Amanda Hesser

Amanda Hesser is an American food writer, editor, and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of the digital food community and e-commerce platform Food52, and for her extensive tenure as a food editor and columnist for The New York Times.

Early Life and Education

Amanda Hesser developed an early interest in food and cooking, which eventually led her to pursue formal culinary training. After completing her undergraduate studies, she spent time in France, where she studied at the prestigious La Varenne cooking school in Paris. This foundational experience in French culinary techniques deeply influenced her approach to food writing and recipe development. She later attended New York University, further broadening her academic and professional background before entering the competitive world of food journalism.

Career in Journalism

Hesser began her journalism career writing for various publications, eventually catching the attention of major food and lifestyle magazines. She contributed to Bon Appétit and Food & Wine, establishing herself as a thoughtful and accessible voice in the culinary world.

Her most prominent journalistic role was at The New York Times, where she served as the food editor for The New York Times Magazine. During her tenure, she was instrumental in modernizing the publication's food coverage, shifting the focus toward more approachable, seasonal, and globally inspired home cooking. She also wrote the popular "Food Matters" column and later the "By the Book" column, where she tested and reviewed newly released cookbooks. Her time at the Times solidified her reputation as a leading authority in American food media.

Co-founding Food52

In 2009, recognizing the shifting landscape of digital media and the growing desire for community-driven content, Hesser left The New York Times to co-found Food52 with Merrill Stubbs, a former Times colleague. The platform was named after the 52 weeks of the year, reflecting its mission to provide home cooks with inspiration and resources every week.

Food52 quickly grew from a simple recipe-sharing blog into a massive digital ecosystem encompassing a vibrant community forum, editorial content, and a highly successful e-commerce division known as the Food52 Shop. Under Hesser's leadership as CEO, the company pioneered a model that seamlessly integrated community-generated recipes with curated kitchenware sales. The platform won numerous industry awards, including James Beard Foundation Awards for Best Food Blog and Publication of the Year. Hesser eventually stepped down from her role as CEO to transition into an executive chair capacity, having successfully built Food52 into one of the most influential food platforms on the internet.

Cookbooks and Publications

Throughout her career, Hesser has authored and edited several highly regarded cookbooks. Her debut book, The Cook and the Gardener (1999), was a critically acclaimed exploration of the relationship between seasonal produce and home cooking, based on her experiences working with a dedicated gardener in France.

Her magnum opus in traditional publishing is The Essential New York Times Cookbook (2010), a comprehensive, 900-plus-page compilation of classic and contemporary recipes from the Times archives, updated and tested for the modern home cook. The book became a staple in many American kitchens and was praised for its historical context and reliable instructions. Following the success of Food52, she also co-authored several books tied to the brand, including Food52: A New Way to Cook and The Food52 Cookbook series, which translated the platform's community-driven ethos into print.

Impact and Legacy

Amanda Hesser's impact on the culinary world spans both traditional print journalism and digital innovation. At The New York Times, she helped democratize fine dining concepts, making sophisticated cooking accessible to everyday readers. With Food52, she anticipated the rise of the creator economy and community-led commerce, creating a blueprint for how digital food media could sustainably monetize through e-commerce without sacrificing editorial integrity. Her work has influenced a generation of food writers, recipe developers, and digital entrepreneurs, cementing her legacy as a transformative figure in modern food media.