As is often the case, the news arrived on a Monday. In what the company referred to as a reorganization, twenty-four employees, or roughly ten percent of the workforce, left America’s Test Kitchen. The announcement carried an odd, déjà vu feeling for anyone who has been following the Boston-based food media outfit over the past few years. In three years, there have been two rounds of layoffs of almost the same size.
ATK’s image, with its stainless steel counters and serious-looking cooks arguing over how to properly brown butter, has an almost theatrical quality. The program, which was filmed at Boston’s Innovation and Design Building, has always positioned itself as rigorous. Each recipe is tested 40–60 times. Before a recipe is included in a cookbook, an average of $10,000 is spent. 35,000 home cooks offered their services as test subjects. It takes a lot of work, and over the past 25 years, it has developed a genuine audience. It’s difficult not to question how much of that infrastructure remains intact as this most recent round of cuts takes place.
People pause because of the timing. Marquee Brands, the company’s owner, bought Food52 out of bankruptcy three months ago, bringing the once-famous New York food website into the ATK universe. Consolidations typically result in job losses, and mergers typically lead to consolidations. Nevertheless, there was optimism in the public messaging surrounding the Food52 agreement. combining two food media brands, creating a more powerful online presence, etc. Layoffs seem like the opposite.
Those who have watched ATK for a long time can still clearly recall the 2023 cuts. 23 employees were let go in that round, including the whole staff of ATK Kids, a company that had been creating kid-friendly cookbooks and recipes. It was referred to as a grievance by the union, which was just formed under CWA Local 1400. The first contract was still being negotiated. These actions appear to be seen as necessary trimming by investors and corporate observers. Naturally, the staff has a different perspective.
In February 2023, Marquee Brands acquired the majority of ATK. The company’s larger portfolio, which includes Motherhood Maternity, BCBG, Emeril Lagasse, and Martha Stewart, has its own narrative. All of the licensed name-brand companies are grouped together under one corporate roof, making it an odd combination. ATK is currently run by former Roku employee Dan Suratt. Based on comments on Hungry Onion and Reddit threads, some former employees feel that the place’s soul changed when ownership changed. It’s difficult to tell if that’s fair or just nostalgia speaking.
For some time now, the food media industry has been a cruel place. Bon Appétit had to face its own consequences. Years ago, Saveur folded its print edition, returned, and then changed hands once more. Eater has gone through several editors. Once-permanent magazines like Gourmet and the original Cook’s have vanished or become unrecognizable. By focusing heavily on utilities, books, and shows that people actually use in their kitchens, ATK has endured longer than most. However, profitability is not assured by utility, and private equity owners typically have their own calculations.
The open question is what comes next. ATK has already stopped publishing Cook’s Country in print after announcing earlier this year that it would cease publication as a magazine. The flagship program continues to air. The on-camera anchors, Julia Collin Davison and Bridget Lancaster, continue to do their duties with the same composed authority. The business might come out leaner and more stable. This could also be the beginning of a longer decline. In any case, a Boston institution feels a little smaller than it did on Sunday night, and twenty-four people are looking for new jobs this week.
