Three Questions for TASTE Editor in Chief Matt Rodbard
February 10, 2017
To herald the arrival of TASTE (tastecooking.com), an online food magazine launched in partnership with the Crown Publishing Group, we posed three questions to Matt Rodbard, who will direct TASTE’s editorial vision, strategy, and content development.
Standing out in a crowded field is important, no doubt. But what we’re trying to avoid are some of the cheap tricks sometimes used to do this on the Internet: click-bait headlines, circular food content jammed into the square news cycle, images of bacon and burgers ad nauseam. All that isn’t TASTE. What we can do is publish a weekly slate of stories that are unique and tackle an exciting, and sometimes surprising, range of topics. We recently sent a journalist to Denmark during the darkest days of winter to witness firsthand what it’s like to cook and live in the hygge way—a trend you may have read about in the Guardian or New York Times Styles section, but one that hasn’t been fully reported from the ground. We have stories about the art of Malaysian meat on a stick, and how the Instant Pot might be the world’s first viral kitchen appliance. Did you ever wonder how to cook with yuzu juice? We have that story coming.
Why do you think there is such a universal fascination with cooking and the culinary arts in the world today, and how will TASTE engage most successfully with this ever-growing consumer base?
Here’s a fact: You have to eat at least three times a day. And for many of us that’s a baseline! Food is universal; it’s the connective tissue that keeps us running as a society. So, unlike sports or film or marathon running, food is a requirement. It’s life. Our goal is to tell stories about food and cooking that takes this requirement and adds some color and detail. We seek to answer questions, but also to ask them. And we think there’s a growing swell of people who are thinking more and more about not just the best brick-oven pizza in their hometown (for the record, in NYC, it’s Motorino), but how to make traditional Neapolitan pies at home. Popular Company News
A Newly Discovered and Never-Before-Seen Manuscript by Dr. Seuss To Be Published by Random House Children’s Books
October 28, 2025
An original manuscript and cover sketch by Ted Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, was discovered in the archives of UC San Diego’s Geisel Library, and will be…
Our 38 New York Times Book Review “100 Notable Books of 2025”
November 27, 2025
The annual New York Times Book Review “100 Notable Books” list has arrived, honoring the year’s most compelling and influential works across fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.…
Our Five Finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards
October 7, 2025
Today, the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization, announced the finalists for the 76th National Book Awards. Established in 1950, the National Book Awards are American literary prizes…
Random House Children’s Books to Acquire Cherry Lake Publishing Group
November 11, 2025
Sleeping Bear Press, Tilbury House, and Other Cherry Lake Imprints to Join Random House Children’s Books, Maintaining Distinct Identities and Leadership. Random House Children’s Books (RHCB),…
David Szalay Wins the 2025 Booker Prize for FLESH
November 12, 2025
We’re thrilled to share that David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize, one of the leading literary awards in the English-speaking world, for his novel…
Spotlighting Our Titles on Amazon’s Best Books of 2025
November 14, 2025
Amazon recently released its Best Books of 2025 list, compiled by the Amazon Editors after spending thousands of hours reading and evaluating an impressive range of…
Our 76th National Book Awards Winner: Omar El Akkad’s ONE DAY, EVERYONE WILL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THIS
November 20, 2025
On the night of November 19, 2025, the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization, announced the winners of the 76th National Book Awards, which celebrate the best literature…
Penguin Random House and United for Libraries Announce 2026 Grant Program for Rural and Small Libraries
October 21, 2025
Penguin Random House and United for Libraries have announced a 2026 grant program designed to uplift rural and small libraries across the country. This initiative will…
Higher Ground to Launch “IMO: The Look” Podcast Series With Michelle Obama on November 5, Featuring Live Events Alongside Book Release
October 16, 2025
Higher Ground, the media company founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, today announced a special six-part limited companion series to its hit podcast IMO…
