Christopher Kimball leaving Cook's Illustrated and ATK


 
Chris Allingham

Chris Allingham

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I'm a huge fan of Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen. How did I miss this news from November?

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...est-kitchen-founder-chris-kimball-leaves-show

In a change that's sure to send ripples through a media empire built on a thoughtful and rigorous approach to food, chef Chris Kimball is leaving America's Test Kitchen, the company he co-founded. Kimball's departure comes two months after the company got its first-ever CEO.

"Kimball's departure is immediate," says the Boston Common Press, the parent company of America's Test Kitchen, which says the two sides weren't able to agree over Kimball's contract. Kimball, 64, is also leaving his spot as the editor-in-chief of Cook's Illustrated magazine.

Also see: http://current.org/2015/11/kimball-next-project-will-be-very-focused-on-public-media/
 
I've been a Cooks Illustrated subscriber on & off for years - I'll be missing his editorials. The first thing I read when I get a new issue!
 
i'll never understand why "his" chefs and other personalities on the show looked only at him and not at the camera.




 
I get CI magazine, subscribe to the website, listen to the ATK podcasts, and watch ATK and Cooks Country TV shows, so I will be interested to see how the company adjusts to his absence. I was wondering a while back if they had a succession plan since Chris couldn't live forever.

I'm also interested in what Chris will do next. Articles have said he plans a new venture of some sort.

As noted above, it sticks out that the helpers always look at him a certain way as he wraps up. It's obviously a directing instruction.
 
Well, the premise of the show is that the cook is explaining to Kimball about the recipe, so naturally he or she would be looking at him while doing the explanation.

Rita
 
The odd part is that the cook looks adoringly at Chris at the end of the segment as Chris recaps the segment. They have that look that a politician's wife (or husband) employs when the pol is speaking. Nothing wrong with it, but it just looks unnatural.
 
Jim Lampe said:
i'll never understand why "his" chefs and other personalities on the show looked only at him and not at the camera.
Click to expand...

Just read this, I guess Julia and Bridget will have to look at the camera now.
"I'm pleased to announce the new hosts of America's Test Kitchen will be Julia Collin Davison and Bridget Lancaster."

edit, J and B's episodes start in 2017, Chris will still be host this year since the recordings were already made for 2016.
 
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WOW! I just learned this, today (nothing slow about me:rolleyes:). I have been a fan of the TV shows and the web sites (and have been and am a subscriber) for some years. Frankly, I have learned a great deal from the show.

Comment:
Let's see, Chris starts the show and total concept, provides direction for many years building it into a $40,000,000 empire, and HE gets fired? American Business has long been on a path that makes no sense to me. They are only interested in "Bottom line, TODAY!". They do NOT look to the future, they are run by CEO's who ONLY try to please the stockholders, TODAY, and to heck with anyone else including their customers. Heck of a way to "Run a Railroad", it seems to me. The CEO's take the job, cut everything imaginable, temporarily reduce costs to move the stock up, take their Golden Parachute and leave after a couple of years, and in the meantime, the company goes down the tubes. Doesn't "seem like a plan" to me...

Rant over!

On the other hand, I am sure the new hosts will do a good job but the "Guiding Light" has gone and the future is in doubt...

FWIW
Dale53
 
Chris in Louisiana said:
The odd part is that the cook looks adoringly at Chris at the end of the segment as Chris recaps the segment. They have that look that a politician's wife (or husband) employs when the pol is speaking. Nothing wrong with it, but it just looks unnatural.
Click to expand...
This is something I've noticed, too. But I think it would be more unnatural if they looked somewhere else...their eyes wandering around the set as he talks...awkward. Or they lock eyes on the camera as he speaks, unable to react in any way to his recap because they can't see him. Or they start cleaning dishes or wiping the counter! It's unnatural to not look at and interact with someone standing next to you while they're talking.
 
Chris Allingham said:
This is something I've noticed, too. But I think it would be more unnatural if they looked somewhere else...their eyes wandering around the set as he talks...awkward. Or they lock eyes on the camera as he speaks, unable to react in any way to his recap because they can't see him. Or they start cleaning dishes or wiping the counter! It's unnatural to not look at and interact with someone standing next to you while they're talking.
Click to expand...


Agreed.

I prefer it that way since Chris is the host anyway.
 
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