An Interview with Barbara Fairchild

By Wendy Miller

"No matter where they live, people love to entertain well. They know it's more fun to have friends over in a quiet environment, where they can explore new foods and show off their 'inner chef.'" – Barbara Fairchild

Bon Appetit is synonymous with its editor-in-chief, delightful Barbara Fairchild. Both the internationally renown food magazine and its “chief de cuisine” are marking milestones this year – Bon Appetit is celebrating its 50th anniversary with The Bon Appetit Cookbook, 1,200 of the magazine’s best-loved recipes that Fairchild calls “approachable, relevant and fun.”

2006 also marks Fairchild’s 28th anniversary — six years as editor-in-chief — with Bon Appetit. She will spend a long weekend Oct. 26-29 right here in the Valley for Bon Appetit’s 5th Annual Celebrity Chef Golf & Spa Invitational. I had the pleasure of talking to Barbara by phone about some of her more memorable moments both behind her desk and dining room table.

I also learned some cooking in junior high. You know those teen-focused recipes you’d learn there? My sisters take great pleasure in kidding me by telling chefs I know  — while I’m standing there — that I make the greatest frankfurter pizza they ever ate.

How does fall entertaining differ from West to East coasts?
People who reside on the West Coast are more inclined to entertain in their homes whereas East Coasters, because of their small kitchens, entertain more in restaurants. The menus are filled with wonderful ingredients from the fall harvests. On the West Coast, corn, tomatoes and peaches linger a little longer in the farmers markets. You’ll see apples and squash earlier in the East Coast, where the harvests change more rapidly.

No matter where they live, people love to entertain well. They know it’s more fun to have friends over in a quiet environment, where they can explore new foods and show off their “inner chef.”

This is the fifth year Bon Appetit has sponsored the Celebrity Chef Golf & Spa Invitational. What dining trends have you observed in Phoenix?
Tastes in Phoenix are just as sophisticated and adventuresome as in the rest of the country. Of course, some Phoenix chefs put a more Southwest spin on their dishes. It’s exciting because the Scottsdale scene keeps growing and expanding; there are always new restaurants and hotels added to the fold.

What are your favorite fall recipes?
I tend to cook Italian; I love its styles of foods from many regions. I usually prepare some kind of antipasto platter because I can assemble it ahead of time, then I serve pasta at the table. I love cooking roasts in the fall; there are some wonderful braised loin dishes, such as lamb shanks and veal. Occasionally, if the weather is warm and we can grill, I’ll prepare steak Florentine-style with arugla on top. I like to top off the meal with something fruity for dessert, like tiramisu with fresh berries if available.

What was your biggest entertaining disaster?
When I was a young bride and entertaining at home, I considered myself a good cook. I had been at Bon Appetit for about one-and-a-half years but apparently still had a lot to learn. I wanted to make a goose but I didn’t bother to look at the suggested servings; I just assumed it was like preparing and serving a turkey. The cooking part went fine but carving it was another matter. I carved one side of the goose but when I turned it over, there was no meat on the other side! Luckily, I already had served my eight guests but my husband and I didn’t eat goose that – instead we ate a lot of side dishes. I was in a total panic during the meal, praying my guests wouldn’t ask for seconds.

What is your dining “guilty pleasure”?
I love a great double-double with cheese from In-N-Out Burger. I try not to eat too many. I’m not a food snob at all. I like pizza and other fast food as long as they’re done well. The Irish pub DJ Reynolds in New York City puts out a great cheeseburger. There’s also a seasonal place in Madison Square called the Shake Shack – it’s only open during the summer and makes a good burger as well. I have it, of course, with a Diet Coke.

How many times does the Bon Appetit kitchen test recipes before “they’re just right”?
We have a very talented test kitchen staff so we have a big trust factor to begin with. Ironically, it’s the chef recipes that are the least accurate; that’s not a surprise because cooks prepare food by their taste and feel, not measured ingredients. Our test kitchen chefs are good troubleshooters. They also pay attention to the ultimate cost and difficulty of each recipe, which must be easy and approachable. Our recipes are ingredient driven. People are shopping more at farmers markets and natural food stores. The test staff reviews recipes for potential trouble spots. On Mondays, test kitchen staff members shop for ingredients, and then each Tuesday and Wednesday we test recipes twice a day. A group of editors samples them first, and then we open it up. We have what we call the “Bon Appetit 10,” the weight new staff members gain in the first six weeks. They soon learn to taste, not devour.

How has the Internet changed the way you choose content for the magazine and Web site?
The World Wide Web has been a huge revolution in the food world. It has enhanced our magazine; we’ve been very aggressive in making the two interactive. In a broader sense, it’s brought “foodies” together in chat rooms. The Internet also has opened up the world to ingredients you never had access to before – wines, heirloom tomato seeds, heritage turkey and other fine foods. It’s easier than ever to become a good cook.

Your cookbook and the October issue celebrate 50 years of great recipes. Which decade of recipes is your favorite?
The Bon Appetit Cookbook – our first – is a celebration of our greatest hits. It was a labor of love. We drew from a huge list of archive recipes from our staff members, friends and family, and reader mail.

In our October magazine, our recipes pay homage five decades of dining and entertaining. I liked the 1950s, when the food was very modern, absolutely things you’d want to serve today. There is an interesting parallel between recipes from the ‘50s with their small bites and fun cocktails with today’s casual, comfortable entertaining. When I started with the magazine in 1978, entertaining was very French. Then there came the California food revolution; it seemed within a week we went from fancy French food to sun-dried tomatoes. I have a spot in my heart for the ‘70s, when I feel American cooking really changed and the wine industry grew up.