If you read Gourmet magazine or The New York Times, you may know Ruth Reichl --- she is a food writer, restaurant critic and was editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine from 1999 until the magazine ended in 2009. She is also the author of several memoirs. This book, focusing on the time in her life when she was offered the job at Gourmet, is more than a memoir about her life; it's an insight into popular culture during that time period, when chefs began transforming into celebrities and then the farm-to-table movement started to rise. Written in Reichl's fluid and evocative style, you get a true sense of not only what it took to transform Gourmet magazine from its rather stuffy (and outdated) format into a cutting-edge magazine, but also how her own life, as well as the lives she touched, was transformed i the process.
I have read all of Reichl's books and enjoyed them, so I jumped at the chance to read this advance copy. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, feeling like I was getting an insider's view into not only what it took to transform a magazine I had grown up reading, but also into Conde' Nast publishing, itself. My mother had a subscription to Gourmet, and I remember reading and enjoying it, especially the essays by Laurie Colwin. However, I don't remember my mom ever making any of the recipes, which seemed like they were always a bit complicated (and usually also contained ingredients that would require some sleuthing to find). I had continued to read the magazine over the years, picking up a copy now and then from the library or reading it when I was visiting my parents. However, I started really noticing the magazine again around 2000; the covers were eye-catching and while I wasn't up to making any of the recipes at that point, I felt like the magazine was a more interesting read than it had been for years. And now I know why: Ruth Reichl. It totally makes sense to make, understanding her approach to food, her love of writing, and her creative approach to opening people's eyes to the wonderful culinary world around them. However, after reading this book, I really understand what it took to transform Gourmet, and how that job really changed Reichl, as well. Her passion for life really comes through in this book, and I got a good sense of how she worried that becoming an editor of this magazine could mean sacrificing her passion to become successful. The good news is that she never did: her passion and dedication meant that the rest of us got to enjoy Gourmet and feel invigorated when we read it.
Definitely a good read if you have read her other books, although it's not necessary to have her back story before reading this one.
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