As a child, Claire Saffitz was very enthusiastic about learning.She was driven to succeed academically and took comfort in being bookish.She attended college at Harvard University, where she graduatedmagna cum laudewith a BA in American History and Literature.Her first job after graduating from college was an internship at a museum, but she realized early on that this was not the career path that she wanted to take.
Although she was quite studious and interested inwriting, she also discovered that she wanted to be involved in something that was more hands-on.
She then traveled across the world to attendÉcole Grégoire Ferandi, a culinary school in Paris.She followed up her studies with an externship at Spring, a much sought-after restaurant, also in Paris, where reservations had to be made months in advance.Shortly after this, Claire attended graduate school at McGill University, where she managed to combine her love for cooking with the rigor of academics.
Stepping Stones
Many people associate Claire Saffitz with being a writer atBon Appetit, a food and entertainment magazine that has been around for more than 50 years.But her first job with the magazine was as a freelance recipe tester.The food editors worked their magic in the kitchen by testing new recipes, while other editors managed the written content.Once these recipes got the final nod, Claire was called in to make the dish from start to finish and point out any mistakes, or whether certain parts required more clarity.
When an Assistant Food Editor position opened up atBon Appetit, Claire jumped at the opportunity.She then climbed the ladder to become Senior Food Editor at the magazine (until 2018) and is now a Contributing Editor.Some might say that she just got lucky because she was in the right place at the right time, but the continual rise of her status across industries and mediums proves that she is talented and ambitious.
Acting Chops
While she was writing forBon Appetit, Claire Saffitz was also burning the midnight oil in her own kitchen.She was recreating recipes from cookbooks but always ensured that the final product had her personal touch.The magazine had also been creating strategies to increase its presence on the internet.That’s how the food showGourmet Makeswas born.
Originally, Claire was not supposed to host the show, but the producers eventually decided that she would be a good fit.This was probably one of the best decisions they made because the show was a runaway hit.The first episode aired in 2017, and the Bon Appetit Youtube channel subscribers have been increasing steadily, currently clocking at 4 million.
The premise of the show is wonderfully quirky and novel —Claire attempts to recreate popular food items like Oreos, Cheetos and Skittles from scratch.Of the 20 episodes that have been uploaded, the number of views ranges from 5 million to 11 million per episode.
As a host, Claire is charming, witty, and unafraid to share her failures while going through the process.This idea of imperfection is key to the success of the show.Claire has mentioned in interviews that she didn’t really know why people would want to watch her scurry about in the kitchen trying to come up with a recipe.She felt that since she was a professional, viewers were expecting something extraordinary.But once the videos started gaining popularity, she understood that what worked was her passion and drive- the viewers were rooting for her to win.
Her fans, while growing in number, are extremely vocal about their praise.Some findother-worldly connections, while others can’t help butgush. The show has received rave reviews across the board, all mostly praising the Claire Saffitz’s unique, relatable style.Apart fromGourmet Makes,she has also worked onMaking Perfect,a show that’s all about the perfect pizza.Her new show,BA Baking School,focusses on the nitty-gritties of baking recipes and is geared towards people baking at home.
Getting Personal
Although not much is known about her personal life, she has mentioned in interviews that she is dating a former chef who cooks much of the food when they are together.As a result, their home-cooked meals sometimes look like they’ve been whipped up at a Michelin-star restaurant.However, she is just as happy to have a simple meal of eggs and toast while lying on the couch.
Claire has a massive sweet tooth and always makes it a point to have dessert.She also loves milk and butter, and herboyfriend’s restaurantpartners with a local dairy so there’s always enough and more lying around the house.Claire ran the New York City Marathon in 2017 and is passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle.Since she eats so many different foods while she’s working, she tries to ensure that she balances that out with veggies when she’s eating at home.
She has an active social life and sometimes gets friends to sample the new recipes that she’s constantly creating.Claire is also quite clear that she is not snobbish about food.She believes that people should eat what they like and make it their own way.
Future Plans
While a majority of people who appear on camera put a lot of effort into their appearance, Claire sports a no-fuss look and proudly displays her white hair.This has made her a crowd favorite because she is so much more relatable and vulnerable than the celebrities who strive to look perfect.
Claire Saffitz is slowly becoming a household name.Her Instagram account has close to 300,000 followers and heramazing chemistrywithBon Appetit’sTest Kitchen Manager Brad Leone has fans hoping that they will get together off-screen.
Claire gave up her full-time job at Bon Appetit back in August 2018.She now has a contract with them to create video content.She lives in New York and collaborates with various individuals and companies as a freelancer.She is also working on a cookbook that will detail baking recipes (releasing in late 2020).
