New Cuisine Editor Brings New Flavour

Media release 2 December 2008

New Cuisine Editor Brings New Flavour

Fairfax Magazines has announced the appointment of a new editor who will bring a new flavour to its award-winning food magazine, Cuisine.

Eric Matthews is an acclaimed editor and art director, with more than 24 years’ international experience in publishing, editing and design across top food and fashion titles in Asia and Australia. Now he says he is excited about the chance to work with New Zealand’s “legendary” food and wine and innovative people.

For two years, Matthews has been with Conde Nast Asia, working as consulting editor and creative and design editor for Vogue China, and Men’s Vogue China. As a result of his conceptualising, art directing and editing of Men’s Vogue – launched as a six-monthly supplement to Vogue – the title is to become a standalone, monthly title.

For six years previously, Matthews had a dual role as editor-in-chief of belle, Australia’s premier interior design and lifestyle magazine, and creative director of Australian Gourmet Traveller, one of the world’s leading food and travel magazines.

Both magazines have a highly visual focus and Gourmet Traveller is renowned for its spectacular food and travel photographs.

Cuisine is known internationally as a magazine produced by “extraordinary people” with an in-depth knowledge of food and wine, Matthews says. “For that reason, it’s known around the world – not just in New Zealand – as a food and wine authority.

“I relish the opportunity of leading its talented team and injecting new ideas that keep growing Cuisine’s reputation as a culinary leader. For me, it’s not just about maintaining its current authority and standing, but taking it forward in a way that keeps it at the forefront of international publishing.”

Fairfax Magazines’ general manager Lynley Belton says Matthews’ experience on Gourmet Traveller, and with other high-quality, international lifestyle magazines, makes him the perfect candidate to edit Cuisine.

“Cuisine is known both in New Zealand and internationally for its world-class editorial on food and wine and also for its world-class production values,” Belton says. “This was recognised when it was judged the best food magazine in the world at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards last year.

“Eric brings to Cuisine an impeccable editing and design talent that can only enhance the visual feast the magazine cooks up every month.”

Cuisine founder Julie Dalzell welcomed Matthews’ appointment, saying it showed New Zealand’s pulling power in attracting such a high-calibre international candidate.

“As the world becomes a smaller place and the cuisines of the world become more accessible and intertwined, having someone with Eric’s international experience can only enhance Cuisine.”

Matthews has also worked as art and/or creative director on Harper’s Bazaar in Australia, Vogue in Singapore and Australia, and Cue’s Graphics in Japan.

Michal McKay who has been leading both Cuisine and NZ House & Garden magazines as editorial director, is leaving Fairfax at the end of March 2009, to become a consultant. There will be a transitional period when Eric joins Cuisine in February, and he will edit the magazine from its May 2009 issue.

ENDS

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