Editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit to step down as Conde Nast moves magazine to New York

Conde Nast moving Bon Appetit, editor to step down

Nearly a year after shuttering Gourmet magazine, Conde Nast is shaking up the food world once again.

The publisher announced Monday that longtime Bon Appetit editor-in-chief Barbara Fairchild will step down later this year when Conde Nast moves the magazine’s headquarters from California to New York. The company said the move is part of an overall effort to consolidate.

Fairchild — who has been with the magazine for 32 years, the last 10 of which she served as editor — will help oversee the transition, but was unwilling to relocate, said Conde Nast spokeswoman Maurie Perl. The company said Fairchild is leaving to pursue other opportunities, including projects with Conde Nast.

Fairchild could not immediately be reached for comment. It was unclear how many of the editorial staff would relocate or who would replace Fairchild. In a written release, Conde Nast said it would name a new editor after the move to New York.

Last October, the company blamed the weak economy when it closed the nearly 70-year-old Gourmet magazine. It since has announced plans to publish several specialty publications and an iPad app bearing the Gourmet name, but not under the direction of former editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl.

The move shocked the food world. Though there had been rumors one of Conde Nast’s flagship food magazines would close, many expected it would be Bon Appetit.

But Bon Appetit, which favors punchier illustrations and shorter articles over the more classic style and long form journalism that defined Gourmet, simply had more readers. Today, Bon Appetit boasts 8 million readers.

Fairchild joined the magazine in 1978 as an editorial assistant.