I think it would be more accurate to say Ruth destroyed Gourmet. I had a subscription since high school (mid 1970's) until 2006. When the magazine became a blog instead of THE magazine in the field, I finally let the subscription lapse. I'm sure others did too. Clearly her viewpoint was not shared outside of the editorial circles.
28
the redesign of a classic magazine didn't help. I couldn't tell the articles for the ads,
11
Disagree strongly. She recreated the magazine and all for the best, imo.
6
Love Ms. Reichl and her books.
5
Amazing how similar a kitchen she has to ours: a similar hood, open 6 burner stovetop in the middle of our island in the middle of the open kitchen, the sink at the wide windows facing open to our vegetable and flower garden. I would like to think it reflects a similar sense of perspective and value on cooking, food, and sharing it all with friends and family.
1
Conde Nast took its action when the Thanksgiving issue was being printed. RR wrote the editorial not knowing it would be Gourmet's last. It is excellent. I read it aloud to my guests every year to celebrate the Day. Good food and humane ideas belong together. Thanks, Ms. Reichl.
16
Gotta say that so much nowadays seems overstuffed. I too have a fantastic kitchen and cook like a maniac. Only mine has an island that everyone is welcome to gather around and participate. A "u" shape seems to exclude participation and is more of a stage for performance. Most of my gatherings have an excess of 12 folks and they are often. My mom and her sisters and mother worked in a kitchen half the size of mine and produced superlative meals with a single stove and range. The kitchen is the heart of the home and doesn't need the appurtenances and pretenses found in mine. BTW I am a practicing engineer and fortunate that as a single parent (father) raised two kids who can cook for themselves now that they are working professionals. Just sayin.
1
Best things about the short video:
1 RR doesn't seem to mind showing her age.
2 Her husband is wearing a Mets t-shirt.
1 RR doesn't seem to mind showing her age.
2 Her husband is wearing a Mets t-shirt.
2
Gourmet put out a request for older issues of the magazine, as it seemed that they were missing several from the 60s. I had them so sent them to them. (Never got a thank you from them.) It was interesting to look through those issues and see how much had changed in 30 years.
I liked her non-fiction books. I thought they were fun to read.
I couldn't be a food critic; there's too much that I wouldn't eat, not that I'm a fussy eater by any account. But, I think it's interesting to read the reviews.
I liked her non-fiction books. I thought they were fun to read.
I couldn't be a food critic; there's too much that I wouldn't eat, not that I'm a fussy eater by any account. But, I think it's interesting to read the reviews.
4
After my husband read "Ruth Reichl Recharges in the Kitchen," he reported that on the same day Ruth learned that Gourmet Magazine was being shut down, she had a horse shot out from under her. When I requested further details, all he could tell me was that she was in Seattle promoting a cookbook While I wondered what riding a horse had to do with promoting a cookbook, he re-read the article and reported sheepishly that she had been using a figure of speech and hadn't meant literally what she said. While the clarification makes sense, the speculation raised by the literal interpretation was more fun.
20
For a number of years I lived one floor above Ruth and her family on Manhattan's Upper West Side. There were times when the hallway was filled with the most delicious aromas. I had fantasies of becoming friends with her and being invited to dinner. Never happened.
The closest I got was when her adorable son went door to door selling his drawings for 25 cents that he instructed neighbors to display on our refrigerators. I imagined my refrigerator looked like Ruth's, though I'm sure the contents of hers was way more interesting than mine.
She was always a cheerful, friendly neighbor, and I'm glad she's doing well!
The closest I got was when her adorable son went door to door selling his drawings for 25 cents that he instructed neighbors to display on our refrigerators. I imagined my refrigerator looked like Ruth's, though I'm sure the contents of hers was way more interesting than mine.
She was always a cheerful, friendly neighbor, and I'm glad she's doing well!
20
hey Ruth remember the great party at Chez when we danced our ----- off?
3
I loved Gourmet and wish I'd saved all my issues. I did keep two because of the Christmas cookie recipes and my (adult) kids and I still make them every year. I was a young wife in the early '80s, didn't like to cook and much of what I learned about cooking came from Gourmet. Ruth Reichl is a gem, always has been, and I always wanted to be her (or Dominique Browning, but that is another story). I can't wait for her new book. Ms. Reichl, the next time you are in NJ I would be honored to take you to dinner. No, I still don't like to cook but I sure do love to eat...
10
I love Ruth Reichl's writing, and her memoirs remain some of my favorite. I loved Gourmet under her tenure. But this kind of article is out of step with the world. "They were afraid they wouldn't be able to keep both places." Boo-hoo. If this is what counts as poverty and hardship in "white world," no wonder "white people" has become an opprobrious epithet.
19
AK, I had the same reaction when I read that part of the article, I think I even thought in the same words "Oh, boo hoo, you can't keep two fabulous houses....!" But, the article wasn't about economic fairness. It is about a particular person and how she dealt with her particular layoff challenge.
23
Bravo. Yes, it look like she landed on her feet well. So What ? It sounds as if she has worked very very hard for all she has. DO we really have to Tiptoe around Everything anymore ?
You might want to walk in some ones shoes before you criticize them. We have 2 houses as well. Do you know why ? Because the only way we could achieve it was for me to take off a year & a Half to Literally Build a Retirement house Myself. Not "Build a House" the way most people do - hiring others. Its because I sat down & read the Books & picked up and placed each & Every Board on Said House.
Sometimes People have the things they have because they Work for them. Not because they go to the "Whites Only" window & pick up their ration of good Fortune.
This self administered Guilt is getting very tiring
You might want to walk in some ones shoes before you criticize them. We have 2 houses as well. Do you know why ? Because the only way we could achieve it was for me to take off a year & a Half to Literally Build a Retirement house Myself. Not "Build a House" the way most people do - hiring others. Its because I sat down & read the Books & picked up and placed each & Every Board on Said House.
