BonAppetitTestKitchen - YouTube Cooking Boom
Bon Appétit’s Test Kitchen became 2018-2020 YouTube phenomenon, turning chefs (Claire Saffitz, Brad Leone, Carla Lalli Music) into celebrities before 2020 pay equity scandal ended the era.
Key Series
Gourmet Makes (Claire Saffitz): Recreating junk food from scratch (Pop-Tarts, Twinkies, Doritos). Perfectionist struggles = 5M+ views per video. It’s Alive (Brad Leone): Chaotic fermentation adventures, Brad’s lovable energy. Back-to-Back Chef (Carla Lalli Music): Amateur cooks replicate her instructions. From the Test Kitchen: Staff hang-outs, recipe testing.
Peak Era (2018-2020)
Channel grew from 1M to 6M+ subscribers. Parasocial relationships formed. Test Kitchen became TV-level production on YouTube budget. Merchandise, live shows, book deals followed.
2020 Scandal
Adam Rapoport (EIC) resigned after brownface photo surfaced (June 2020). BIPOC staff (Sohla El-Waylly, Priya Krishna, Rick Martinez) revealed pay disparities—appeared in videos unpaid or underpaid while white stars earned six figures. Mass exodus: Sohla, Rick, Priya, Claire, Brad, Carla left. Channel collapsed.
Legacy
Proved cooking content could be entertainment, not just instruction. Raised awareness of food media exploitation. Post-2020 videos struggled to regain viewership.
Sources:
- Business Insider: “Bon Appétit Scandal Explained” (2020)
- New York Times: “Condé Nast Faces Reckoning” (2020)