The Gourmand #9
The ninth issue of The Gourmand was launched last night in London at a party graced by the presence of cover star Cookie Monster, mountains of cookies and seemingly endless milk. The advance excitement generated online by the cover has already led to a reprint of the issue ahead of publication.
More than just a cover star, Cookie Monster features in a lengthy interview inside the issue. Regular Gourmand contributor Kyle Hugall wrote the piece, working with the Sesame Street team who have strict guidelines for how their star is presented. ‘They talked to us as if Cookie Monster is a real person,’ explains The Gourmand’s David Lane, ‘we were given more scope for the pictures, but there was a strict no black and white rule – the blue is a part of his personality.’ As referenced by the colour chart included in the opening shot.
Roe Ethridge shot the photographs, essentially a Cookie Monster relaxes at home shoot. ‘Roe reappropriates popular culture in his work so he seemed perfect and responded immediately to the idea,’ says Lane. Cookie Monster arrives on set with a set of accessories – cookies, mainly – and his own art director to make sure his characterisation is accurate.
The result is a perfect, light-hearted story that tips the balance of the issue in a humorous direction; alongside Tom Johnston’s witty chef portraits and Blommers & Schumm’s snails on cutlery shoot, this is another visually rich and beautifully produced issue of one of our favourite food mags.
The Gourmand is one of the magazine included in our next magCulture Boxset. Find out more here.