On Monday, Conde Nast announced that it will close Gourmet magazine, the preeminent publication of the gourmet food community. It’s last print issue will be November, 2009.
Gourmet magazine has been published since 1941 but, like so many paper-based publications, has suffered financial challenges from declining advertisers. Also being shut down are the Conde Nast magazines Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride.
Conde Nast will continue publishing Bon Appetit, which makes it even more surprising that they have chosen to discontinue Gourmet magazine. Gourmet has a richer history than Bon Appetit, was legendary for its beautiful food styling and photography, and its editor, Ruth Reichl, is powerful in the food world.
I’m not a publishing industry expert, but from what I can gather, Conde Nast tends to hang on to its prestigious titles, making the Gourmet closing all the more unexpected. Bon Appetit and Gourmet are arguably the most prestigious, credible and trusted magazines in the culinary industry. Conde Nast will continue to use the brand in books and on TV shows as well as folding some of it’s content into Epicurious.com.
As one of the very few print-based magazines I still subscribe to, I shall miss it like an old friend. A subscription to Bon Appetit
Goodbye, Gourmet
Related posts: