A sneak peek at the new Bon Appetit

Look for Bon Appetit to get a hefty dose of "buzziness." That's the overall impression new editor Adam Rapoport gives in an interview with Women's Wear Daily. “We need to tap into popular culture and have a buzziness,” he tells Amy Wicks, but continues: “I don’t want to get away from the foundation of it all — time-tested cooking advice — but we need to have a relevance for right now.”

Rapoport, the former style editor of GQ, was brought in by parent company Conde Nast to remake Bon Appetit, including moving it physically from its longtime Wilshire Boulevard headquarters in Los Angeles to Manhattan.

The first full issue under his watch will be in May and will focus on Italian cooking. A photo of the cover shows headlines such as: "Pizza! Pasta! Gelato!: C'mon, how could your kids not love Rome?" and "Cucina Confidential: The food world's breakout star on the meal she can't resist."

Reportedly, the following cover will feature Gwyneth Paltrow. Other upcoming features, Rapoport says, will include an excerpt from Gabrielle Hamilton's edgy memoir "Blood, Bones & Butter" and a feature on "the real baconator," about bacon cheeseburgers.

What do you think? What are you looking for these days in a food magazine?

--Russ Parsons

(Photo of magazine cover from WWD website)

 

Comments

[Karen Wong]

I think "buzziness" is the last thing we need in a cooking magazine. How about a little more seriousness and well-written articles? I guess we had that in "Gourmet"....

[The Hoya Foodie]

I have always been a fan of Bon Appetit. It is one of the last traditional cooking magazines whose aim hasn't been to come up with the next 15 minute meal. I will be very disappointed if the magazine goes in the same direction as many of the food network shows-high profile and straying away from the quality and fundamentals of true cooking.

Gwyneth Paltrow did a great job in boosting the ratings on "Glee". Unless she has some impressive culinary credentials stowed away unbeknownst to the general public (I didn't know she could sing...) that can rival Danny Meyer, Mario Batali, or Nancy Silverton, please, don't sell out and ruin this magazine.

[Alley CAt]

Glad I didn't renew my subscription.

[Angela]

I am looking for Gourmet magazine to return. I could care less about what a movie star thinks about food. People or In Style magazine can give me that. I want to know about what's new in the culinary arts for the average person who loves food. What's new in wine and spirits, new restaurants, etc. What are they cooking in other countries that I can try at home. Is there a new fruit or vegetable to try. A new recipe for chicken. Come on Conde Nast, bring back the "old school" Gourmet magazine. Please???

[Tge]

It's the end of Bon Appetit. It's already gotten too trendy and strayed too far from "time tested cooking advice."

[Pat Prohl]

I always preferred Bon Appetit over Gourmet, until Ruth Reichl took over, and she won me over, but alas, Gourmet no more....I do want Bon Appetit to stay in the ballgame, so change may be in order, just don't change too much too fast. I liked Gwyneth Paltrow on her Ancestry search, but what does she have to do with Bon Appetit? maybe we will be surprised! Saveur is on top for me right now, with Bon Appetit running a close second, Fine Cooking does a fine job too.

[sophia]

Urgh. Gwyneth Paltrow on a food magazine? That's like an oxymoron. Is she going to talk about her latest juice fast? Bon Appetit, please preserve your honor. No fasting celebrity on the cover!!!

[CAC]

I still miss Gourmet. (Sigh....)

[DAP]

If I want to see Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover I'll buy People magazine. Food should be on the cover of a FOOD magazine.