Bon Appétit magazine issues 'long-overdue apology' amid accusations of racism

‘We have been complicit with a culture we don’t agree with and are committed to change’

Bon Appétit magazine has issued a formal apology following accusations of racism and pay disparity.

On Wednesday, an unsigned statement attributed to staff at both Bon Appétit and its sister publication Epicurious was published online under the title “A Long-Overdue Apology, and Where We Go From Here”.

The announcement began by acknowledging the recent resignation of its editor in chief Adam Rapoport, who stepped down from his senior role after a photo of him dressed in “brown face” resurfaced on social media.

In the statement, staff said the image was “deeply offensive” in its own right but that it also represented the “much broader and longstanding impact of racism” at both publications.

The signatories also touched upon accusations from current and former members of staff who highlighted pay discrepancies between white and non-white employees.

On Monday, assistant editor Sohla El-Waylly wrote on her Instagram story that she was being paid less than white co-workers who had “significantly less” experience and that she is often “pushed in front of video as a display of diversity.”

Addressing the comments, staff said they have “been complicit” with a culture they do not agree with and are committed to change. “Our mastheads have been far too white for far too long. As a result, the recipes, stories, and people we’ve highlighted have too often come from a white-centric viewpoint,” the statement read. ”At times we have treated non-white stories as ‘not newsworthy’ or ‘trendy.’ Other times we have appropriated, co-opted, and Columbused them.”

Staff also admitted the publication has “tokenised” many BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of colour) contributors, while others have been given entry-level positions with little power.

“Black staffers have been saddled with contributing racial education to our staffs and appearing in editorial and promotional photo shoots to make our brands seem more diverse,” the statement read. “We haven’t properly learned from or taken ownership of our mistakes. But things are going to change.”

Sohla El-Waylly shared her opinion on the photo of Adam Rapoport and publishing group Conde Nast (Instagram: @sohlae)

Bon Appétit and Epicurious have now vowed to prioritise people of colour for the editor in chief candidate pool, implement anti-racism training, and resolve any pay inequities in a bid to dismantle “the toxic, top-down culture that has hurt many members of our staff both past and present.”

In addition, they will seek to hire more freelancers of colour and “centre, rather than patronise, the contributions of marginalised people”.

“There will be zero tolerance for racism, sexism, homophobia, or harassment in any form,” the statement concluded. “This is just the start. We want to be transparent, accountable, and active as we begin to dismantle racism at our brands.”

Following the announcement, Roger Lynch, CEO of Conde Nast, which owns Bon Appétit and Epicurious, shared his own statement of support to the teams in which he announced that all claims of pay inequities and inappropriate workplace behaviour are going to be investigated.

Lynch added that the publishing group aims “to do better” when it comes to “confronting racism and attracting, retaining and nurturing a diverse and inclusive workforce.”

“As a company dedicated to leading these issues in our coverage and journalism, we take seriously the responsibility of being a positive force of change in our culture,” Lynch wrote. “But change must also begin with us.”

The statements come after Rapoport said he was “deeply sorry” for the racially insensitive photo that resurfaced of him and his wife dressed as stereotypes of Puerto Ricans.

The former editor resigned from his role with a statement on Instagram in which he promised to “reflect on the work that I need to do as a human”.

“From an extremely ill-conceived Halloween costume 16 years ago to my blind spots as an editor I’ve not championed an inclusive vision. And ultimately it’s been at the expense of Bon Appétit and its staff as well as our readers. They all deserve better,” he wrote.

“The staff has been working hard to evolve the brand in a positive, more diverse direction. I will do all I can to support that work, but I am not the one to lead that work. I am deeply sorry for my failings and to the position in which I out the editors of BA. Thank you.”