#matt duckor

[quercus-queer]

BA’s Reckoning

Yes, I stole this title from the Sporkful podcast. You should check it out!

So just a reminder the whole thing that kicked this off was when Tammie Teclemariam tweeted the photo of Rapoport in brown face (yes its brown face its a purposeful caricature of Puerto Rican ppl, his girlfriend called him her papi in the caption as well) saying he should simply write the article on Puerto Rican food then (the issue was Illyanna Maisonet, a Puerto Rican food writer, got rejected rudely by Rapo for her pitch to write about Puerto Rican food) Which brings up the larger issue of BA being racist and not covering any other dishes besides Eurocentric ones, and the ones that aren't Eurocentric are almost always either whitewashed or done by white people which is what happened with Masionet’s article (this is where Amanda Shapiro and Meryl Rothstein come in).

This led to a zoom meeting where Rapo made a shitty apology leading Sohla El-Waylly’s instagram posts, where she condemns Rapo, talks about her 50k salary despite having 15 years of restaurant experience (She ran a fucking restaurant and 50k in NYC is pathetic), being hired to help white editors, and not being paid for ANY of her video appearances (none of the poc you see in videos have been compensated including the zoom videos). Which has led to many people at BA being exposed for being terrible (Conde Nast is the parent company and owns BA, Vogue, Architectural Digest, Allure, Glamour, Wired, Epicurious,Teen Vogue among other things... also take note how most of these have consistently been criticized for their racism or “race problems”)

ANYWAY here’s a general guide of what each BA person has done, this is in no way comprehensive, feel free to investigate on your own, always fact check and form your own opinions!

Adam Rapoport: Brown face, not paying his non-white employees for their video appearances, treating his assistant Ryan Walker-Hartshorn (a black woman) like shit (she was working overtime and was barely making rent with what he was paying her), he's sexist (see every video with Molly) and racist (mixing up Sohla and Priya Krishna and never apologizing) and more!

Check out the Business Insider piece, twitter (Tammie’s, Christina Chaey’s, and Priya’s), Sohla’s podcast and interviews, and someone made a compilation of Rapo being condescending I think

Matt Duckor: Disgusting, racist, homophobic, sexist all around terrible person, probably the most obviously terrible of the bunch (see Rick Martinez’s insta plus Duckor’s own tweets), strung along Sohla for months saying that her pay was “stuck in legal” so that she would keep appearing in videos, gave Sohla a contract when this stuff first started happening to try and shut her up, HE is the one deciding pay for everyone at BA and was the one not paying poc for video appearances.

Check out Rick’s Insta, Twitter for Duckor’s tweets (screenshots bc he deleted his account)

Carla Lalli Music: First off, ppl are pointing out she was condescending af to a lot of her guests on her show (except for the white ones). The racism at BA did not start nor stop with Adam Rapoport and guess who was editor in chief before him? Yup, Mrs. Carla Lalli Music! Necessary amendment: Carla was the food director NOT the editor in chief and she is currently an editor at large... still a powerful position though and I think the sentiment still stands. She had a pretty pathetic twitter thread about how she should’ve done more but was focused on the sexism/focusing on women, strange because she also sent that shitty email to two women along with Delany and Brad after the two of them, Delany, and Brad were talking in the kitchen, telling them not to enter the kitchen without permission (not enforced on Brad or Delany obviously, only the two women who happen to not be white) I misread the article, Brad was a part of the convo, he did NOT receive the email, and didn't respond to the articles request for comment.. he fucking works in the test kitchen, i’m an idiot and that's on me

Business insider and her twitter 

Alex Delany: I have a post with the screenshots of the confederate flag cake he made himself because he felt the “need to express some southern heritage in cake form. Such a glorious cake...” for his friend moving to South Carolina, the lovely vine with the classic “F*g is a bundle of sticks joke” also have a post discussing that, he’s wildly underqualified for DRINKS editor and overpaid, also his girlfriend is Allegra Lorenzotti whose mother Eva Lorenzotti, is in Jeffery Epstein’s black book which is concerning (though who knows maybe Delany is dating a different wealthy Allegralo), also those sexist tweets

