Bon Appétit and its beloved Test Kitchen were hit with controversy over the summer, as seven chefs quit the company’s video channel, citing allegations of racially-motivated pay inequity. With a new leadership team in place and a diverse ensemble of chefs joining its video productions, Bon Appétit is ready to relaunch its YouTube channel this fall and begin production on From The Test Kitchen, which is set to debut new episodes in 2021. DeVonn Francis, Tiana “Tee” Gee, Melissa Miranda, Samantha Seneviratne, Christian “Chrissy” Tracey, Harold Villarosa, Rawlston Williams, and Claudette Zepeda are joining returning hosts Brad Leone, Chris Morocco, and Andy Baraghani for the video relaunch.
Parent company Condé Nast recently hired a new leadership team for Bon Appétit, tapping former book publisher Dawn Davis to serve as editor-in-chief, former Eater editor Sonia Chopra as executive editor, and renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson as adviser and guest editor of the magazine’s 2020 holiday issue. Bon Appétit released a teaser video for its upcoming relaunch, which you can watch below:
BA’s push for diversity was sparked by a series of allegations made over the summer, following the ouster of former editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport, who was accused of racial discrimination. Despite BA’s promise to ensure that employees of color received equal pay, several members of the Test Kitchen subsequently refused to enter new deals with the company, claiming they were still being offered much less compensation than their white colleagues. Priya Krishna, Sohla El-Waylly, Rick Martinez, Gaby Melian, Molly Baz, and Carla Lalli Music all left their positions over the summer. Last week, beloved pastry chef Claire Saffitz also announced her exit with a statement that read in part, “I’m grateful to Bon Appétit and [Condé Nast Entertainment] for the opportunity to build my career on their platforms, but this opportunity was not granted equally to all.” She concluded the statement with an optimistic note about the company’s future: “Bon Appétit’s new leadership, coupled with the incredible hard work and dedication of the staff, make me confident that it will be a more equitable, inclusive and dynamic place in the future.”