When a new magazine hits the net or the stores, I’m always curious to find out more. I’m a true magazine addict and the more niche tittles are starting up, the happier I get! A few days ago I discovered a brand new food magazine straight from the US. A food magazine you think. Another glossy mag filled with artfully styled food photographs, molecular based recipes and hard to get niche ingredients? NOP.
The guys (Ryan Smith, Andrew Thomas Lee, Alvin Diec, and Wyatt Williams) behind Brother , a quarterly journal on food bring their stories with a touching honesty and a nose-to-tail approach to the matter. This single-topic food magazine brings no frill stories on what we eat, following one item per issue on its journey to our plate. The food photography in Brother is cool, natural and not styled. They do bring beautiful pictures of food in general, the people behind the food preparing business but there not afraid of showing the bloody details of a live slaughter moment, the cleaning of the organs and entrails. By doing so, they are cutting away the alienation of animal to pre-packaged product.
The first issue of Brother followed poultry breeder Brandon Chonko on breeding pasture-raised chickens. The magazine is filled with images and stories of being a poultry farmer, including some gory shots of chickens that many consumers might not expect to see. In the poultry issue, pictures are taken at Brandon’s Grassroots Farm, a small place near Reidsville, where Chonko lives with his wife and kids and raises poulet rouge chickens. Brandon got his start as a farmer by walking into a restaurant unannounced with a bag of quail in his hand. One thing led to another and now he makes his living and supports a family raising poultry. His chickens are served in some of the best restaurants in Georgia. Brandon personally manages each step of the process with his own hands. Brandon does things in an honest and right way, and that’s the kind of story Brother brings. It’s a great way to get to know everyone who’s behind your meal.
The second issue follows the travails of the clam harvester Dave Belanger and the hard work involved in getting oysters and clams from the sea. From the hard labour of fishing through to the end product and everything in between. This results in beautiful images, colors and textures of the clams, in its rural, authentic habitat.
After many food scandals and food related injuries, consumers are more conscious of where their food comes from. This is a growing trend and that’s good.
In his introductory note, editor and co-founder Ryan Smith writes: “When we started Brother it was all about food. We wanted to find out how the stuff on our dinner plates got there, wanted to think about food as something other than a commodity. But after our first issue, about Brandon Chonko’s Grassroots Farms, we realized it’s hard to just talk about food. You always end up talking about people, too. At Brother we’ll introduce you to some people who make good, honest food. And we’ll show you pictures that tell the whole story, without flinching at the moments some magazines would rather ignore,” continues Smith.
Brother is one of the most intimate magazines I’ve ever read. Not only content wise but also the choice of paper, the look & feel in general, the lay-out/typography and visual images are extra ordinary, modern and fresh. A relieve after all the hyper-commodified presentation of photography common among the food scene. The magazine shows in detail the hard work, patience and persistence needed to create decent, delicate, qualitative food. Brother is a place where people meet over a good meal.
Brother is available to preview in selected exclusive international press shops or subscribe to here.
Magazines ares dead? Tarara! It’s all about what content you bring. Not everybody’s bullshit blablah, not the news all magazines, Tv shows and journals bring without any filter, until you are fed up … No, it’s about surprising insights, honest opinions with a strong expertise behind and a strong vision on your chosen subject. Niche content for a selected, informed bunch of like-minded.
A good magazine brings people together and gathers them in a joined interest and belief. I love it.
http://www.brotherjournal.com/
http://www.brotherjournal.com/
Later!
Kate
©ALL images by Brother.