A Conversation with Ruth Reichl

This conversation with Ruth Reichl originally appeared in issue #88 of Rattle and was recorded on March 25th, 2025. As a former culinary school student and foodie herself, our associate editor, Katie Dozier, joined in on the discussion. What does food have to do with poetry? Listen in to find out! Ruth Reichl is recognized as one of the most discerning voices in the food world, with accolades as a bestselling author, revered restaurant critic, and culinary industry influencer. Her icon status stems from groundbreaking roles in food journalism, including lead restaurant critic at the New York Times and editor-in-chief at Gourmet magazine. Ruth’s bestselling memoirs include Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir, which chronicles her tenure at the magazine and Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table. Her cookbook My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life received best cookbook accolades from industry peers and booksellers. For TV, Ruth’s PBS series Gourmet’s Adventures with Ruth featured the best cooking schools around the world. Subscribe to Ruth's Substack here: https://ruthreichl.substack.com/