Gourmet magazine will close, report says
Magazine empire Conde Nast, home of Vogue and the New Yorker, will announce the closure of Gourmet this morning, according to a report in the New York Times, which calls the move "startling."
Like many other media companies, Conde Nast is facing difficult times. In the not-so-distant past, it shuttered shopping magazine Domino and folded Men's Vogue into a twice-yearly supplement to Vogue. But so far, victims of its contractions have been newer titles.
With Gourmet apparently at the end of its run, that has changed. The magazine has been published since 1940 and is edited by the popular food writer Ruth Reichl (former restaurant critic and Food editor for the L.A. Times). It's also given Pulitzer Prize-winner Jonathan Gold, who has celebrated L.A.'s diverse low-end restaurants, a different kind of platform for his writing. Gourmet may have been seen as more prestigious than sibling magazine Bon Appetit -- founded by Pillsbury 15 years later -- but Bon Appetit will be the one that continues to publish.
Other Conde Nast magazines headed to extinction are Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride (fear not, engaged ladies, Bride itself has survived).
-- Carolyn Kellogg
Photo: SuperFantastic via Flickr
How utterly sad. My first magazine subscription was to Gourmet magazine and I have spent my entire adult life devoted to food, cooking and owning a catering business. The photos and writing were always first class and the recipes were new, fresh and a sign of the culinary times.
What a shame!
Posted by: Kate | October 05, 2009 at 09:09 AM
That's sad. I've been a subscriber since 1969. However, in the last few years, I've utilized Gourmet less and less and internet recipe sources more and more.
Posted by: mimi | October 05, 2009 at 09:38 AM
I'm not surprised. I have read it for years but have been increasingly grumpy about the fact that the magazine resolutely ignored Atlanta and the South in general.
Posted by: Valeria Palmer | October 05, 2009 at 09:47 AM
I have enjoyed the Gourmet for close to 40 years and not just for the enticing recipes but for wonderful isights into other cultures. Sorry to see the magazine go! But ,fortunately, I have saved almost all of the magazines so now I can just go back and try those tempting receipes that I missed as they are never out of date..
Posted by: "Z" Prather | October 05, 2009 at 09:48 AM
I am so sad to see Gourmet go away. I actually think it is better than Bon Appetite!
Posted by: Meg | October 05, 2009 at 10:03 AM
I subscribe to both Bon Appetit and Gourmet. Sort of two different things. BA is likely to have more usable recipes, but Gourmet takes you through a journey. Often a totally enjoyable experience. Foodies savor ambience, presentation, and colors. I will miss it very much.
Posted by: Gus | October 05, 2009 at 12:18 PM
NOOOooooo
Posted by: Lori | October 05, 2009 at 04:46 PM
While life has steadily picked up speed the last 35 years and entertaining has become more and more casual with less fuss and time to carefully read and copy down recipes for future reference, we have sadly seen the disappearance of free time to entertain our friends and family in a gracious manner. Remember that expression, "free time"?
I think it is sad to loose a fine, well executed magazine such as Gourmet, that had become a culinary Bible of sorts, something that many housewives turned to like a religion when it came time to entertain the boss, have their Bridge Club over for brunch or plan their daughter's engagement dinner. Now we go out and leave the menu selection to Chefs at local restaurants.
Personally, I miss the grace and gentileness of dinner parties, the fun of planning, the challenge of execution and the pleasure of lighting the candles and seeing their glow reflected in the crystal and silver. A warm evening of special friendships, avid conversation, laughter and intelligent exchange of ideas.... something you cannot quite duplicate in a restaurant. These finer points have, for the most-part, been lost in our busy, no time left to enjoy the finer things in life society.
My file of your recipes will be even more prized, thanks for the many memories!
Ou-revoir Gourmet.... you will be missed.
Posted by: Linda Szymanski | October 05, 2009 at 06:40 PM
and where is the advertising $$ going? to INTERNET 'gourmet' blogs. those already in place will monetize...
Posted by: Andrew Ross | October 06, 2009 at 08:21 PM
I hope Gourmet will some day come back!!! C'mon Conde Naste be good
Posted by: Paulo | October 30, 2009 at 09:27 AM