Gourmet (magazine)
"[4] Founded by Earle R. MacAusland (1890–1980), Gourmet, first published in January 1941,[5] also covered "good living" on a wider scale, and grew to incorporate culture, travel, and politics into its food coverage.
James Oseland, an author and editor in chief of rival food magazine Saveur, called Gourmet "an American cultural icon.
[6][7][8] On October 5, 2009, Condé Nast announced that Gourmet would cease monthly publication by the end of 2009, due to a decline in advertising sales[9] and shifting food interests among the readership.
Gourmet was upscale, slick, in color, with a focus on Europe and New York City, and most of its recipes carrying French names.
[17] In January 1999, it was announced that Ruth Reichl would leave her post as restaurant critic of The New York Times to become editor in chief of Gourmet.
[18] Reichl was seen to raise the ambition level of Gourmet, introducing stories on such subjects as the plight of migrant tomato pickers in Florida, not-so-sustainably farm-raised salmon, and the ethical questions generated by boiling lobsters alive (in David Foster Wallace's now widely read piece "Consider the Lobster").
)[22] The magazine poured extensive resources into developing and testing recipes, with 12 test-kitchen chefs and an in-house photographer.
[23] The English journalist and food writer Jay Rayner noted that "Working for Gourmet was like flying the Atlantic first class.
It was also the awe inspiring heft of the operation: the way food photography events were organised like they were Hollywood movie shoots, complete with casting calls and on-site catering; the attentions of the many editors; the pursuit by dreaded fact checkers.
The site included stories, reviews, videos, recipes, and archival material dating to the magazine's launch in 1941.
Contributors included John T. Edge, Michael Pollan, Eric Ripert, Heston Blumenthal, and Colman Andrews.
)[23] On October 5, 2009, Condé Nast Publications CEO Chuck Townsend announced that, as part of the continuing fallout from the economic downturn of 2008, the magazine would cease monthly publication; the company, he said, would "remain committed to the brand, retaining Gourmet's book publishing and television programming, and Gourmet recipes on Epicurious.
[4] Reichl noted, "Our biggest advertising categories were automotive, banking, beauty, travel, high-end appliances and virtually that whole market was hit.”[26] The decision to close the magazine was unexpected; the chef and restaurateur Alice Waters is said to have nearly cried when she heard the news of Gourmet's demise.
