Sapphics For Saffitz @halfsoursapphics - Tumblr Blog

HELLO???

#claire saffitz #christina chaey #it’s not just that she’s tall she’s also in heels #makes claire look extra small #much to think about #a lot of feelings

Hello darkness, my old friend

#🍪#claire saffitz #dessert person #claire saffitz x dessert person #claire saffitz makes chocolate chip cookies #i trust that her chocolate chip cookies are the best #she has the right opinions about a good cookie #but also i do love my girlfriend’s chocolate chip cookies #also hi y’all! it’s been a minute

This might be the end of Gourmet Makes, but it’s not the end of new Claire content for us! Can’t wait to see what all she’s working on!

#claire saffitz #bon appétit test kitchen #ba test kitchen #gourmet makes #i’m proud of her for leaving #and i’m even more proud of her for calling out the inequality in opportunities cne afforded to some members of staff #much as i’m sad for the end of gourmet makes #i know this will lead to better opportunities for her #maybe we’ll see claire on babish or some other chef yt #in this house we stan claire #iwdfcftbatk #maybe we need a new hashtag?#sapphics for saffitz

Dessert Person is coming October 20th!

Claire’s statement

#claire saffitz #bon appétit #bon appétit test kitchen #gourmet makes #test kitchen talks #ba test kitchen #ba #i appreciate her candor and how she takes responsibility for her past actions and inactions #this isn't a statement written by a publicist #she isn't playing victim or shifting blame #she recognizes her privilege and how that allowed her to move through the test kitchen differently than BIPOC #i'd imagine that she assumed that sohla and gaby and christina were getting paid since she herself was #but knowing about the toxicity of that workplace and still not asking questions isn't a good look #exempting herself from action because of her freelance position at ba is not a good look #it does sound like she's committed to changing herself and working towards change in her industry though #as always the proof is in the pudding #claire is one part of the larger food industry that needs to to change #and it's when the food industry changes that BIPOC will get their long-overdue recognition and compensation #not just at ba but in every kitchen #because this is far larger than the test kitchen #and those changes will take the concerted effort of all involved but especially the effort of those in prominent positions #i for one have faith in claire to go through learning and unlearning and relearning and come out better for it #i don't know where her career will go from here #i don't know if we'll ever get another gourmet makes #but i will tell y'all that i'd go without a new gourmet snack maybe forever if it meant equality and recognition and compensation for BIPOC #in conclusion i love and support claire but i am also disappointed and i want her to do better by the BIPOC in her life #being a fan is complicated #sapphics for saffitz

Well.

The past few days really have been a whirlwind of reckoning for Bon Appétit, and it’s long overdue. What started with Adam Rapoport’s awful photo (one that he apparently felt proud enough of to keep a framed copy of it on his desk) then led to the reveal of Alex Delany’s awful cake (absolutely no excuse for making that cake -- South Carolina’s state fruit is the peach, the opportunity is right there) which then led to the resurfacing of Matt Duckor’s awful tweets (those were just bile made out of letters that he felt proud enough of to say out loud).

Now we have Adam doubling-down about his photo in a way that speaks volumes as to how he’s interacted with BIPOC in the past. He finds it impossible to admit wrongdoing without arguing semantics in some sort of desperate grasping-at-straws. His behavior in this email exchange exemplifies why his departure was necessary for things to change at BA.

Now we have Ryan Walker-Hartshorn revealing exactly how awful it was to work as Adam’s assistant. She deserves to be compensated for her work, especially when Adam would ask her to do things well outside her job. She deserves to be able to make her rent. She deserves to be treated with respect.

Now we have Hawa Hassan revealing she was only paid $400 per video. That’s disgusting. Condé Nast could have afforded to pay her ten times that (and they should’ve, at minimum). And since she won’t be coming back, they’ve lost out on her talent forever.

Something’s rotten in the Test Kitchen.

And finally we have Bon Appétit issuing their own statement on things. It sounds nice on paper, but I’ll believe it when I see it. They say they’ve “been complicit in a culture” that they “don’t agree with” -- but I reckon they agree with it more than they’d be willing to admit, considering how long things had been allowed to continue (and, let’s be honest, things would still be continuing that way if Sohla hadn’t bravely spoken up).

Do better, Bon Appétit. Do better, Condé Nast.

#bon appétit #bon appétit test kitchen #ba test kitchen #batk #half-sour.txt #i wish i had seen something better from ba's apology they posted but all i saw was a lot of talk and no actual plan to follow through #sure there were some vague details #and they for sure wrote that after having seen what sohla and hawa posted #but it all rings hollow #it all will continue to ring hollow until we see proof of the changes they say they want to make

Y’all have probably seen the news by now that Adam Rapoport is no longer the EIC at BA. Y’all have also probably read Sohla’s unmasking of the unequal treatment of BIPO, especially in regards to being on-camera personalities for BA’s YouTube channel. She took a huge risk by sharing her experiences so candidly. Her bravery is admirable. It pains me that something that brings me so much joy has brought so much pain for the people involved in making it.

We need to support Sohla. We need to support Priya, Andy, Rick, Christina, and Gaby. We need to support Joseph Hernandez and Alex Lau. We need to listen to them.

Adam resigning is a good first step, but it can’t be the last step. There’s no excuse for the failings of BA. Talented chefs like Sohla and Priya deserve to be paid in accordance to their skill and experience. BIPOC members of staff, not just the chefs, deserve to feel supported and heard and compensated properly. There needs to be diversity in the magazine with their recipes and restaurant reviews and diversity in front of the cameras for their channel. Personally, I’d love to see Sohla have her own show where she does more things like the dessert cabonara.

When you love something, you want it to be the best it can be. I love Bon Appétit’s videos, and I really want the magazine behind them to be better. I think it can be if they listen to their staff and make genuine changes.

#adam rapoport #sohla el waylly #priya krishna #andy baraghani #rick martinez #joseph hernandez #alex lau #bon appétit test kitchen #ba test kitchen #batk #half-sour.txt #i really hope that things change for the better and that sohla speaking up doesn't fall on deaf ears #seeing the chefs of the test kitchen unite and support her when she spoke up gives me hope though #things change when groups come together to support that change #that old saying 'strength in numbers' is true

Black Lives Matter.

In the wake of everything happening this past week, it hasn’t felt right to get on here and post photos of Claire like everything is fine when everything is not fine. There needs to be justice for George Floyd. There needs to be justice for Breonna Taylor. We need to rebuild our societal structures from the ground up to root out the systemic racism that permeates them. We need to direct funding to education and mental health rather than arming police. When BIPOC speak about the harsh realities they face, we need to listen to them and support them and work towards equality. We need to commit to be better. We need to commit to change.

In keeping with this blog’s theme, if y’all are interested in supporting the organizations that members of the Test Kitchen are donating to, here’s a list:

Sohla, Andy, Brad, Rick, and Delany: NAACP -- donate here

Delany: Philadelphia Black Giving Circle -- donate here

Claire: Brooklyn Community Bail Fund -- donate here

Chris and Gaby: ACLU -- donate here

Priya and Amiel: Campaign Zero -- donate here

Priya: The Bail Project -- donate here

Molly: NAMI’s Black/African American focus -- donate here

Christina: Make the Road New York -- donate here

I know things are rough for a lot of folks financially, so if y’all aren’t able to monetarily support, then please pass this post around! Donations keep organizations like these, and so many others, able to do their good work. In these times, that work is especially vital.

Update! Brooklyn Community Bail Fund is no longer taking donations and is asking people to donate to other resources. Check out this list of bail funds to donate to, organized by location.