Michael Batterberry

Michael and Ariane Batterberry worked together in publishing from the late 1960s until 2010. Michael Batterberry died of cancer on July 28, 2010 in Manhattan at the age of 78.

Initially, the couple wrote on the history of art and culture. The switch to food began with On The Town in New York, A History of Restaurants from 1776-1976, and generated two ground-breaking magazines: Food and Wine and Food Arts. Together, they helped change the way people think about food.

In the early 1960s, the Batterberrys met and became friends with James Beard and subsequently became frequent dinner guests at each other's homes. Beard particularly liked Michael Batterberry's cooking--so much so that Beard invited him to teach a class as part of his Great Cooks series.

In recent years, Michael Batterberry took an active role in educating Americans about problems with the American food system. He was an articulate advocate for small farmers, especially immigrant farmers, and a founding director of Wholesome Wave Foundation, which works to bring fresh, locally grown, affordable food to underserved communities.

The Batterberrys each discuss their early lives (he on several continents and she on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and in London) and their professional lives.

People:
Batterberry, Ariane Ruskin
Batterberry, Michael
Beard, James, 1903-1985
Bricktop, 1894-1984
Claiborne, Craig
Dinesen, Isak, 1885-1962
Grandi, Tony
Prudhomme, Paul
Schumacher, Gus
Stewart, Martha
Waters, Alice

Organizations:
American Express Company
Batterberry Associates
Bloomingdale's (Firm)
Food Arts
Food & wine (New York, N.Y.)
Good living (Television program)
Gourmet
Playboy Enterprises
Wholesome Wave Foundation

Subjects:
Cooking, American -- History -- 20th century
Cooking -- Periodicals
Dinners and dining
Electronic publishing
Food industry and trade -- United States
Food writing
Gastronomy
Local foods
Publishers and publishing
Restaurants -- New York (State) -- New York
Restaurants -- Italy -- Rome
Restaurants -- Venezuela -- Caracas
Television cooking shows