Sometimes People have the things they have because they Work for them. Not because they go to the "Whites Only" window & pick up their ration of good Fortune.
This self administered Guilt is getting very tiring
18
Your reference of "white world" or "white people" fails to understand the dynamics of the urban landscape of NYC. People of many colors have small apartments in the city, and a second place for weekends. This allows one to work longer hours in the city during the week, and get out of the city for fresher air and quiet time on the weekends. To keep both places doesn't always indicate white privilege. Often it indicates long hours in a job that can only be based in Manhattan. Such as the position Ruth had with Gourmet magazine.
8
I always enjoyed Ruth Reichel's restaurant reviews from both Los Angeles and New York. Her writing and observations were spot on. That being said, I started my subscription to Gourmet while I was in high school in 1971. I loved the magazine; it's articles from around the world, it's exceptional photography, and of course it's recipes. When Reichel took over the magazine changed. It started to look like Vogue to me. Page after page of advertising, articles that veered from the great stories of food and places, and the redesign to an uber glossy, trendy format. I let my subscription lapse a couple of years after she took over not recognizing my beloved magazine.
16
I agree! She ruined the magazine and then was shocked when it went out of business. "The oldest food and wine magazine"...what shame for Gourmet and its fans.
10
Agree. Ruth Reichel made Gourmet ordinary.
6
I was wondering if anyone else thought the way I did about Gourmet after Ruth Reichl took it over. She certainly ruined it for me, and I canceled my long-runnng subscription. Not sure why she was surprised when Conde Nast pulled the plug -- since she was the cause of it tanking. Such a shame. I really loved Gourmet before RR.
4
Go Ruth! Be "ridiculously bad" with your knife skills, go ahead and have a second home, eat pate' and be skinny, drive a well traveled car, write books that not everyone loves, make great food and eat it off a three legged table! Wouldn't we all love to be there? You earned it, love! Congratulations.
17
wow. looks like some readers have been sharpening their knives...but not for a fabulous meal, instead for their chance to leave snarky comments. i still love and use both of my Gourmet cookbooks released under Ruth's helm and love her memoirs and can't wait to get her latest book.
17
I was sad when Gourmet folded. I did not need the recipes, I needed the whole" American way of life" package they delivered in the early 70's as the very young wife of a Southern lawyer. Gourmet taught me well.
I have two comments: I would like to see Ms. Reichl as part of the NYT, just don't let her make videos with that hair hanging over the food.
And for Ms Reichl: If you don't have your retirement ducks in a row at 61 you better get cracking or start downsizing.
I have two comments: I would like to see Ms. Reichl as part of the NYT, just don't let her make videos with that hair hanging over the food.
And for Ms Reichl: If you don't have your retirement ducks in a row at 61 you better get cracking or start downsizing.
8
I loved Gourmet. So did my mother. I still have her collection that goes back to the 1950s.
I love Ruth Reichel. She is smart, a good writer, and an interesting person. I feel she shares my love of food.
But, Ruth Reichel ruined Gourmet. Or, she let it happen on her time at the magazine.
It broke my heart to do it, but I cancelled my subscription in 2004 ish. It was not the same - it was no good.
But I am glad that she is happy.
I love Ruth Reichel. She is smart, a good writer, and an interesting person. I feel she shares my love of food.
But, Ruth Reichel ruined Gourmet. Or, she let it happen on her time at the magazine.
It broke my heart to do it, but I cancelled my subscription in 2004 ish. It was not the same - it was no good.
But I am glad that she is happy.
10
Can I please be Ruth Reichl's friend?
12
I will never, ever forgive Conde Nast for killing the best food magazine in America. But I'm very glad to hear Ms. Reichl is still cooking and writing.
11
Isn't that (amazing) cake and frosting recipe from the yellow-covered Gourmet cookbook, page 742? Looks like she increased quantities but it is basically the same cake. Pretty sure it was in the magazine in the 1990s and reappeared on gourmet.com and epicurious.com.
5
I have always loved Ruth Reichi's writing. Her restaurant reviews, books,and etc, and I am not a cook.
I too have had the problem of no wanting to hire me because I am "old", but I do not feel old and I want to work, so we have to make our own work.
I too have had the problem of no wanting to hire me because I am "old", but I do not feel old and I want to work, so we have to make our own work.
9
Without Gourmet, I wouldn't be a chef. Ms. Reichl was the EiC for most of my life and I always appreciated her artistic, honest take on food and the industry. I look forward to her book.
4
I read Gourmet Magazine for years before Ruth Reichl took it over, always eagerly anticipating the "centerfold" shots of beautiful food with matching recipes, many of which I still use today. She was not a good choice - boring, boring, boring, silly, trite articles about food (like the cotton candy referred to in one post below - reminiscent of recent NY Times food articles about how to make "toast"). Instead of interesting articles on food, recipes and travel, it became cluttered with advertisements and nonesense. She ruined the magazine in my opinion and I just stopped buying it.
9
Linda,
Thank you for responding to my comment about the cotton candy cover. But I do think that your comments about the former editor are a tad rough. Economic realities in the biz likely drove many decisions. unfortunately.
Those are the economic realities that provided us with the CNN "reality" show last night for example!
Thank you for responding to my comment about the cotton candy cover. But I do think that your comments about the former editor are a tad rough. Economic realities in the biz likely drove many decisions. unfortunately.
Those are the economic realities that provided us with the CNN "reality" show last night for example!
2
I too belong to the camp that found Gourmet before Ruth Reichl boring and snobbish and adored it once she took over. I always read it cover to cover. I have not found another food magazine that I enjoy reading since it was closed down and miss it very much. Bon Appetit isn't worth getting even when it is free.
Why oh why didn't you include her recipe for her husbands current favorite dish, pork and chinese noodles?
Why oh why didn't you include her recipe for her husbands current favorite dish, pork and chinese noodles?
15
I admire Ruth Reichel tremendously. We are about the same age and we both had similar struggles in vastly different careers, both got laid off at similar ages, suffered the humiliation, and both of us came out the other side stronger and prepared to make our own way in the world. I also turned to cooking, and in my own little NJ kitchen cooking for family and friends, I get by, too. Thanks, Ruth Reichl, for all your joy, lessons and food.
9
In my book, RR is delightful. Happy to know what she's doing. I was fortunate enough to hear her being interviewed at an all day food writers seminar, called "Foodstock" sponsored by Amy Bloom held at Weslyan University in 2012. The day featured her and other chefs, food writers and bloggers such as Dorie Greenspan, Eric Asminov, Paola Villorisi, etc. Always wondered why it was never held again- anyone out there know?
5
Dear Ms. Reichl:
Please give me a general idea of your address. I would gladly walk in your door to have you cook for me. Your recipe for spaghetti carbonara is heavenly. I thank you for introducing me to Nueske's bacon. Your pancake recipe is a mainstay of our weekends. I was never a fan of Gourmet but I do love your books - non-fiction more than fiction. Best regards!
Please give me a general idea of your address. I would gladly walk in your door to have you cook for me. Your recipe for spaghetti carbonara is heavenly. I thank you for introducing me to Nueske's bacon. Your pancake recipe is a mainstay of our weekends. I was never a fan of Gourmet but I do love your books - non-fiction more than fiction. Best regards!
8
Am I suppose to be concerned about Ms. Reichl? She seems like a decent enough sort. Sure, getting laid off from a cushy job at 61 is a come-down, but, both she and her husband were hugely successful in their careers. If they don't have their finances figured out by now, it is unfortunate, but hardly a tragedy. I'm look at their house. Look at where she shops. Please, this is another foodie I am not too concerned about. Foodies are always elitists. It comes with the territory.
11
I read her first memoir with enjoyment and disliked her immensely by book two.
I feel sorry for the front line people at Gourmet who never got any lavish perks and were out there trying to find work when it closed its doors, but I find it laughable to weep for a woman who walked out the door with the ability to do nothing but go home to her "cabin" and cook, secure that there would always be a roof over her head and food.
And Ms Severson? Could you and your colleagues get out your Roget's Thesaurus, or go on line and find some synonyms for "curate"? If I see it in one more article on anything but museums, I am going to throw up my salad with the homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers all over my keyboard.
And no, I do NOT "curate" the vegetables in my garden!!
I feel sorry for the front line people at Gourmet who never got any lavish perks and were out there trying to find work when it closed its doors, but I find it laughable to weep for a woman who walked out the door with the ability to do nothing but go home to her "cabin" and cook, secure that there would always be a roof over her head and food.
And Ms Severson? Could you and your colleagues get out your Roget's Thesaurus, or go on line and find some synonyms for "curate"? If I see it in one more article on anything but museums, I am going to throw up my salad with the homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers all over my keyboard.
And no, I do NOT "curate" the vegetables in my garden!!
29
Well , Ruth Reichel has been with me since I was in grad school. Her deeply soulful books touched the tenderest part of my bones. Her stories resonate with my own childhood and provide comfort in my adulthood.
I think it's disrespectful to characterize her as being dumped . She's not responsible for the large organizational changes at Condé Nast. Life has many unexpected twists and turns. We all have to learn how to adapt. In my book , Ruth Reichel is a great success.
I think it's disrespectful to characterize her as being dumped . She's not responsible for the large organizational changes at Condé Nast. Life has many unexpected twists and turns. We all have to learn how to adapt. In my book , Ruth Reichel is a great success.
14
In my early 60s now, I've been going through a bit of soul searching and re-evaluation, myself, lately. A couple of weeks ago, in the seemingly-never-ending chore of paring down and tossing out, I came across a stash of about 25 favorite Gourmet magazines. I stacked them by my bedside, knowing exactly what to do with them: dip into them during that sleepless couple of hours I seem to be now gifted with each night, between about 3 and 5 a.m. What joy and comfort they provide! Interestingly, most of these issues are from the Reichl period. My favorite: the September 2001 60th Anniversary issue (which obviously went to press before the terror attacks occurred - giving the issue yet a further depth of emotional tug). This issue was brilliantly conceived, with selections (both recipes and articles) from each of Gourmet's decades up to that time. At this moment, reading this brand new article about Ruth Reichl, I can say that I've always been a fan. I wish I could find about 100 copies copies of her splendid Gourmet at 60 issue and give one to everyone I know. All would be enriched.
20
My son has made me promise to leave my 25-year collection of Gourmet magazines to him when I go.
I shall hope that whenever that happens, he will most enjoy the issues edited by Ruth Reichl, who somehow managed to take an already excellent magazine, full of well-tested recipes, and remove a fustiness that was only apparent once she took over.
I shall hope that whenever that happens, he will most enjoy the issues edited by Ruth Reichl, who somehow managed to take an already excellent magazine, full of well-tested recipes, and remove a fustiness that was only apparent once she took over.
16
I dislike Gourmet magazine for it's snobbery and it's uninteresting recipes; that is before Ruth Reichel took the helm. she transformed the magazine; suddenly everything about it became interesting. Conde Nast did a disservice to the whole community by closing Gourmet, the offer of free Bob Appetit in it's stead just did not hack it.
Thank you Ms Reichel for taking a food magazine to a much higher standard and for giving me the pleasure of reading it.
Thank you Ms Reichel for taking a food magazine to a much higher standard and for giving me the pleasure of reading it.
17
Yeah, no.
Gourmet was a deliciousness in the 1970s. Fascinating. Divine. Too bad it was gutted. Sigh.
Gourmet was a deliciousness in the 1970s. Fascinating. Divine. Too bad it was gutted. Sigh.
3
I moved from LA to New York in 1993 (kinda knowing it was a mistake), and a week later, there was a review from MY food critic--Ruth Reichl. I was saved...and have always loved her and her writing. I was devastated when Gourmet closed and she was let go. Thank you for letting us know what she is doing. Long live Ruth!
