Another management shakeup at Bon Appétit

May 3, 2023 by
 |  5 Comments  |  Leave Comment

Food editors and writers who were recently laid off might want to dust off their résumés because Bon Appétit will be in the market for a new editor, as Dawn Davis resigned last week to rejoin publishing giant Simon & Schuster (gift link). “I’ve made the difficult decision to return to book publishing,” Ms. Davis wrote in a note to her staff at the magazine and Epicurious, the company’s recipe website.

She said that she would remain in the job until September, and cited successes like “helping build Bon Appétit and Epicurious’ authority in the culinary industry, developing delicious and thought-provoking content, growing our audiences across channels, and diversifying our team and the audiences that we reach.” There was no mention of who might replace her as Editor in Chief.

Davis, who doesn’t have a background in food, was persuaded by Anna Wintour, then the artistic director of parent company Condé Nast, to take the leadership position. Bon Appétit was embroiled in controversy at the time after allegations of racism and its former editor, Adam Rapoport, had stepped down following publication of a 2004 photograph of Rapoport in a racially insensitive costume.

Category: Food Biz People

Post a comment

5 Comments

  • breakthroughc  on  May 4, 2023

    I have had a subscription to Bon Appetit for 30 years and have not enjoyed the magazine as much the last couple of years. I feel like I’m not their target audience anymore and it trying too hard to be hip and trendy. I very well may not be their target audience and they are going for a younger reader. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

  • VlastaJones  on  May 5, 2023

    I subscribed to BA for 30 years. First food magazine after I moved out on my own. Then about 8 years ago I just felt that their content was not of interest to me, so I parted ways, made me sad but I’m still not interested as I have checked out a few issues and they don’t appeal.

  • WCFS88  on  May 6, 2023

    I also have stopped buying Bon Appetit. I am no longer their target audience as a professional chef. Everything on offer is “mish-mash” in a bowl. Change one expensive or unobtainable ingredient and you have one more “mish-mash” in a bowl. While I understand the sometimes appeal for this, it gets tiring and I want to see food I can relate to. If I want “mish-mash” in a bowl I will make a soup or stew. “Mish-mash” in a bowl is just a local peasant food in hiding. I do not like being cooked down to and I would like to see the local food that is properly cooked.

  • Rinshin  on  May 7, 2023

    It has been dumbed down. Going downhill the last 10 years or more. My favorite magazine is now Milk Street. And from Japan, Dancyu which showcases some great restaurant recipes and chefs behind them.

  • ClaudeEClay  on  November 28, 2023

    I was offered a subscription to BA, and after receiving 2 issues I will allow to lapse. The holiday 2023 issue has nothing I want to cook.
    Need I say more? It seems they are trying really hard to be hip. But I just want good food. I feel the same way about a lot of high end restaurants these days.

Seen anything interesting? Let us know & we'll share it!

Categories

Archives