Barbara Fairchild is a

food journalist Food journalism is a field of journalism that focuses on news and current events related to food, its production, and the cultures of producing and consuming that food. Typically, food journalism includes a scope broader than the work of food crit ...

who was the editor-in-chief of ''

Bon Appétit ''Bon Appétit'' is a monthly American food and entertaining magazine, that typically contains recipes, entertaining ideas, restaurant recommendations, and wine reviews. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered at the One World Trade Center ...

'' from 2000 until 2011.

Early life

Fairchild was born in 1951 in

Queens, New York Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

, to Robert P. Lieb and Ina Lieb. Her father was Jewish and her mother was Lutheran. She moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

at a young age and grew up in

Studio City Studio City is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 19 ...

. She discovered her passion for food and cooking at a young age, and after graduating from

California State University, Northridge California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge), is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. With a total enrollment of 36,848 students (as of Fall 2024), it has the ...

in 1972 with a degree in journalism, she went to work first for radio station KGIL-AM as a news writer, then for Carte Blanche Magazine, and then later Bon Appetit in 1978 as an editorial assistant.

Career

Fairchild spent 32 years with ''Bon Appétit'', culminating with her appointment as editor-in-chief in 2000. Since 2011 she has worked as a columnist, freelance food and travel writer, editor, public speaker, radio personality, and consultant.

Personal life

Fairchild's life partner is Paul Nagle.

Awards

Fairchild has been the recipient of numerous awards, including: * Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America Inductee *

James Beard Foundation The James Beard Foundation is an American non-profit culinary arts organization based in New York City. It was named after James Beard, a food writer, teacher, and cookbook author. Its programs include guest-chef dinners to scholarships for asp ...

Award * Society of Publication Designers Award

Publications

* The Bon Appétit Cookbook * The Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook * The Bon Appétit Desserts Cookbook

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairchild, Barbara American editors Living people Journalists from New York City 1951 births Bon Appétit people