I have screenshots from Tumblr, ppl have the vine on twitter along with the sexist tweets (he deleted his twitter and Tumblr btw)

Andy Baraghani: There are screenshots of Alyse Whitney’s (an asian woman) twitter thread saying Andy purposefully undercut her articles multiple times because of a petty feud with Antoni from Queer Eye by using his friendship with Amanda Shapiro (Whitney’s editor) to kill the story, which is shitty and brings up the bigger picture of BA being cliquey and getting in with a friend of a friend and such which is just a toxic work environment

Amanda Shapiro: Puerto Rican food article, Alyse Whitney’s articles, she’s a perpetuator of the toxic work environment, stealing Nikita Richardson’s work and getting credit and pay for it (pls check out her twitter and the articles with her), also racist, should not be in charge

Chris Morocco: Made one (1) basic post (simply a reply to Molly calling him out actually) at the beginning of all this agreeing to not be in anymore videos until his coworkers got paid/backpay, he said he was complicit (duh) but also that he had no idea this was happening, but guess what? He is the one that hired Sohla for only 50k! There is a whole can of worms about how little Sohla was hired for despite her experience plus talent along with her current pay and Chris is a part of that. Also both his gumbo video and Halo Halo recipe are downright disrespectful at BEST and they should not have had a white man doing them (again with the white people doing articles/videos that can be EASILY given to someone whose actually part of that culture) and before anyone says anything yes the gumbo was for Chris’s show (strange how only white ppl get shows or in Andy’s case unless you’re friends with a higher up) still doesn't make the video less disrespectful, also he’s SAID he is friends with Anna Wintour (head of vogue, and a racist “there’s no room for black women” the reason the vogue challenge is happening)

Brad Leone: Himbo status permanently revoked, “Brad who just found out racism is real”(Sohla said this in the Sporkful podcast) is NOT acceptable for a 35 year old white man whose coworkers are suffering in a clearly toxic work environment, the screenshot with “I didn’t sign her contract she did” is NOT how you respond to your coworker being underpaid and disrespected by the company she works at because she is not a white man. I do not like him anymore, he has made apologies but ignorance to this extent is willful and I don't completely buy it the rumors he was upset Delany was going to be fired/would quit if Delany was fired/was mad at Sohla is not something I was able to confirm but based off of what I’ve seen he really needs to prove himself to be better, he can stay if that’s what his coworkers want but he is on thin fucking ice

Stuff I can't accredit to a single person, but BA is racist: 

NIKITA RICHARDSON, pls check her out on twitter

They sent Sohla to interview black chefs (bc BA has a bad track record) because she was the darkest and there were literally NO black chefs working at BA

Making Priya only cook Indian dishes (which were kinda whitewashed) I actually think this may have been Duckor

Tokenizing the poc staff (they would make them be in the kitchen when filming the white hosts shows and push them in front of the camera to highlight nonexistent diversity)

Paying Hawa Hassan only $400 for her video (probs also Duckor)

[wourder]

“Top executive Matt Duckor is out at Condé Nast after homophobic and racist tweets and allegations of suppressing diversity by Bon Appétit staffers”

Okay we’re cleaning house! Promote Hunzi!!

[ireallydontcare5]

Bro, the tea is coming out on more Bon Appetit employees and behind the scenes shit. It's making me look at BA differently. What the fuck y'all got going on, white people?

[sohlaelwaylly]

Why aren’t we holding Matt Ducker just as responsible for these things. I get that the brown face photo triggered this, but I feel as though Matt is getting away with another PR non-apology.

Matt Duckor is the head of programming for Bon Appetit, meaning he probably has control over who has shows, show contracts and who is on camera. From his statement he doesn't seem to be taking full responsibility for what happened nor does he seem genuinely remorseful.

