Michael Batterberry
Encyclopedia
Michael Carver Batterberry (April 8, 1932 – July 28, 2010) was an American food writer who founded and edited Food & Wine
and Food Arts together with his wife.
Batterberry was born on April 8, 1932, in Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
, his American parents having relocated there while his father was working for Procter & Gamble
. He relocated to the United States with his family upon the outbreak of World War II
. Batterberry attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology
, but dropped to move to Venezuela
with his family, where his father was establishing P&G's presence in Latin America
. Batterberry worked as a painter and interior designer in Venezuela and Rome
.
After his return to the U.S. in the 1950s, Batterberry worked as a freelance food writer. He married writer Ariane Ruskin, and the two of them were arts editors at Harper's Bazaar
. They co-authored On the Town in New York, From 1776 to the Present, a historical gastronomic survey that covered the city's food history from banquets to Chinese takeout which was described by The Washington Post
as being "considered the authoritative history of dining in the country's culinary capital". In November 1998, the publishing firm Routledge
issued a new edition of the book on its 25th anniversary.
With Robert and Lindy Kenyon covering the business side and with funding by Hugh Hefner
, Batterberry and his wife started publishing The International Review of Food and Wine in 1978, which had a prototype issue published in Playboy
. Later renamed simply Food & Wine
, the magazine's mission was to be a more down-to-earth alternative to Gourmet
and its "truffled pomposity", while appealing to both women and men as readers, with early issues featuring articles by such non-traditional food writers as George Plimpton
and Wilfrid Sheed
. When it was first published, a senior editor of Gourmet magazine scoffed at the new alternative, saying "We don't look at the others as competition. They look at us, try to copy us and fail miserably". By 1980, when it was sold to American Express
, the magazine had circulation of 250,000 per issue, evenly split by gender, and had sold 900,000 copies a month by the time of his death.
The couple started Food Arts in 1988, a trade journal
aimed at restaurants and hotels, which was acquired by M. Shanken Communications the following year. Batterberry remained as the publication's editor in chief until his death, with his wife continuing as the magazine's publisher. He and his wife were recognized with the James Beard Foundation Award
for lifetime achievement in May 2010. The foundation's president Susan Ungaro called the Batterberrys "legends in the culinary publishing world", having "started a hallmark magazine that people still look to today" after three decades in print.
A resident of Manhattan
, he died there at age 78 on July 28, 2010, due to complications of cancer. He was survived by his wife, and as The New York Times
noted in his obituary, he was "not survived by Gourmet magazine, which ceased publication in November".
Food & Wine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
and Food Arts together with his wife.
Batterberry was born on April 8, 1932, in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, his American parents having relocated there while his father was working for Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
. He relocated to the United States with his family upon the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Batterberry attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, but dropped to move to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
with his family, where his father was establishing P&G's presence in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Batterberry worked as a painter and interior designer in Venezuela and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
After his return to the U.S. in the 1950s, Batterberry worked as a freelance food writer. He married writer Ariane Ruskin, and the two of them were arts editors at Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
. They co-authored On the Town in New York, From 1776 to the Present, a historical gastronomic survey that covered the city's food history from banquets to Chinese takeout which was described by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
as being "considered the authoritative history of dining in the country's culinary capital". In November 1998, the publishing firm Routledge
Routledge
Routledge is a British publishing house which has operated under a succession of company names and latterly as an academic imprint. Its origins may be traced back to the 19th-century London bookseller George Routledge...
issued a new edition of the book on its 25th anniversary.
With Robert and Lindy Kenyon covering the business side and with funding by Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
, Batterberry and his wife started publishing The International Review of Food and Wine in 1978, which had a prototype issue published in Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
. Later renamed simply Food & Wine
Food & Wine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
, the magazine's mission was to be a more down-to-earth alternative to Gourmet
Gourmet (magazine)
Gourmet magazine was a monthly publication of Condé Nast and the first U.S. magazine devoted to food and wine. Founded by Earle R. MacAusland and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale....
and its "truffled pomposity", while appealing to both women and men as readers, with early issues featuring articles by such non-traditional food writers as George Plimpton
George Plimpton
George Ames Plimpton was an American journalist, writer, editor, and actor. He is widely known for his sports writing and for helping to found The Paris Review.-Early life:...
and Wilfrid Sheed
Wilfrid Sheed
Wilfrid John Joseph Sheed was an English-born American novelist and essayist.Sheed was born in London to Francis "Frank" Sheed and Mary "Maisie" Ward, prominent Roman Catholic publishers in the United Kingdom and the United States during the mid-20th century...
. When it was first published, a senior editor of Gourmet magazine scoffed at the new alternative, saying "We don't look at the others as competition. They look at us, try to copy us and fail miserably". By 1980, when it was sold to American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, the magazine had circulation of 250,000 per issue, evenly split by gender, and had sold 900,000 copies a month by the time of his death.
The couple started Food Arts in 1988, a trade journal
Trade journal
A trade magazine, also called a professional magazine, is a magazine published with the intention of target marketing to a specific industry or type of trade. The collective term for this area of publishing is the trade press....
aimed at restaurants and hotels, which was acquired by M. Shanken Communications the following year. Batterberry remained as the publication's editor in chief until his death, with his wife continuing as the magazine's publisher. He and his wife were recognized with the James Beard Foundation Award
James Beard Foundation Award
The James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." Held on the first weekend in May, the Awards honor the finest chefs, restaurants, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and other food professionals in the...
for lifetime achievement in May 2010. The foundation's president Susan Ungaro called the Batterberrys "legends in the culinary publishing world", having "started a hallmark magazine that people still look to today" after three decades in print.
A resident of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, he died there at age 78 on July 28, 2010, due to complications of cancer. He was survived by his wife, and as The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
noted in his obituary, he was "not survived by Gourmet magazine, which ceased publication in November".