Barbara Fairchild was the longtime editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit magazine. Before participating in a panel evaluating the state of L.A.’s plate, she revealed why she resembles brie cheese and offered her props to an unsung but praiseworthy grilled artichoke in the San Fernando Valley in the Zócalo green room.
Whose talent would you like to have?
There are so many different kinds of things that I’m interested in; it would be hard to pick one person. Hillary Clinton just popped into my head—she has the ability to be diplomatic but get done what she wants to get done. She knows how to negotiate and keep both sides happy. In the food world, I’d like to be someone like Suzanne Goin, who has a successful restaurant operation but is in the kitchen creating all the time. She has a husband and kids and manages to keep her life together in a seemingly gracious and easy way. She makes it all look pretty easy. And I’d like to be funny like Stephen Colbert.
What cheese best describes you?
I would say a very soft yet intriguing and rich-tasting brie. It’s a classic cheese with sometimes surprising undertones.
What holiday is your least favorite to cook for?
That is difficult because I really like the holidays. I love to cook for large numbers of people. Maybe July 4th. I don’t know why—maybe because everybody expects a red, white, and blue dessert, and you get a little tired of raspberries and blueberries all the time. But I can’t think of one I don’t like cooking for.
How did you get into trouble as a child?
Probably staying out too late, playing with my friends—mostly in the summertime when school was out—without telling my parents where I was. Back in the day you could stay out all day, and no one would be concerned about you till 9, 9:30, and they’d start wondering where you were.
How do you pass the time when you’re stuck in traffic?
I listen to the radio. If the traffic is really stopped, I admit I will text. I also talk on the phone, because I do have hands-free Bluetooth. So, I’m legal.
What’s your favorite plant or flower?
Roses. No question. I love roses. And I have a lot of them.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Stay focused and keep a sense of humor.
What’s the most unsung but worthy-of-praise dish being served in Los Angeles right now?
The grilled artichoke at the Laurel Tavern in Studio City.
When are you at your most creative?
When I’m writing.
What time do you prefer to write?
Usually in the late afternoon. And when I’m on a deadline.