He demands for everyone on camera to be compensated but who do you think was in charge of that? Is he really pushing for representation or is he trying to save face?

I think I'd rather have the head of programming to genuinely want fair treatment of their workers and representation rather than someone who will make videos diverse for the sake of diversity after being caught.

Ending on what Hunzi said on monday, "we also received no information from our video team leaders today. The lack of communication is insulting and makes it clear that their priority is company PR or not the well-being of their workers. The video department has nothing to offer without the chefs, writers and presenters, and it is a moral imperative that they contribute financially to the bipoc they have taken advantage of and if they are unable to do so, they must resign."

[in case it's not clear yet I think he should resign and I think people should be vocal about it.]

EDIT: I think something really telling is this article from business insider "Bon Appétit's editor in chief just resigned — but staffers of color say there's a 'toxic' culture of microaggressions and exclusion that runs far deeper than one man"

EDIT 2: HE'S GONE 🎉🎉🎉

[bon-appetit-babey]

If I don't see a new GM ep within 3 hours I'm booking a flight to the US so I can throw my shoe at Matt Duckor

[halfsoursapphics]

Well. 

The past few days really have been a whirlwind of reckoning for Bon Appétit, and it’s long overdue. What started with Adam Rapoport’s awful photo (one that he apparently felt proud enough of to keep a framed copy of it on his desk) then led to the reveal of Alex Delany’s awful cake (absolutely no excuse for making that cake -- South Carolina’s state fruit is the peach, the opportunity is right there) which then led to the resurfacing of Matt Duckor’s awful tweets (those were just bile made out of letters that he felt proud enough of to say out loud). 

Now we have Adam doubling-down about his photo in a way that speaks volumes as to how he’s interacted with BIPOC in the past. He finds it impossible to admit wrongdoing without arguing semantics in some sort of desperate grasping-at-straws. His behavior in this email exchange exemplifies why his departure was necessary for things to change at BA.

Now we have Ryan Walker-Hartshorn revealing exactly how awful it was to work as Adam’s assistant. She deserves to be compensated for her work, especially when Adam would ask her to do things well outside her job. She deserves to be able to make her rent. She deserves to be treated with respect.

Now we have Hawa Hassan revealing she was only paid $400 per video. That’s disgusting. Condé Nast could have afforded to pay her ten times that (and they should’ve, at minimum). And since she won’t be coming back, they’ve lost out on her talent forever.

Something’s rotten in the Test Kitchen.

And finally we have Bon Appétit issuing their own statement on things. It sounds nice on paper, but I’ll believe it when I see it. They say they’ve “been complicit in a culture” that they “don’t agree with” -- but I reckon they agree with it more than they’d be willing to admit, considering how long things had been allowed to continue (and, let’s be honest, things would still be continuing that way if Sohla hadn’t bravely spoken up).

Do better, Bon Appétit. Do better, Condé Nast.

[invisiblerambler]

I had a lot of thoughts on the Downfall of BA youtube video, but they boil down to a few things so I'll just leave it at these;

1. He did not mention Matt Duckor once who has been cited MULTIPLE times for being a big part of the problem. It feels like a big oversight to not hear Duckor's role mentioned at all.

2. Yes of course there are people who understand it's a parasocial relationship and that it may not be healthy and engage with it anyway because that's why most of us are regular YouTube viewers including probably people that watch his channel.

3. The way that the channel was forced to become a cash cow in order to keep the magazine alive is very relevant. Also Vincent Cross being the reason they went away from hands and pans is also relevant considering he was not a higher up corporate board member.

I think it's a good overview, but I felt like he shoehorned the channels origins into a narrative that wasn't really the truth of what happened. I understand how that's just part of making an argument, but the way that it originally had to be pushed for to becoming their mainstay IS very relevant and deeply interesting, but I know that's kind of deep lore stuff.