11
Wow. Looks like you hit a nerve or two with this article! A goodly percentage of your foodie readers have as much negative enthusiasm at the ready as my neighbors in Long Beach have right now for the homelessness. I loved Gourmet and found the update on Ruth interesting.
9
Nice to hear that Ruth Reichl is productive and enjoying life. Her restaurant reviews were what I enjoyed most. Her tenure at Gourmet reinvented the magazine and made it relevant again.
She's of a generation that learned her craft by experience, not by endlessly self-promoting herself. I'll look forward to her new book.
She's of a generation that learned her craft by experience, not by endlessly self-promoting herself. I'll look forward to her new book.
12
we recently returned from the Barkshires and it is a shame few people give the local merchants and farmers credit for the amazing quality of the food so effortlesly found .
9
My first issue of Gourmet came to my door in 1987. It was the perfect cooking and travel magazine in my opinion. For armchair cooks and real home cooks it was the ideal American magazine. The editors, at the time, seem to know their audience. I was part of that audience from 1987 to 2002. Like many of us, I still have everyone of those issues.
Then came Ruth. I never blamed her for anything. I just didn't like the magazine any more. However, I always blamed Conde Nast for wanting to embrace her vision of Gourmet. They made one mistake in hiring her, but they got it right when they closed the magazine down.
Then came Ruth. I never blamed her for anything. I just didn't like the magazine any more. However, I always blamed Conde Nast for wanting to embrace her vision of Gourmet. They made one mistake in hiring her, but they got it right when they closed the magazine down.
3
To this day I miss Gourmet. Best food magazine ever. There has been nothing to this day that is even close to replacing it. I thought she did great job on it. And I was shocked to see it close so abruptly. I am glad she has moved on and found some peace.
9
My thoughts on this article.
While Ruth Reichel did a great job at Gourmet, it was already a legendary food publication that had published the work of Ludwig Bemelmans, Joseph Wechsberg and M.F.K. Fisher as well as the great Laurie Colwin.
She also should avoid denigrating graduates of the C.I.A. since most of those fancy meals she enjoyed (or did not) as a food critic were prepared by very hard working graduates of this school. (full disclosure I am one of them)
Since she has also attended (paid I presume) at conferences given by the school it would seem disingenuous to speak poorly of the world class education they provide.
There are many paths to enlightenment in the Culinary Arts. Surely going to a great school should not be criticized as one of them.
While Ruth Reichel did a great job at Gourmet, it was already a legendary food publication that had published the work of Ludwig Bemelmans, Joseph Wechsberg and M.F.K. Fisher as well as the great Laurie Colwin.
She also should avoid denigrating graduates of the C.I.A. since most of those fancy meals she enjoyed (or did not) as a food critic were prepared by very hard working graduates of this school. (full disclosure I am one of them)
Since she has also attended (paid I presume) at conferences given by the school it would seem disingenuous to speak poorly of the world class education they provide.
There are many paths to enlightenment in the Culinary Arts. Surely going to a great school should not be criticized as one of them.
17
I understood that comment in a very different way: it sounded to me like a statement of fact and not a denigration of the alternative. She didn't go to school, she just learned by experimenting. There are certainly different ways of learning and she's mentioned two of them in one sentence. CIA does have an excellent reputation and I would expect her to appreciate it too.
8
Good Grief- the CIA folks are shaking out to be a pretty thin-skinned bunch in their responses to someone who said at 61 she did it the old fashioned way: making a lot of mistakes and starting over instead of an academic career in food.
Yes, there are many ways to enlightenment as you say, so if you are happy with your way, what do you care if someone else who did it a different way likes their way better just like you like your way better? She has a lot of fans- get your own!
Yes, there are many ways to enlightenment as you say, so if you are happy with your way, what do you care if someone else who did it a different way likes their way better just like you like your way better? She has a lot of fans- get your own!
6
Where in the article did Reichle "denigrate" CIA grads? All she said was that she can cook despite not having some professional-level skills.
5
I am very happy to see Ruth Reichl profiled at her beautiful home in the Hudson Valley. The region between Great Barrington and Germantown is becoming the epicenter of the farm to table movement and many young chefs are leaving the city to open new restaurants and connect with the earth. I hope she will inspire a new generation of chefs and writers to gravitate to this fertile landscape and make meaningful contributions to the community.
13
I had a subscription since 1973. In the 1990's it became increasingly difficult to differentiate between content and advertising. Instead of beautifully photographed food we saw beautiful people putting food in their mouths. The February 2000 issue was the final straw with a cover shot of...cotton candy. Really? Cotton candy?
21
My Mom has every Gourmet magazine produced. I grew up reading gourmet and my very best tried and true recipes are from Gourmet. One of my very favorites is Pasta with Duck Ragu. Give it a try, delish!
4
Can you imagine not being able to keep your second home? And that free Lexus has so many miles on it. Good heavens!
50
The anxiety of never knowing where her next free-range chicken liver is going to come from!
1
I never take advice from workaholics or "former" workaholics. They have little or no life experience unrelated to their career. It almost always gives them a narrow point of view. Worse yet, they don't know it.
21
(She said she still doesn’t know why, (Gourmet magazine folded)...not all readers responded favorably to articles in which writers like David Foster Wallace were given 7,500 words to explore the moral implications of killing lobsters. I like Ruth's writing, but the Left never gets it, most of the reading world doesn't want to constantly have their nose rubbed in the "humans bad, nature good" morass. When you pay for an expensive glossy cooking magazine, you want interesting recipes which work, lush photographs and interesting articles. We are not interested in 7,500 words about the moral superiority of lobsters over humans. If you alienate enough readers, a publications loses so much money that it must be terminated.
26
I treasure the copies of Gourmet I still have, especially one from 1994 that published a recipe from a tiny restaurant in Arezzo that my husband and I went to on our first trip to Italy; I swooned for a particular dish and Gourmet got it. I was a subscriber for decades and still mourn its loss. But like others writing here, the Gourmet that we loved was lost long before its printing presses stopped.
Without personal hostility toward Ms. Reichl and the challenges she now faces, it is widely viewed that the magazine under her stewardship lost its way. By the end you couldn't distinguish the editorial from the advertising and the lobster morality tale is a metaphor for the collective "huh?" many of us readers increasingly felt every month when we'd get our issue in its last few years. In one of Gourmet's last months, as the economy was in free-fall and so many of us were scared and seeking comfort, and frankly a bit of advice about how to cook well and spend less, Gourmet put a ham sandwich on its cover. A ham sandwich. In less than six months it was out of business.
I hope that neither The Times nor any other major media gives her a platform as I think she has already shown that she is not in touch with real home cooks. On the other hand, if Conde Nast were to bring back a monthly Gourmet that has the aspiration, excellence, inspiration, and appetite that it had pre-Reichl, I am sure it would be a hit. A girl can hope, can't she?
Without personal hostility toward Ms. Reichl and the challenges she now faces, it is widely viewed that the magazine under her stewardship lost its way. By the end you couldn't distinguish the editorial from the advertising and the lobster morality tale is a metaphor for the collective "huh?" many of us readers increasingly felt every month when we'd get our issue in its last few years. In one of Gourmet's last months, as the economy was in free-fall and so many of us were scared and seeking comfort, and frankly a bit of advice about how to cook well and spend less, Gourmet put a ham sandwich on its cover. A ham sandwich. In less than six months it was out of business.
I hope that neither The Times nor any other major media gives her a platform as I think she has already shown that she is not in touch with real home cooks. On the other hand, if Conde Nast were to bring back a monthly Gourmet that has the aspiration, excellence, inspiration, and appetite that it had pre-Reichl, I am sure it would be a hit. A girl can hope, can't she?
3
I feel for Ms. Reichl's plight. Getting derailed from one's lifelong work with little time to recoup because of circumstances beyond one's control is more than disheartening. So we search for new avenues of interest and support both financially and emotionally. We even try writing a book. Been there, done that.
But Ms. Reichl has a brand. Perhaps a little dusty. But a following nevertheless. I think she should follow her passion and open a small restaurant.
But Ms. Reichl has a brand. Perhaps a little dusty. But a following nevertheless. I think she should follow her passion and open a small restaurant.
8
I remember how interesting the food was that was served at The Swallow, a cooperative café in the basement of the University Art Museum in Berkeley in the years Ruth was there. Long before "modern" cooking, those young people had a great time; sometimes it worked, sometimes not so much, but fun on both sides of the counter.
What an interesting life she has led and for someone the same age it's been fun following her career. Loved the memoirs, the novel not so much...sometimes it works, sometimes...
What an interesting life she has led and for someone the same age it's been fun following her career. Loved the memoirs, the novel not so much...sometimes it works, sometimes...
8
I loved reading this. In my eyes, Ms. Reichl is a goddess.
9
Paula Wolfort is so much more than "the cook with Alzheimers." She is one of the great cookbook authors and food anthropologists of the Mediterranean. To reduce her to her illness is quite bizarre.
60
I was a Sales Assistant at Gourmet when it closed and later had the (not so great) pleasure of working at Bon Appetit. As a young woman interested in food Ruth Reichl was someone I idolized. To me, she embodied a true and unpretentious gourmand. She wasn't into celebrities, trends, etc. which was refreshing. She was the anti-Conde Nast, a real person who indulged and found pleasure in food. I still look up to her and am happy to hear she is doing well.
31
I always felt that Ruth Reichl was one of the very best food critics at The Times, perhaps the second-best one (after Mimi Sheraton). I'm glad to hear that she's still on the scene which has, alas, has turned into a celebrity-filled arena for people with mega egos and little real kitchen knowledge or understanding of good taste. I'm only in my early 50s but I guess I'm old-fashioned in my opinion that being a great chef starts with developing a sense of great taste and not the number of tattoos you have or what's the best rock music to listen to during your "omakase". Contrarily, Ruth represents all that's REAL in the world of food and for that we can all thank her.
16
I've always admired and enjoyed Ruth, so this article was a nice read. However... I was disappointed not to see a photo
the "central casting" Russian Blues. Silly. I know.
the "central casting" Russian Blues. Silly. I know.
15
I know, I can't believe they couldn't put in a photo of the cats!
6
Not silly ! I had the same reaction. Partly as a huge cat lover, and partly because it would have completed the restful, idyllic picture we get of her life: lovely house, great kitchen, with a beautiful view in a gorgeous area, and a loving partner (spouse), friends who come over -- and the Russian Blues.
I'm a long-time Ruth Reichl fan, I'm happy that she appears to be in this great situation.
I'm a long-time Ruth Reichl fan, I'm happy that she appears to be in this great situation.
8
Oh Ruth, hang in there. We went to Rubiners years ago and it was divine. We are now planning another road trip. Your name has been mentioned so many times in our house, and my husband is now rifling through his stacks of Gourmet. You are loved in this house.
9
I miss Gourmet. I miss Ruth Reichl. The closure of Gourmet by Conde Nast was a mistake. There is nothing now that fills the void left by its premature and unnecessary passing. There is still time to remedy this error. How hard could it be and how much money could it take to resurrect it? Surely some MBA could do a pro forma, make a pitch to Conde Nast and, if necessary, several Venture Capitalists and resurrect an icon. Somebody,... please.
10
"And she began to cook ... 136 Recipes That Saved My Life" -- Good Heavens, this reads like Ms. Reichl having had revelation on the way to the New York countryside!
A wonderfully kind and justly praiseful article about one of the Grandes Dames of Usan (= American) cooking.
A wonderfully kind and justly praiseful article about one of the Grandes Dames of Usan (= American) cooking.
