Speculation that the beloved indie food media organisation would close began on Tuesday 14 March, AEDT, when Eater published an article revealing that Lucky Peach’s staff had been informed they would be laid off in May.
Lucky Peach, the brainchild of Momofuku founder David Chang and writer Peter Meehan, began circulation in 2011, with the release of its inaugural ramen issue. Subsequent issues offered in-depth and intelligent explorations of themes, delving into single topics from cooks & chefs (issue three ) and gender (issue eight) to street food (issue 10) and fine dining (issue 20).
The media outlet, which split from publishers McSweeny’s in 2013, consists of a website, a quarterly print magazine and a line of cookbooks. In its almost six year run, Lucky Peach received numerous accolades, including nine James Beard awards (which celebrate the leaders of American food culture) and just last year, a National Magazine Award for General Excellence.
Here’s the full statement from Lucky Peach:
Lucky Peach is…you see, kids, sit down, here.
Your mom and I have been meaning to talk to you for a while. But there sometimes comes a time in a publication’s life where…jeez, this is difficult. Puberty usually only equals death for caterpillars…and sometimes food magazines.
What I’m trying to say is this: until May 1st there’s still going to be the luckypeach.com that you love, publishing all its wild and wily stories. Go click around and have fun. I know you always liked it when you were younger. The magazine will finish out with a crazy double issue in the fall after its last regular issue—themed “the Suburbs”—comes out in May.
All About Eggs, the fourth book in the Lucky Peach cookbook trilogy, will hit shelves at the beginning of April. It’s a tearjerker for sure, but everybody knows eggs are better seasoned with tears.
I think it’s important for you to know that Lucky Peach loves you and REALLY values the time you’ve spent together. Once it gets over its own internal grieving process, maybe it’ll even be able to manage an adult press release.
Okay, I’m glad we had this talk.
If you follow Hospitality magazine on social sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn you’ll know that our team are fans of Lucky Peach’s irreverent and idiosyncratic food writing. These are some of our favourites:
'Seafarming at the end of the world' – A classic tale about the status life of an individual who’s story casts light on some greater “truth”. In this case, a guy farming oysters makes it pretty clear that our natural environment is in dire straits. The kind of article that shows, when combined, food writing and science writing can put forth a powerful argument for action.
'My Burger Manifesto' – Dave Chang proves he’s got writing chops too with this acerbic manifesto that’s emblematic of the best of Lucky Peach’s tongue-in-cheek takes. It’s a short, sharp read; if you can stomach the cheap shot at Aussie burgers.
'Why LA is the best eating city in America' – Peter Meehan’s ode to a city others have been reluctant to embrace from issue 22, Los Angeles. This piece is more reverent than not, but maintains the humour and, in true Lucky Peach fashion, the intimacy between author and subject.
Lucky Peach, we will miss your obsessive investigations of everything food, from the serious matters to the weird and wonderful.