[bunappletea]

matt duckor has resigned.

if there is a paywall, paste the link into outline.com 

[nonappetittk]

little-stinker replied to your post “Honestly? Next year I wanna see Claire take over Chris' Reverse...”

they are switching more shows!!

little-stinker replied to your post “Honestly? Next year I wanna see Claire take over Chris' Reverse...”

look at matt duckor's latest instagram stories!

awknekjejr

Hell yeah dude

[foodbytesback]

How Has Bon Appetit Been Handling Their Controversy?

It’s been one month since the scandal of toxic management and pay disparity at Bon Appetit broke, sending shockwaves through the food writing community.  Unfortunately, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.

That’s not to say that nothing has improved, of course. Presumably, negotiations regarding equal pay are under way, but are not yet at a stage where any of the involved parties are able to discuss it publicly yet.  In addition, BA’s research director Joseph Hernandez wrote about how they would be going back and revising some of their recipes. He cited halo-halo with popcorn and gummy bears, a recipe for malawah marketed solely as “flaky bread,” and a video on how to make kimchi hosted by renowned white guy Brad Leone as several instances of BA’s old regime appropriating and bastardizing a dish of cultural significance, receiving criticism for it, promising to “learn from their mistakes, and do better in the future,” and then not doing any of that.  These new revisions are fairly minor, typically adding an editor’s note regarding the country of origin of the dish.  But at least it’s something.  

[Sorry again for crappy screenshots of tweets- you can blame Tumblr’s no external links rule for that.]

Speaking of renowned white guy Brad Leone, “multiple sources” (take that as you will) have reported that his contract with Conde Nast Entertainment (the Conde Nast subdivision responsible for organizing separate “talent contracts” on top of BA’s regular pay that BIPOC had not been receiving for their video appearances) earned him a sum of $1.5 million over the course of three years.  Many have speculated that his lack of transparency regarding this sum in the context of the conversation of pay disparities in the company meant that he was directly complicit in the boys’ club mentality that had been fostered there.  Others further speculated that this sum may have also included kickbacks for CNE executives like Matt Duckor.

Possibly the most shocking, if not confusing, developments was the suspension of Matt Hunziker, director and editor of Leone’s videos.  Hunziker had been very vocal against BA and CNE’s discriminatory policies and culture, and was described by his BIPOC coworkers as an excellent ally.  Many voiced their concerns that, since he was also placed under investigation as part of the overarching investigation of CN from union-busting law firm Proskauer Rose, CN was trying to make an example out of Hunziker to deter others from whistleblowing.  Choosing to suspend a white ally as opposed to a BIPOC employee also allows CN to cover their tracks and claim that it had “nothing to do with race.”

Some have also pointed out that while Hunziker’s Slack account has been deactivated, Alex Delany (creator of such classics as a Confederate flag cake and a Vine where he says the f-slur) still has his account active during his suspension.  

Meanwhile, with Rapoport and Duckor gone, many turned their attention towards the remaining executives within the company.  Several sexist and racist tweets written by CNE president Oren Katzeff surfaced, although he has yet to face any repercussions.  

In addition to the incident I described in the first BA article where she outright stole a coworker’s article out from under her, interim editor-in-chief Amanda Shapiro has also been accused of being dismissive of topics focussing on food systems that she deemed too unpalatable for BA’s target demographic, as well as being complicit in BA’s toxic culture.  As of the writing of this, there have been no updates on the search for a new EIC.

(a close up of the 3rd image in that tweet)

While most of the BA Test Kitchen’s staff had, for better or for worse, had their role to play in the scandals, test kitchen director Chris Morocco has simultaneously been both free of controversy (except for his involvement in the aforementioned halo-halo recipe) and hesitant to voice his support for his BIPOC coworkers aside from agreeing to the demand to not make any new video content until the issue is resolved. However, given Proskauer Rose’s investigation, any silence on his- or anyone else at BA’s- part could be the result of a non-disclosure agreement or non-disparagement clause.  Alternatively, BA employees may have been warned that anything they say could be spun out of context (especially an issue with Leone, who tends to babble incoherently and go off on tangents a lot in his videos).

