow up to Gourmets Diary of a Foodie which was also on the public television channel. The show features editor Ruth Reichl visiting cooking schools around the world with well-known chefs.
Condé Nast Publications
Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, is a magazine publisher. In the U.S., it produces 18 consumer magazines, including Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, as well as four business-to-business publications, 27 websites, and more than 50 apps...
and the first U.S. magazine devoted to food and wine. Founded by Earle R. MacAusland (1891–1980) and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale.
On October 5, 2009 Condé Nast announced that Gourmet will cease monthly publication by the end of 2009, due to a decline in advertising sales and shifting food interests among the readership. Editor Ruth Reichl
Ruth Reichl
Ruth Reichl - pronounced RYE-chil - is an American food writer, co-producer of PBS's Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie, culinary editor for the Modern Library, host of PBS's Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth, and the last editor-in-chief of the now shuttered Gourmet magazine...
, in the middle of a tour promoting the Gourmet Today cookbook, confirmed that the magazine's November 2009 issue, distributed in mid-October, was the magazine's last.
The Gourmet brand will continue to be used by Condé Nast for book and television programming and recipes appearing on Epicurious.com
Epicurious
Epicurious is a website dedicated to recipes, cooking, drinking, entertaining and restaurants, and its existence hearkens back to one of the World Wide Web's earliest presences. It is owned by Condé Nast. The site also includes recipes from Bon Appétit magazine and now defunct Gourmet magazine. The...
.
Founding
Gourmet was founded by Earle R. MacAusland, who went on to serve as publisher and editor in chief for nearly forty years. Its first issue was January 1941, and its main competitor at the time was American CookeryAmerican Cookery
American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons, was the first known cookbook written by an American, published in 1796. Until this time, the cookbooks printed and used in what became the United States were British cookbooks, so the importance of this book is obvious to American culinary history, and more...
, formerly the Boston Cooking School Magazine which had been published since 1896. Much of the content was similar – articles on food, recipes by the magazine, recipes submitted by readers, recipes requested by readers and advice sought by readers. But American Cookery was in black-and-white, printed on newsprint, with smaller pages and content focused on America. Gourmet was upscale, slick, in color, with a focus on Europe and New York City, and most of its recipes carrying French names.
Gourmet began publication just before America entered World War II, which brought war rationing. Its upscale audience was urged to save the issues and to use the recipes after the war and rationing ended.
Subsequent years
Condé NastCondé Nast Publications
Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, is a magazine publisher. In the U.S., it produces 18 consumer magazines, including Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, as well as four business-to-business publications, 27 websites, and more than 50 apps...
bought the magazine in 1983.
On October 5, 2009 Condé Nast
Condé Nast Publications
Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, is a magazine publisher. In the U.S., it produces 18 consumer magazines, including Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, as well as four business-to-business publications, 27 websites, and more than 50 apps...
CEO Chuck Townsend announced that the magazine will cease monthly publication; the company "will remain committed to the brand, retaining Gourmet’s book publishing and television programming, and Gourmet recipes on Epicurious.com
Epicurious
Epicurious is a website dedicated to recipes, cooking, drinking, entertaining and restaurants, and its existence hearkens back to one of the World Wide Web's earliest presences. It is owned by Condé Nast. The site also includes recipes from Bon Appétit magazine and now defunct Gourmet magazine. The...
. We will concentrate our publishing activities in the epicurean category on Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit describes itself as "a food and entertaining magazine" and is published monthly. Named after the French phrase for "Enjoy your meal", it was started by M. Frank Jones in Kansas City in 1956...
."
Editors
As of 2009, the editor in chiefEditor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
for Gourmet was Ruth Reichl
Ruth Reichl
Ruth Reichl - pronounced RYE-chil - is an American food writer, co-producer of PBS's Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie, culinary editor for the Modern Library, host of PBS's Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth, and the last editor-in-chief of the now shuttered Gourmet magazine...
. The executive editor was John Willoughby, the executive food editor was Kemp M. Minifie, and the executive chef was Sara Moulton
Sara Moulton
Sara Moulton is an American chef, cookbook author and television personality.Moulton is a food editor for Good Morning America, a morning news and talk show broadcast on the ABC television network...
.
Editors in chief:
- Pearl V. Mezelthin (1941–1943)
- Earle R. MacAusland (1943–1980)
- Jane Montant (1980–1991)
- Gail Zweigenthal (1991–1998)
- Ruth Reichl (1999–2009)
Gourmet Today
In the aftermath of the announcement that Gourmet was folding, its cookbookCookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
, Gourmet Today, released a few weeks before the news, saw a significant spike in sales. The cookbook includes over 1,000 recipes for everything from vegetable dishes to cocktails.
Expansion into television
In October 2009, Gourmet launched Gourmet's Adventures With RuthGourmet's Adventures With Ruth
Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth is a cooking program that is produced by WGBH-TV and aired nationally on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States...
on PBS as a follow up to Gourmets Diary of a Foodie which was also on the public television channel. The show features editor Ruth Reichl visiting cooking schools around the world with well-known chefs.