Ok… So you are creating another Food Network. Yay. The problem with having The Biggest Names on Substack is that it creates the same scenario as a clique…the cool kids’ lunch table. A caste system. No. Not fun.
This is what so many Substack contributors and subscribers came here to avoid in the first place. No editors, no corporate overlords, some are “nobodies” (sorry, not meant to be derogatory) who have lots to say and say it well, just good writing. It has been refreshing, personal and real. Celebrity chefs? Take it to Insta, FB & TouTube. This isn’t the platform.
I know in time, like the other Social Media platforms, Substack will surely morph into something completely different from its original conception. It will become about money, profits, and whatever the VCs want. And this is how it starts.
There are so many great contributors that have been either intentionally or unintentionally left out (hard not to do..) that this seems to go against why many people join Substack in the first place.
My concern is that this model takes off for the few in the group and it makes it harder for the rest of the food-world contributors to keep their subscribers. Not everyone can afford to subscribe to a large number of Substacks so these consolidated celebrity groups will amass tons of subscribers and many newbies who don’t yet have a great number of paid followers won’t have a chance. The current media cycle will just continue. It’s quite disheartening.
Power players? Ick. Where am I? And where is the Department of Salad @emilyrnunn? This is Substack, after all, where we all know that the biggest isn’t necessarily the best, and which should be a place that celebrates its own wildly creative ur-foodies — especially those who know a thing or two about, ahem, writing.
Also here to notice the glaring omission of Emily Nunn. Department of Salad brought me to Substack in the first place, and I'm not even primarily a food reader here!
I wish food writers were “revolutionizing the industry”. They are not, mostly.
There’s a big heap in “foodies” and “chefs” turned “content creators”, yet there’s a sore lack of gastronomers - you know, those who do not write recipes for money, but are those who link gastronomy to everything else. That doesn’t sell well, however. Especially because that kind of discourse is highly disruptive of “the industry” as talks about abuse in professional kitchens, supply chains dominated by large industrial complexes, animal-based gastronomy privacy over sustainability etc etc.
Where is Department of Salad? Did you totally forget who got your platform all that press in the early months?
Ok… So you are creating another Food Network. Yay. The problem with having The Biggest Names on Substack is that it creates the same scenario as a clique…the cool kids’ lunch table. A caste system. No. Not fun.
This is what so many Substack contributors and subscribers came here to avoid in the first place. No editors, no corporate overlords, some are “nobodies” (sorry, not meant to be derogatory) who have lots to say and say it well, just good writing. It has been refreshing, personal and real. Celebrity chefs? Take it to Insta, FB & TouTube. This isn’t the platform.
I know in time, like the other Social Media platforms, Substack will surely morph into something completely different from its original conception. It will become about money, profits, and whatever the VCs want. And this is how it starts.
There are so many great contributors that have been either intentionally or unintentionally left out (hard not to do..) that this seems to go against why many people join Substack in the first place.
My concern is that this model takes off for the few in the group and it makes it harder for the rest of the food-world contributors to keep their subscribers. Not everyone can afford to subscribe to a large number of Substacks so these consolidated celebrity groups will amass tons of subscribers and many newbies who don’t yet have a great number of paid followers won’t have a chance. The current media cycle will just continue. It’s quite disheartening.
Where is Emily Nunn in this event? She would be the first person I would think of. She is Substack!
Power players? Ick. Where am I? And where is the Department of Salad @emilyrnunn? This is Substack, after all, where we all know that the biggest isn’t necessarily the best, and which should be a place that celebrates its own wildly creative ur-foodies — especially those who know a thing or two about, ahem, writing.
Where's Emily Nunn's Department of Salad? She's one of the Substack food pioneers and among my very first paid subscriptions on Substack.
I also recommend Jamie Schler's wonderful "Life's a Feast" food Substack.
Both of these women are accomplished, published cookbook authors & food writers.
Emily Nunn needs to be included!!
This is BRILLIANT.
No Department of salad? It’s what brought me here in the first place. Big miss, people. Big miss.
Please don't neglect to include and celebrate such Substackers as Kate Hill or others in Europe.
Also here to notice the glaring omission of Emily Nunn. Department of Salad brought me to Substack in the first place, and I'm not even primarily a food reader here!
Where is Emily Nunn and The Department of Salad??? Seems like a serious oversight on your part.
What about Emily Nunn?
I wish food writers were “revolutionizing the industry”. They are not, mostly.
There’s a big heap in “foodies” and “chefs” turned “content creators”, yet there’s a sore lack of gastronomers - you know, those who do not write recipes for money, but are those who link gastronomy to everything else. That doesn’t sell well, however. Especially because that kind of discourse is highly disruptive of “the industry” as talks about abuse in professional kitchens, supply chains dominated by large industrial complexes, animal-based gastronomy privacy over sustainability etc etc.
But…yay, a food festival, I guess.
Without Emily Nunn - no thanks.
EMILY NUNN! Crazy omission. Also rude.
How could you leave out Emily Nunn? DOS is the best!