While it may be hard to tell just how much change is going on behind the scenes and Bon Appetit, what can be said is that there has been a change in food media as a whole.  Thanks to current and former BA employees stepping up to voice their concerns, many food writers began to do the same with other executives in the industry.  Peter Meehan was forced to resign after several writers came out with depictions of his inappropriate behavior over the years at both the L.A. Times, where he was the food editor, and at Lucky Peach.  

Speaking of Lucky Peach, David Chang received criticism for his close ties to and enabling of Meehan and Mario Batali, as well as his own outbursts of anger that he would direct towards the kitchen staff at his restaurants (which doesn’t actually seem all that out of place in some kitchens, which is an entirely different subject matter).

It’s easy to get frustrated at the perceived lack of progress.  But Conde Nast would want nothing more than for us to get tired of waiting, or forget this all happened and move on to the next hot topic of the week.  It is for that reason we must continue to hold them accountable until some semblance of justice has been served.  

[quercus-queer]

Riddle me this Conde Nast

If you are a such a smart company that DOESN’T hire incompetent people simply because they are wealthy, white, and have connections within the company... Why, pray tell, are you acting like a fool?

Is there a reason Mr. Delany is not fired? Is it possibly, just possibly, because if you fire ONE problematic, incompetent, wealthy, white man with connections in the company it will set a precedent to fire ALL the problematic, incompetent, wealthy, white people you hired because of their connections within the company and aforementioned qualities instead of hiring them for their skill?

Why exactly did Adam Rapoport and Matt Duckor get to RESIGN instead of being fired after being called out for racist, homophobic, and sexist behavior? Do you want to hire them to another branch under Conde Nast’s umbrella perhaps? Or is it because you feel bad for them and firing them would be too harsh? Maybe they were just such good employees that you don’t want them to say they were fired for disgusting behavior when applying for another job? How sweet!

Why is it that Amanda Shapiro and Oren Katzeff are still in positions of power? Why is it the people most responsible for the toxicity at BA and those being criticized the most, are not actually facing consequences? Why is it that Mr. Katzeff thinks that publicly suspending Hunzi will work to silence employees when fans can see directly through it? Why is it that Delany’s suspension happened quietly so that fans might forget about it? Do they think their smart elite brains are just so clever we don’t see what’s in front of us, that their employees aren’t aware of it, that they don’t have fans that will support them like they do the white hosts?

You aren’t slick assholes. Everyone can see right through it and you’re just making it worse for yourself. Maybe hire PR or something since you are so adamant about not changing the toxic work environment by removing the racist, homophobic, and sexist executives. 

[mariacallous]

So I was rewatching some of those “Lost in the Supermarket” with Adina Steiman videos on Hulu (originally on YouTube) when I remembered they were from Epicurious, which means they’re part of Conde Nast. And then I saw Matt Duckor’s name and went “...ugh, fuck”.

I used to like them because of the type of stores they went to and some of the items and features, and they were fairly diverse stores.

Rewatching them, what really comes across is “White people acting like anthropologists in non-white locations”. When I first watched, Adina seemed eager and enthusiastic (and she is) but it’s awkward and weird and there’s some elements of being informed about food (although this can be manifested in ways that aren’t super positive about the food or cuisine) and lots of weird comments or asides that, if generous, are just under insensitivity and otherwise cross that line.

[dhrumil12]

Ricoh launches RICOH GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit

Ricoh launches RICOH GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit

Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today reported the dispatch of the RICOH GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit. Accessible in a constrained amount of 3,500 units around the world, the unit joins the RICOH GR III camera body, completed in a metallic dark shading, with a minimized, separable viewfinder and a real calfskin hand tie, both planned solely for this bundle.

