A year ago today, we launched Food and Wine Gazette without knowing exactly which direction the website would take. Time flies and in many ways it seems like yesterday.
That might be the case because it has been a crazy year. On top of a full-time job, we’ve been trying to build Food and Wine Gazette into what it is today and that path has gone way beyond our expectations.
When I started this website, it was a way to introduce a bit of creativity into my life which was completely missing and combine two things I am extremely passionate about, writing and food and wine.
Today, a year later, I am extremely pleased with the results achieved and have more experience and a better understanding of what Food and Wine Gazette has become and how best to enhance it and make it more useful.
The latest interview with Belgian chef Peter Goossens is just the culmination of a year in which I have interviewed and profiled the likes of Rene Redzepi, Massimo Bottura, Mauro Colagreco, Eneko Atxa, Sergio Herman, Quique Dacosta, Gert De Mangeleer, Kobe Desramaults, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre, Heinz Beck, Anthony Genovese and Michel Roux Jr, to mention just a few names.
I will always be grateful to the people who made this happen, including many of the above who gave me a chance even if they did not know who I was or for what medium I was going to interview them.
Many have welcomed me into their kitchens and allowed me to chronicle their story. They’ve also given me the confidence and energy to carry on.
I’ve had to take detours and drive kilometres to get to meet them but it has all been part of an amazing journey that is just at its beginning. When I was starting Food and Wine Gazette, I drove over 1300 kilometres in two days to get to meet some of the above chefs.
I’ve cancelled appointments at the last minute to be able to meet with some of the above people or try and get a story. Anyone who has been or is in the business knows what I am talking about.
Over the past months, I’ve also tried to uncover the stories of emerging chefs like Stephane Diffels and Atsuki Tanaka or looking at food and wine from a different angle always looking for a story behind the restaurant, wine or product.
I hope to be able to write the whole story in future (not necessarily here) because I am sure it will be of interest to many. But for the time being, I want to thank each and every reader who has given me the energy to continue, to each and every person I’ve met whose given me the encouragement to continue, and to all the people who gave given me their time and story.
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It has been a year that has surpassed all my expectations. I look forward to many more.
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