2
I loved Ruth as a critic and as a writer of wonderful books about her wonderful life.
Gourmet was not a favorite.
It was too elitist...and I like elite things that relate to intelligence, knowledge, refinement. But Gourmet was elitism in the sense of the Reagan era opulence, indulgence and vulgar displays of money. It was too glossy and esoteric and appeared arrogant and a showoff.
But I'm delighted she has 'reemerged' and that her cookbook is in the offing. [Hope she doesn't use pale yellow headlines in this cookbook like she did in the Gourmet cookbook she produced. Can't see the subheads!]
Gourmet was not a favorite.
It was too elitist...and I like elite things that relate to intelligence, knowledge, refinement. But Gourmet was elitism in the sense of the Reagan era opulence, indulgence and vulgar displays of money. It was too glossy and esoteric and appeared arrogant and a showoff.
But I'm delighted she has 'reemerged' and that her cookbook is in the offing. [Hope she doesn't use pale yellow headlines in this cookbook like she did in the Gourmet cookbook she produced. Can't see the subheads!]
2
those yellow subheads! what were they thinking (or not)
1
Ruth Reichl did a great job keeping Gourmet vital, but so far I've heard little about her tremendous work as a restaurant reviewer for the NYTimes. As a worthy successor to Craig Claiborne and Bryan Miller, she found exciting new food places in NYC and told us why we had to experience their abilities and charm (without a wig).
Long may she reign as the queen of gastronomy.
Long may she reign as the queen of gastronomy.
12
I like salami, i don't care for Ruth Reichl, a pretentious poseur who now lives in a glass house
16
I'd love to read about the Ruth Reichl diet. How does a person who loves to cook and, presumably, eat food arrive at my age being so incredibly skinny? Is it some sort of disease? If so, where can I catch it?
9
Viva Ruth! Thrive, cook, eat, and please continue to give us your musings on cooking and life., they are cherished by this reader.
3
I'm not much of a cook though I do enjoy it on occasion. I never aspired to be like Ruth Reichl yet she inspires me (along with Lynne Rossetto Kasper). Knowing that she also has ridiculously bad knife skills makes me feel even more free to enjoy myself in the kitchen and not worry about how long it takes me to chop an onion.
7
Could the NYTimes please avoid using any phrasing that involves drinking/sipping the Kool-Aid? The 900+ deaths at Jonestown should not be turned into a cutesy expression. That's really offensive.
10
Like many others in this section I enjoyed this article, although I never really read Gourmet magazine, nor am I a foodie. I have to add, however, that I am surprised and somewhat appalled by the nastiness of some of the comments, particularly since this article does not seem especially provocative. Unfortunately, I am noticing this more and more in comment sections of various publications. What happened to a little civility?
42
Conde Nast tried to make Gourmet into something it never was, a mass market food magazine. It was entirely successful in its original slim incarnation as a magazine about gourmet food, intelligent travel and so much more. I was introduced to the magazine at 22 and it was part of my education about travel, art, major cities of the world in all their elements, the art of the essay, and, yes, food. I stopped reading it during its last 10+ years; in its search for the mass market I felt it became shallow, its content something I could find just about anywhere. Rest in peace, Gourmet.
18
Conde Nast made a mistake killing Gourmet. I never failed to enjoy reading Gourmet and found so many of their recipes perfect. The current reliance on Bon Appetit is a mistake, and most of their articles are unreadable, their website is an abomination. Conde Nast is the loser without Ruth Reichl. Glad to see she is doing so well.
18
Agree fully. I recently took a subscription to
Bon Appetit after a hiatus of 2-3 years. Horrible! Full of visually aggressive, garish "art"work & illustrations, shallow subject matter seemingly aimed at drunken Millenial guys and terribly, shoddily written and "edited."
A real disgrace. I canceled after two issues of ugly, glaringly obnoxious fluff.
Bad mistake, Conde Nast. Bad BAD mistake.
Bon Appetit after a hiatus of 2-3 years. Horrible! Full of visually aggressive, garish "art"work & illustrations, shallow subject matter seemingly aimed at drunken Millenial guys and terribly, shoddily written and "edited."
A real disgrace. I canceled after two issues of ugly, glaringly obnoxious fluff.
Bad mistake, Conde Nast. Bad BAD mistake.
2
Ruth was but one of many who lost their jobs--and also their sense of self--with the folding of Gourmet. The former staff I know were those who made sure that the recipes worked, that the facts in the articles were both true and correct, which is more than R. has done in her own writing. They have gone on to rebuild professional lives without any spotlights, also in some cases at an age when that is almost impossible. I cannot weep for Ruth with her severance-paid car and other perks.
41
Not only does she apparently have a luxurious and very swell lifestyle (two homes? a country home and NYC apartment? and a Lexus?) but she's at a very normal age to retire. She still has a considerable writing career. I am bewildered why she is even upset. Her career at Gourmet ended at a very good time of life -- not 45, but 61. It is absurd to think you should work until 70-something. What about all the bright young up-and-coming cooks and cooking writers? don't they deserve a shot?
No pity here.
No pity here.
2
I still have never found my food "home" after Gourmet was shut down. Ms. Reichl is a gift to American food and cooking and I am always happy to hear of her projects. Keep at it Ruth!
52
I've enjoyed all of her books and am really looking forward to the one coming out the end of this month!
21
Thanks for the fun profile. Ruth's contributions to this space are well known and always welcome. Sta, contract, jobber or whatever, with I see Ruth's name in this publication, I will read the article. What the heck? She is my age, so she certainly understands everything... Her public thoughts and writings connect well with literally millions of us who pay close attention to our food. Thanks for the wonderful profile,
-Cg
-Cg
20
We still have our yearly Gourmet cookbooks of selected recipes. It was not only the delicious food but the beautiful pictures of how to coordinate flowers, china and glassware with tables linens for a complete dining experience. It was very helpful to newly marrieds who had just left the college dining halls.....thank you.
