Months after facing allegations of discrimination, Bon Appéttit announced their return to Youtube with a fresh set of hosts and shows. It seems that the food publication is reaching for redemption with new editor in chief Dawn Davis. Being one of the few “Black power players” in the book industry, Davis’ plan for Bon Appétit is centered around food’s crucial role in issues concerning equity, environment and family.
Bon Appétit’s Twitter post states that they’ve 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.” Although they won’t be returning to the Test Kitchen anytime soon, the brand is bound to launch a three-episode mini series for the new personalities on top of other content plans by Condé Nast Entertainment.
DeVonn Francis, Tiana “Tee” Gee, Melissa Miranda, Samantha Seneviratne, Christian “Chrissy” Tracey, Harold Villarosa, Rawlston Williams, and Claudette Zepeda will join previous Bon Appétit hosts Brad Leone, Chris Morocco, and Andy Baraghani.
Some of Bon Appétit’s previous staff such as Claire Saffitz, Priya Kishna and Carla Lalli Music officially exited the publication while there are those who refused to appear on video until a diverse program is achieved.
In June, Adam Rapoport resigned from his post as editor in chief after claims, both internal and external, that he promulgated a culture of racism in the workplace—a culture left unchecked for far too long.
Food writer Tammie Teclemarian was able to reproduce a 2013 photo of Rapoport’s Puerto Rican costume while editor Sohla El-Wally revealed that only white personalities are being fairly compensated for their video appearances. Even photographer Alex Lau says that Bon Appétit’s white leadership have hindered the changes he and his BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) co-workers have been pushing for, noting that they’ve featured the same kind of white chefs while communities of color barely made the editorial cut.
With a recalibrated vision and a fresh set of hires, will Bon Appétit finally attain a truly inclusive and diverse work culture?
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive all the tools and solutions entrepreneurs need to stay updated on the latest news in the industry