What Drives Us

At its core, Plate has always been guided by chefs’ love for food and a commitment to serving their customers. We’re now expanding our mission to include greater insights into operations, crucial industry-related and social issues, in-depth chef profiles, and more of what it takes to sustain a restaurant in today’s climate. This deepens our unique connection with professional chefs as we share their stories, amplify their voices, inspire their creativity, and promote their impact on food and restaurant culture.

We know delivering rich and balanced content is essential. While we will continue to highlight the latest culinary trends and industry best practices, we will also share insights into the personalities, inspiration, and communities that make restaurants important. We’ll do everything we can to keep our readers well-informed and help them address critical new realities of survival as a chef/restaurateur.

In spite of the extraordinary challenges facing the restaurant industry, Plate’s connection with chefs remains stronger than any other media brand. We’ll continue to remind them why they love to cook and provide the inspiration they need to fuel their passion.

Our Editorial Credo

Independent chefs are invested in learning, constantly seeking new and innovative food and menu ideas for their restaurants. Often imbued with a rich cultural background and family heritage. Chefs capitalize on new flavors and ingredients, creating interesting new dishes that reflect their unique stories. They also value insights and perspectives from equally passionate and inspired chefs who have made an impact on the industry and the communities they serve.

Today’s chefs need more than just well-honed skills and an intimacy with food and flavors. They have to master everything from safety protocols, fair treatment and equality issues, and employee benefits to fluctuating margins, new methods of food service and delivery, operational efficiency, marketing their own businesses and more.

Going forward, every issue of Plate will present a balance of food innovation and restaurant operations, as well as illuminating chef profiles, stories about food culture and community, and narratives linked to pivotal social issues impacting the industry. Plate print issues will be mirrored and complemented by our online coverage with the same insightful profiles, stories and features. We’ve realigned our editorial mix to deliver coverage across channels that is both timely and consequential to today’s independent chefs in their quests to survive and thrive.

Issues in 2021:
January/February Ad Close 12/11 — Materials Due 12/24
March/April Ad Close: 2/3 — Materials Due 2/15
May/June Ad Close: 4/1 — Materials Due 4/12
July/August Ad Close: 6/7 — Materials Due 6/21
September/October — Chefs to Watch 2021 Ad Close 8/5 — Materials Due 8/19
November/December Ad Close 10/19 — Materials Due 11/8