Offering a similar…

[chabothedino]

Adam has stepped down, but now they're trying to get Matt Duckor out as well!

Are you outraged by EIC Adam Rapoport’s actions and the treatment of Bon Appétit’s bipoc crew?

Here are actionable steps to be taken:

1. SPREAD THE INFORMATION

Sohla El-Waylly has a concise and thorough explanation of the matter at hand. Make sure that any friend you have that has ever watched Bon Appetit, and largely that anyone you can reach out to knows what is happening. Uplift the voices of Priya Krishna, Hawa Hassan, Alex Lau, and other crew members speaking out against their current/former employers.

2. SIGN THE PETITION

There is a change.org petition titled Fire Adam Rapoport and Diversify Bon Appetit.

3. REFUSE TO ENGAGE FURTHER WITH BON APPETIT CONTENT UNTIL JUSTICE IS DELIVERED

Unsubscribe from the YouTube channel and the magazine, unfollow official Bon Appetit social media, and stop watching videos and purchasing merchandise. DO feel free to make your voice heard on social media channels and ensure that this issue cannot be ignored.

Slight word of caution - I have seen people call to voice your anger to complaints@condenast.co.uk. I was under the impression that this was a good idea at first, but they seem to only have jurisdiction over “publications and digital services…in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man”. Since this issue isn’t about a specific publication, and I honestly don’t know if the New York-based Bon Appetit falls under their jurisdiction, I’m unsure of how effective this would be. I’m going to try to find a better direct line to them if there is one. But perhaps if enough people flooded them this would be the best line. I honestly can’t say.

[easyfoodnetwork]

Bon Appétit Returns to YouTube With a Diverse Group of New Personalities

Photo by Brian Stukes/Getty Images

The video network, overseen by new editor-in-chief Dawn Davis, will feature DeVonn Francis and Samantha Seneviratne, among many others

Following months of negotiations and talent departures, Bon Appétit has announced that it is returning to its popular YouTube channel with new content and a new roster of hosts. The publication, which has both internally and externally been accused of racial discrimination, is advertising a far less white look as it moves into a new era, helmed by editor-in-chief Dawn Davis.

Hi, it’s executive editor @soniachopra here with a few updates on BA video. We have been listening, learning, and building something together that showcases our best, and we are relaunching on YouTube today. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/C09RrufMdv

— Bon Appétit (@bonappetit) October 13, 2020

In a statement on Twitter, Bon Appétit‘s Sonia Chopra, who previously worked at Eater, wrote that the brand has been working to “build a team that is empathetic, respectful, and open to being challenged; is paid fairly for their contributions; and that represents the audience we hope to serve.” That includes new upper management hires like Chopra as executive editor, as well as Davis as editor-in-chief and chef Marcus Samuelsson as global brand advisor. The reworked group of video personalities includes eight new chefs, nearly all of whom are people of color. Among them are DeVonn Francis of Yardy, a pop-up dinner series focusing on queer, black and brown people, Samantha Seneviratne, author of The New Sugar & Spice, and vegan chef Chrissy Tracey. Existing Bon Appétit personalities like Brad Leone and Andy Baraghani are also returning. And while Bon Appétit won’t be returning to the Test Kitchen this year, there is new content on its YouTube channel for the first time since June, starting with a video from Davis, Chopra, and Samuelsson on why they joined the magazine.

As Variety writes, the new hires and direction are an attempt “to right the ship” after a summer of turmoil. In June, Adam Rapoport resigned from his role as editor-in-chief following allegations that he fostered a racist work culture. Food writer Tammie Teclemariam posted a 2013 photo of Rapoport in costume as a stereotyped Puerto Rican and soon after, editor Sohla El-Waylly alleged that brown and black employees were not paid for on-camera Test Kitchen appearances. Vice President of Video Matt Duckor also resigned, following accusations of inequity, racism, and homophobia. Condé Nast attempted to renegotiate contracts with numerous Bon Appétit Test Kitchen personalities, but in August, six stars resigned after failed contract negotiations. “[A]fter five weeks of contract negotiations, it is clear that I will not get a fair pay rate nor will I get a comparable number of appearances to my colleagues in the test kitchen,” wrote Rick Martinez. In early October, Claire Saffitz became the seventh Bon Appétit Test Kitchen personality to step away.

