Ruth Reichl
Encyclopedia
Ruth Reichl - pronounced RYE-chil - (born January 16, 1948 in New York City
) 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. She has written a trilogy of critically acclaimed, best-selling memoirs: Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table, Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table, and Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise and has lately published Not becoming my Mother. Her latest book is Gourmet Today a 1,008 page cookbook containing over 1,000 recipes.
Born to parents Ernst and Miriam (née Brudno), Reichl was raised in Greenwich Village
in New York City and spent time at a boarding school in Montreal
as a young girl. She attended the University of Michigan
, where she met her first husband, the artist Douglas Hollis. She graduated in 1970 with a M.A. in Art History.
She and Hollis moved to Berkeley, California
, where her interest in food led to her joining the collectively owned Swallow Restaurant as a chef and co-owner from 1973 to 1977, and where she played an important role in the culinary revolution taking place at the time. Reichl began her food-writing career with Mmmmm: A Feastiary, a cookbook, in 1972. She moved on to become food writer and editor of New West magazine from 1973 to 1977, then to the Los Angeles Times
as its restaurant editor from 1984 to 1993 and food editor and critic from 1990 to 1993. She returned to her native New York City in 1993 to become the restaurant critic
for The New York Times
before leaving to assume the editorship of Gourmet in 1999.
She is known for her ability to "make or break" a restaurant with her fierce attention to detail and her adventurous spirit. For Reichl, her mission has been to "demystify the world of fine cuisine" (CBS News Online). She has won acclaim with both readers and writers alike for her honesty about some of the not-so-fabulous aspects of haute cuisine. Through an outsider's perspective, she harshly criticized the sexism prevalent toward women in dine-out experiences, as well as the pretentious nature of the ritziest New York restaurants and restaurateurs alike.
Despite her widely celebrated success, and hilarious tales of how she used to disguise herself to mask her identity while reviewing, she is quite open about why she stopped. "I really wanted to go home and cook for my family," she says. "I don't think there's one thing more important you can do for your kids than have family dinner" (CBS News Online). Reichl is now married to television news producer, Michael Singer; they have a son, Nick.
She has been the recipient of four James Beard Awards: in 1996 and 1998 for restaurant criticism, one in 1994 for journalism and in 1984 for Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America; as well as several awards granted by the Association of American Food Journalists. She was also the recipient of the YWCA's Elizabeth Cutter Morrow Award, celebrating the accomplishments of strong, successful women. Reichl served as host for three Food Network Specials titled "Eating Out Loud" which covered cuisine from each coast and corner of the United States, in New York in 2002, and Miami and San Francisco in 2003. She also frequents Leonard Lopate's monthly food radio show on WNYC
in New York.
As of April 2011, she is also acting as critic/judge on Season 3
of the Bravo reality television show Top Chef Masters
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
food writer, co-producer of PBS's Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie
Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie
Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie is a documentary television program focusing on food, the culture of food, cuisine, and gastronomy...
, culinary editor for the Modern Library
Modern Library
The Modern Library is a publishing company. Founded in 1917 by Albert Boni and Horace Liveright as an imprint of their publishing company Boni & Liveright, it was purchased in 1925 by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer...
, host of PBS's Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth
Gourmet'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...
, and the last editor-in-chief of the now shuttered Gourmet
Gourmet (magazine)
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 and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale....
magazine. She has written a trilogy of critically acclaimed, best-selling memoirs: Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table, Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table, and Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise and has lately published Not becoming my Mother. Her latest book is Gourmet Today a 1,008 page cookbook containing over 1,000 recipes.
Born to parents Ernst and Miriam (née Brudno), Reichl was raised in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
in New York City and spent time at a boarding school in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
as a young girl. She attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, where she met her first husband, the artist Douglas Hollis. She graduated in 1970 with a M.A. in Art History.