19
I worked in the Conde Nast bldg [at the law firm] and she and I was were once on the opposite sides of the revolving door...loved her at the Times...Gourmet was not a good fit...meaning "food porn" was not her thing.
20
I so love this woman. she is the real deal.
Rock on Ruth!
Rock on Ruth!
32
Absolutely love her. Would read anything she wrote. I look forward to the next.
28
I totally wept when Gourmet Magazine shut down. I am just a regular cook for my family but with Ruth at the helm, Gourmet Magazine was informational and approachable. I learned so much from Ruth! Mostly I learned to be brave and have confidence in my taste and to have a willingness to TRY! Her writing was lush and flavorful and so vivid. I am glad to hear of this new chapter in her life. Thank you, Ruth, I wish you all the best!
Christina Lopez Robison
Christina Lopez Robison
52
It's heartening to read of Ms. Reichl's flourishing life after Gourmet (which I wish would return in full monthly, glossy form). Can't wait to read more of her cozy prose in her upcoming cookbook. & I covet her kitchen with its magnificent views. Hurray, Ms. Reichl!
19
I am glad I sipped the "Ruth Reichl Kool-Aid". Why not- she's funny, her books are full of entertaining tales and she makes you like reading about food even if you are not a particular foodie sort.
She seems like she genuinely enjoyed what she did/does - better than watching people get screamed at on TV by hysterical guys with high blood pressure hollering at people who I guess like being hollered at by culinary windbags.
She seems like she genuinely enjoyed what she did/does - better than watching people get screamed at on TV by hysterical guys with high blood pressure hollering at people who I guess like being hollered at by culinary windbags.
58
The Kool-Aid expression refers to 900+ deaths at Jonestown in 1978 -- not cutesy or fun. I wish people would refrain from using it. I doubt Ms Reichl, who I think was in the Bay Area at that time, would appreciate being connected to it.
37
DRH: Well, when something gets into general cultural usage it is a metaphor beyond the specifics of any particular event, horrific or not. Most readers would know that but your sensitivity to the original event is of course valid for you.
5
I'm in my forties; I had no idea about the origin of that idiom and have used it conversationally myself. Yikes.
2
Nicely-written piece and, more importantly, beautifully-crafted re-emergence. As a newly "let-go" senior executive from the global hospitality and fashion fields, I empathize with the disorientation of losing the world that provided my mirror. Like Liz Gilbert and Ruth Reichl, I wish had the writing skill to work myself through this haze.
12
Still miss Gourmet. I think there's still a few of us adults left who actually enjoy reading a magazine from cover to cover, don't care what Gwyneth Paltrow cooks, don't need trendy cocktail recipes, and don't want to watch videos every step of the way. Ms. Reichl, please keep writing, we need you!
106
I am so happy that Ms. Reichl is giving us another cook book. I have been a fan of all of her endeavors and thoroughly enjoyed this story. Although I don't know her, I really like her. My Lexus has 200k - looks and runs great for a model with some miles. Thank you Ms. Reichl!
8
Kim Severson. Kim Severson. Kim Severson.
As I read through this delightful ocean of kind, brilliant wit, I kept wanting to know Who Wrote It? But I couldn't stop reading one sentence after another, one paragraph after another. I was in a bliss state. Then the end. And then the quick scroll to the top of the page. Kim Severson.
And now I have Ms. Severson on my list. Twitter? Facebook? Blog? Lots of juicy articles to read. And books as well.
As for Ruth Reichl, she's just a life force, isn't she? (Closing down Gourmet was the media crime of the century. Nasty nasty Condé.)
As I read through this delightful ocean of kind, brilliant wit, I kept wanting to know Who Wrote It? But I couldn't stop reading one sentence after another, one paragraph after another. I was in a bliss state. Then the end. And then the quick scroll to the top of the page. Kim Severson.
And now I have Ms. Severson on my list. Twitter? Facebook? Blog? Lots of juicy articles to read. And books as well.
As for Ruth Reichl, she's just a life force, isn't she? (Closing down Gourmet was the media crime of the century. Nasty nasty Condé.)
63
I don't miss Gourmet or Ms. Reichl one bit. I went through years and years of issues and cut out the few recipes that I wanted to keep, then recycled the paper. The articles after decades still asked readers to keep their noses in the air and so did the food features. Conde Nast made a smart move.
9
I just love that she's at a table surrounded by men.
6
Why?
3
No, the shelter at which Ms. Reichl got her cats is not "Cielo and ZaZa." Flip the sentence thus: ...,two shelter-rescue Russian Blues named Cielo and ZaZa, who look (etc.)... Or chop it up some other way. (Wry grin..."Will edit for income...")
Otherwise an interesting article. Gotta try the eggplant salad and the book.
Otherwise an interesting article. Gotta try the eggplant salad and the book.
16
Really, happily, looking forward to the new Reichl book!
Kim Severson, you're a very worthy descendant writing savory nuggets like: "Cielo and ZaZa, who look exactly like what would arrive if you called central casting and ordered up cats for Ruth Reichl."
Kim Severson, you're a very worthy descendant writing savory nuggets like: "Cielo and ZaZa, who look exactly like what would arrive if you called central casting and ordered up cats for Ruth Reichl."
13
Will never forget the interview I heard Ruth Reichl do with Terry Gross several years ago on Fresh Air. I had never heard of her, but I was completely gripped by her voice and the sincerity and honesty that came across, whether she talked about food or her mother. She made talking about spices sound profound, and the interview was one of the most memorable and enjoyable I've heard.
27
With Mark Bittman leaving for new challenges, perhaps Ms. Reichl can go home again to the NYT in some fashion.
78
Before karma caught up with her, she was nice to people she thought could do things for her. Read her memoirs: Together they show a portrait of a disintegrating personality and talent. By "Garlic and Sapphires" she's insincere, full of herself, and baselessly nasty to Amanda Hesser, who's a much better writer.
