Meatpaper

Name
Sasha Wizansky

Magazine
Meatpaper (USA)

Why did you start a food magazine?
I started Meatpaper in response to the recent surge in curiosity about meat. There is a worldwide phenomenon of people paying more attention to the food on their plates, for environmental, ethical and cultural reasons. Meatpaper came into existence to document what we named “the fleischgeist” or literally, “spirit of the meat”.

Who are your readers?
Our readers are butchers, artists, vegetarians, professors, chefs, students, home cooks, farmers, architects, writers, poets… anyone with a curious mind. Some of our subscribers are in the food industry and appreciate that we bring a new perspective to some of the issues they face every day. The issue of meat is relevant to almost everyone, and we’ve found that Meatpaper appeals to people for myriad reasons.

What’s so special about food writing?
In Meatpaper articles, the meat we discuss is a window into other themes and issues. Examining the relationships between humans and meat leads to investigating psychology, history, culture, personal history, art, values and ethics. A reader from Greece wrote to us a while back saying “meat is not just eat”, and I think that is a concise and elegant way to describe our editorial mission. Occasionally, we run an article or a photo of delicious food, but our interests lie more in the cultural investigation. Meat is a metaphor, and a powerful symbol of what it means to be human.

Why are independent food magazines so popular at the moment?
Food media has become so widespread, from glossy magazines to 24-hour programming on cable TV. In this saturated media environment, independent voices are welcome. There are niche food magazines coming out all over the world, and each gives voice to the particular characteristics of its community of origin. When these magazines are distributed internationally, a larger community of thoughtful eaters takes form. In today’s DIY culture, people are taking charge of their own food systems by growing their own food, getting to know farmers and ranchers, and the accessibility and tone of the independent food press feeds this energy.