The hope is that the new personalities will be featured for their creativity and talent, and be paid fairly for it, but any creator of color knows what it feels like to be asked to only produce content that deals with their race. “What I really want to do is create a place where we are talking about food and culture together,” Chopra told Variety. “We’re building a really inclusive place, where everybody can find stories that resonate with them and also learn something new.”

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3nPOWp8 https://ift.tt/314MHVs

Photo by Brian Stukes/Getty Images

The video network, overseen by new editor-in-chief Dawn Davis, will feature DeVonn Francis and Samantha Seneviratne, among many others

Following months of negotiations and talent departures, Bon Appétit has announced that it is returning to its popular YouTube channel with new content and a new roster of hosts. The publication, which has both internally and externally been accused of racial discrimination, is advertising a far less white look as it moves into a new era, helmed by editor-in-chief Dawn Davis.

Hi, it’s executive editor @soniachopra here with a few updates on BA video. We have been listening, learning, and building something together that showcases our best, and we are relaunching on YouTube today. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/C09RrufMdv

— Bon Appétit (@bonappetit) October 13, 2020

In a statement on Twitter, Bon Appétit‘s Sonia Chopra, who previously worked at Eater, wrote that the brand has been working to “build a team that is empathetic, respectful, and open to being challenged; is paid fairly for their contributions; and that represents the audience we hope to serve.” That includes new upper management hires like Chopra as executive editor, as well as Davis as editor-in-chief and chef Marcus Samuelsson as global brand advisor. The reworked group of video personalities includes eight new chefs, nearly all of whom are people of color. Among them are DeVonn Francis of Yardy, a pop-up dinner series focusing on queer, black and brown people, Samantha Seneviratne, author of The New Sugar & Spice, and vegan chef Chrissy Tracey. Existing Bon Appétit personalities like Brad Leone and Andy Baraghani are also returning. And while Bon Appétit won’t be returning to the Test Kitchen this year, there is new content on its YouTube channel for the first time since June, starting with a video from Davis, Chopra, and Samuelsson on why they joined the magazine.

As Variety writes, the new hires and direction are an attempt “to right the ship” after a summer of turmoil. In June, Adam Rapoport resigned from his role as editor-in-chief following allegations that he fostered a racist work culture. Food writer Tammie Teclemariam posted a 2013 photo of Rapoport in costume as a stereotyped Puerto Rican and soon after, editor Sohla El-Waylly alleged that brown and black employees were not paid for on-camera Test Kitchen appearances. Vice President of Video Matt Duckor also resigned, following accusations of inequity, racism, and homophobia. Condé Nast attempted to renegotiate contracts with numerous Bon Appétit Test Kitchen personalities, but in August, six stars resigned after failed contract negotiations. “[A]fter five weeks of contract negotiations, it is clear that I will not get a fair pay rate nor will I get a comparable number of appearances to my colleagues in the test kitchen,” wrote Rick Martinez. In early October, Claire Saffitz became the seventh Bon Appétit Test Kitchen personality to step away.

The hope is that the new personalities will be featured for their creativity and talent, and be paid fairly for it, but any creator of color knows what it feels like to be asked to only produce content that deals with their race. “What I really want to do is create a place where we are talking about food and culture together,” Chopra told Variety. “We’re building a really inclusive place, where everybody can find stories that resonate with them and also learn something new.”

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3nPOWp8 via Blogger https://ift.tt/2SSNnIU

[nomorepennies]

follow her twitter for some ba/conde nast dirt on: -alex delany -matt duckor -and possibly more on other white people