She and Hollis moved to Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, where her interest in food led to her joining the collectively owned Swallow Restaurant as a chef and co-owner from 1973 to 1977, and where she played an important role in the culinary revolution taking place at the time. Reichl began her food-writing career with Mmmmm: A Feastiary, a cookbook, in 1972. She moved on to become food writer and editor of New West magazine from 1973 to 1977, then to the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
as its restaurant editor from 1984 to 1993 and food editor and critic from 1990 to 1993. She returned to her native New York City in 1993 to become the restaurant critic
Food critic
The terms food critic, food writer, and restaurant critic can all be used to describe a writer who analyzes food or restaurants and then publishes the results of their findings. While these terms are not strictly synonymous they are often used interchangeably, at least in some circumstances...
for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
before leaving to assume the editorship of Gourmet in 1999.
She is known for her ability to "make or break" a restaurant with her fierce attention to detail and her adventurous spirit. For Reichl, her mission has been to "demystify the world of fine cuisine" (CBS News Online). She has won acclaim with both readers and writers alike for her honesty about some of the not-so-fabulous aspects of haute cuisine. Through an outsider's perspective, she harshly criticized the sexism prevalent toward women in dine-out experiences, as well as the pretentious nature of the ritziest New York restaurants and restaurateurs alike.
Despite her widely celebrated success, and hilarious tales of how she used to disguise herself to mask her identity while reviewing, she is quite open about why she stopped. "I really wanted to go home and cook for my family," she says. "I don't think there's one thing more important you can do for your kids than have family dinner" (CBS News Online). Reichl is now married to television news producer, Michael Singer; they have a son, Nick.
She has been the recipient of four James Beard Awards: in 1996 and 1998 for restaurant criticism, one in 1994 for journalism and in 1984 for Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America; as well as several awards granted by the Association of American Food Journalists. She was also the recipient of the YWCA's Elizabeth Cutter Morrow Award, celebrating the accomplishments of strong, successful women. Reichl served as host for three Food Network Specials titled "Eating Out Loud" which covered cuisine from each coast and corner of the United States, in New York in 2002, and Miami and San Francisco in 2003. She also frequents Leonard Lopate's monthly food radio show on WNYC
WNYC
WNYC is a set of call letters shared by a pair of co-owned, non-profit, public radio stations located in New York City.WNYC broadcasts on the AM band at 820 kHz, and WNYC-FM is at 93.9 MHz. Both stations are members of National Public Radio and carry distinct, but similar news/talk programs...
in New York.
As of April 2011, she is also acting as critic/judge on Season 3
Top Chef: Masters (season 3)
The third season of the American reality competition show Top Chef Masters was announced on March 2, 2011. In addition to the announcement, it was announced that celebrity chef Curtis Stone would serve as the new host. Food critic and author Ruth Reichl also joined as a new series judge...
of the Bravo reality television show Top Chef Masters
Top Chef Masters
Top Chef Masters is an American reality competition show currently broadcast on the cable television network Bravo. It is a spinoff of Bravo's hit show Top Chef. In the series, 24 world-renowned chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges...
.
Books
- Mmmmm: A Feastiary (cookbook), (1972)
- Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table (1998)
- Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table (2001)
- Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise (2005)
- The Gourmet Cookbook: More Than 1000 Recipes (2006)
- Not Becoming My Mother: and Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way (2009)
- Gourmet Today: More than 1000 All-New Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen (2009)
External links
- Gourmet Today edited by Ruth Reichl (October 2009)
- An eG Spotlight Conversation with Ruth Reichl (November 2005)
- Princeton Public Lecture Series Appearance (streaming media) - March 6, 2007 - "Watch What You Eat-A History of Eating"
- Salon interview (November 1996)
- ruthreichl.com
- PBS Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie
- CBS Article and interview - May 18, 2005 - "Garlic and Sapphires"
- New York Times Chapter 1 excerpt - April 10, 2005 - "Garlic and Sapphires"
- ReviewsOfBooks.com - "Garlic and Sapphires"