Put Out Your Ramen: ‘Lucky Peach’ Might Be Going Under
Nooooooooooooooooo.
It’s a sad day for food lovers. According to a report from Amanda Kludt of Eater, beloved food mag Lucky Peach is about to call it a day. The entire staff have been given their notice, the last scheduled issue is set for release in May, and David Chang is keeping tightlipped about plans for the future. Kludt states he is “keeping all options open but couldn’t elaborate further”.
Launched in 2011 by McSweeney’s, Lucky Peach has been a treasure of the publishing world. The magazine is led by Momofuku’s David Chang and stacked with high-profile chefs and great writers. Despite the stellar roster of talent, the mag makes a point of never speaking down to readers. It blends recipes, narrative, food history, feature and interview together in engaging and funny ways that always feel accessible. Its bold design and illustration also adds to its appeal.
Lucky Peach threw a stack of crazy chillies into the world of food journalism/entertainment; an exciting jolt for a world that can often feel a little vanilla or lacklustre.
Though a closure hasn’t been confirmed, many fans, writers, and editors across the industry are now mourning the loss.
Super bummed out, and grateful that @LuckyPeach gave @HezelAnna & I an opportunity to do some truly messed up things https://t.co/0ks0m6EDzm https://t.co/rJvaMP654V
— Gabriella Paiella (@GMPaiella) March 14, 2017
probably enjoyed different things about it, and this is one of the things that made it a great magazine, a rare item today: /2
— Pete Wells (@pete_wells) March 14, 2017
I have every single issue of @LuckyPeach and I'll keep and treasure them forever. The mag made me want to write about food! Huge loss.
— Sierra Tishgart (@SierraTishgart) March 14, 2017
*opens Twitter for the first time today*
Oh cool everyone's talking about Lucky Peach, the new issue must be out.
*keeps reading*
NOOOOO
— Brian PJ Cronin (@brianpjcronin) March 14, 2017
Lucky Peach staff have remained tight-lipped on the news on social media though Managing Editor Joanna Sciarrino has retweeted support from readers:
Over the past few years, Lucky Peach has considerably broadened its scope. In 2013, the publication split from McSweeney’s and went solo. In 2015, they started releasing a line of successful cookbooks, and publishing magazine content online. Fingers crossed that those recent expansions mean the publishers are just gearing up for a new move. Though it’s sad to think that their next phase may not involve print at all… and pretty damn confusing to think it wouldn’t involve any of the current staff.
Hm. While we’re waiting for more news, it might be a good time to re-visit some LP classics.
— Following on from the magazine’s now-iconic first issue (which was entirely themed around ramen), here’s an essay from David Chang about how the internet killed your favourite soupy noodles and why the ramen burrito is the “fucking end of everything”.
— If you’re feeling a little glum about this whole thing, Anthony Bourdain’s sobering and comprehensive essay ‘Eat Drink Fuck Die’ will help put things in perspective.
— Fuchsia Dunlop’s award-winning piece ‘Dick Soup’ will provide some lols (as well as some tips on how to cook cure, cook and eat a variety of pizzles).
— If you’d like to see a bit more casual back and forth, take a read of ‘American Food, Whatever That Is’ — a piece in which some of the country’s most respected restaurant critics stuff their faces with burgers and onion rings, and argue about the evolution and legacy of food in their lifetimes.
This beautiful delicious mess sure will be missed if it goes under.
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Lucky Peach‘s next (and potentially last) issue, themed ‘Suburbs’, will be out in May.