29
I agree. 'comfort me with apples,' with her multiple, selfish descriptions of cheating on her husband, made me sick & angry. I finally tossed the book in the nearest garbage can after ripping out pages in disgust. when I got home, I threw out 'tender at the bone.' I respect books & donate all the time, but her self-absorbed drivel is disgusting.
4
Ouch, I wish I didn't know this now (I hadn't read Garlic and Sapphires). I loved Amanda Hesser's writing, I mean LOVED. And then one week she wasn't in the Dining Section anymore, nor the next week, nor the next....it was, and remains even now, a real, real loss to me.
3
What I remember from "Garlic and Sapphires" (read it years ago) was how kind she was to a young couple who were being semi-ignored in an upscale restaurant Ms. Reichl was going to review. She was getting so much attention because despite her disguises she was sometimes recognized. She knew the dining experience for the young couple was a rare event. My memory is Ms. Reichl has some good karma.
4
[[No more Condé Nast salary, black cars at her beckoning…]]
Yes, well, someone probably should have done an audit on the cost of those black cars. I think if it meant keeping her job she would have taken a cab or driven herself.
Yes, well, someone probably should have done an audit on the cost of those black cars. I think if it meant keeping her job she would have taken a cab or driven herself.
10
Ms. Reichl - you are still loved and admired - I always think about the Fried Chicken description and your mom's girl scout snacks :)
10
Sad that such an accomplished woman, with so much potential, believed that without her Conde Nast position she was any less valuable. Her job never defined her. Glad she has realized that, albeit a few years later.
16
I so miss the hours I enjoyed reading Gourmet once Ms. Reichl became editor. I have collected those issues and find that rereading them is like spending the afternoon with a good friend in the kitchen. I love to cook real food, with good ingredients. I do not enjoy the artifice and fussiness of several food magazines on the market today. As a fan of M.F. K. Fisher and Reichls' I look forward to whatever she writes. She is my partner in the kitchen and I hope for years to come.
18
I think Colbert's "truthiness" and "true-as-opposed-to-factual" in the literary/nonfiction sense are pretty much opposite.
6
I still miss Gourmet.
12
I still achingly miss Gourmet and Ruth's voice. What a stupid decision on the part of its publisher. I hope Ruth is proud of her contributions to it. I look forward to anything she writes.
11
During the summer of 2007 I went for the first time to a new restaurant that had opened at 1 Central Park West. I knew I had to try it because of sentences like this from the review Ms. Reichl wrote at the time: "If a walk in the woods were translated to flavor, it would be his porcini tart." And 18 years later, the food at Jean Georges still dazzles. As does Ms. Reichl's writing.
11
http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2004/08/consider_the_lobster.html
My mom won't eat these "giant sea-insects," but she and her ranch raised siblings have no problem chowing down beef (as long as all traces of blood have been burned to a crisp).
I like the taste of lobster but have never prepared it. My favorite celebrity chef once scolded a squeamish contestant for boiling a lobster alive instead of stabbing it first behind the eyes. The Gourmet article you linked pretty much leaves that debate open.
My mom won't eat these "giant sea-insects," but she and her ranch raised siblings have no problem chowing down beef (as long as all traces of blood have been burned to a crisp).
I like the taste of lobster but have never prepared it. My favorite celebrity chef once scolded a squeamish contestant for boiling a lobster alive instead of stabbing it first behind the eyes. The Gourmet article you linked pretty much leaves that debate open.
1
I miss Gourmet - I got my first subscription from my new MIL, a month after my wedding in 1966. But I miss the pre-Ms Reichl Gourmet. It changed and became, I don't know what..just not Gourmet anymore. I still cook several recipes - their recipe for Chocolate Mousse is still the best ever.
When I'm reading about cooking, I want great recipes and descriptions of great meals. I do NOT want lectures about sustainability, free-trade, organic, and all the other politics that have pretty much killed reading about food for me. I just want great recipes to enjoy with great friends. And I have absolutely no problem "killing" a lobster - it's brain is about the size of a grain of sand and I'm still at the top of the food chain and that's as it's supposed to be.
I'm 5 yrs older than Ms Reichl and I was never in Berkley. I was married, working, then having babies. My work never defined me as a person; my parenting of two fine children and my influence on my four marvelous grandchildren DO define me. The older they all get, the closer I get to "my work is finished here" as they become the kind of wonderful people I worked hard to produce.
Producing children who grow into wonderful adults is a lot like cooking - one takes the raw ingredients and makes something fabulous that can be enjoyed by others and will be memorable.
When I'm reading about cooking, I want great recipes and descriptions of great meals. I do NOT want lectures about sustainability, free-trade, organic, and all the other politics that have pretty much killed reading about food for me. I just want great recipes to enjoy with great friends. And I have absolutely no problem "killing" a lobster - it's brain is about the size of a grain of sand and I'm still at the top of the food chain and that's as it's supposed to be.
I'm 5 yrs older than Ms Reichl and I was never in Berkley. I was married, working, then having babies. My work never defined me as a person; my parenting of two fine children and my influence on my four marvelous grandchildren DO define me. The older they all get, the closer I get to "my work is finished here" as they become the kind of wonderful people I worked hard to produce.
Producing children who grow into wonderful adults is a lot like cooking - one takes the raw ingredients and makes something fabulous that can be enjoyed by others and will be memorable.
33
India,
Amen amen.
I wish we were neighbors. (I have a wonderful recipe for whole wheat bread.)
Amen amen.
I wish we were neighbors. (I have a wonderful recipe for whole wheat bread.)
1
We hope Ms. Reichl keeps writing. We miss Gourmet. We miss the writers. Still cook our favorite recipes. Have made copies of them for grown kids. She is not old. Born in 1948, same age as I... she's barely out of her teens.
48
I do miss the writing of Ms. Reichl, and wish her and her husband well, and welcome this account or "remembrance."
43
Yes - sounds like the perfect antidote to what Gourmet had become.
2