It’s fitting that my final issue as Artful Living Editor-in-Chief is our spring food issue. After all, the first issue I had a hand in crafting more than 13 years ago was similarly focused on food and wine, highlighting an up-and-coming chef named Curtis Duffy who we predicted would make his mark on the Chicago culinary scene. That issue also featured explorer and Blue Zones expert Dan Buettner’s five food commandments, travel tips from celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, and an interview with a precocious Gavin Kaysen, who shared his dream of one day opening a restaurant in his hometown of Minneapolis.
Of course, a lot has changed since then, yet some things remain the same. We still take immense pride in bringing our audience the most compelling content complemented by beautiful design in our trademark glossy, oversize book that we know takes center stage on readers’ coffee tables for months at a time.
As some of you may already know, I recently made the difficult but necessary decision to step down as Editor-in-Chief and shift to an Editor-at-Large role in order to dedicate more time and attention to my work amplifying Indigenous change makers and issues. I believe it is my life’s work to bring these stories, told as authentically and carefully as possible, to audiences across the country and the globe.
It’s doubly fitting, then, that our feature, “A Chef’s Journey,” tells Ann Ahmed’s life story in her own words. It marks the first time that the acclaimed Lao American chef behind Gai Noi, Khâluna and Lat14 has been so open and vulnerable about how cooking has shaped her as a person and has helped her overcome some of her past traumas. It’s been one of the greatest honors of my time here at Artful Living to steward her deeply personal story out into the world.
With that said, both this magazine and I are moving into our next chapters. I’m delighted to hand the reins of our award-winning publication over to Amy Synnott, who comes to us with extensive editorial experience at top U.S. media outlets including ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle. I’m confident she will uphold our high standards while bringing her own flair to these pages.
Thank you, dear readers, for your incredible support over the years that undoubtedly helped make Artful Living the singular magazine that it is today. I look forward to cheering on the team from the sidelines and hope you continue to do the same.
Happy reading,
Kate Nelson, Editor-in-Chief
