Inside The New York Times’ Plan to Double Down on Cooking Videos (Exclusive)

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Could the New York Times successfully transform into a go-to platform for cooking videos? This esteemed news organization believes it can achieve this goal by capitalizing on its extensive collection of recipes, utilizing its internal talent pool, and collaborating with external cooking content creators.

NYT Cooking has emerged as a significant hub for food enthusiasts and home cooks (with the Times reporting that its Cooking site and app attracted around 456 million visits last year), and cooking now plays a crucial role in the company’s ability to attract and retain subscribers, making it one of their key competencies.

Additionally, it has gradually transformed into a prominent video platform, not just as a component within its proprietary environment, but also on YouTube where New York Times Cooking boasts over a million subscribers. As the number of food and recipe innovators grows on this platform, The Times is aiming to expand its influence in the cooking video market, becoming more assertive in a domain that was previously controlled by Food Network.

Emily Weinstein, the leader of NYT Cooking’s editorial team, expresses that they aspire to become the premier hub for culinary talent online. She notes that video is the universal language of the internet, making it a logical step for them.

Camilla Velasquez, NYT Cooking’s business lead, states, “We see an abundance of videos online, and our app users really enjoy our videos. However, we’ve also noticed a great response to our videos on YouTube. So, we thought, why not increase this trend? Why not establish ourselves as the hub for top cooking talent? We believe that video is the most effective medium to showcase this, it’s what people are looking for online today, and franchises offer the best approach to achieve that.

On Friday, the Times premiered the second season of their highly acclaimed show, “Cooking 101”. Kicking off this season is an episode where Samin Nosrat, author of “Salt Fat Acid Heat”, discusses salad dressings. Each episode in this series will feature a changing lineup of hosts, who share essential cooking knowledge with viewers (you can catch it here).

However, The Times is broadening its selection of shows, with “The Veggie” set to premiere next month. This new program is inspired by Tanya Sichynsky’s newsletter, boasting a wide readership of millions of consumers. Interestingly, Sichynsky herself will be the host, as the show explores delicious vegan, vegetarian, and vegetable-centric recipes.

According to Weinstein, the audience has expressed a preference for additional meatless recipes. Tanya, who isn’t a vegetarian herself, plans to create such dishes that are both delightful and enjoyable to prepare, emphasizing a vegetable-centric approach in cooking.

Later this year, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be part of an enticing new baking series, airing on The New York Times, and led by none other than the charismatic Vaughn Vreeland from NYT Cooking!

According to Scott Loitsch, “He has a dedicated fanbase.” People are captivated by him on-screen, and with the introduction of his bakery franchise featuring a newsletter, fans get a chance to learn more about him on a personal level.

As a passionate gamer, I’d rephrase it like this: “While investigating what makes baking so appealing to viewers, the Times discovered a special moment they termed the ‘eat the leftovers delight.’ This is the part where we can’t resist diving into the remaining batter or dough after a successful bake!

Weinstein points out that it’s not about the instant when you remove the pan of brownies from the oven or when you eat a brownie, but rather the moment filled with anticipation, happiness, and excitement – the one where you use a spatula to scoop the leftover batter from the bowl and taste it. He finds this moment incredibly delightful, and he knew it would come across vividly in video.”

Or shorter:

“Weinstein highlights that the joy of baking brownies isn’t just about taking them out of the oven or eating them, but the thrilling moment of tasting the batter left in the bowl – a moment he finds particularly delightful and easily conveyable through video.

Apart from its own staff, the Times is also reaching out to content creators in the field who can host shows or start new series. Currently, the Times collaborates with established creators who have a substantial following on YouTube and various other platforms, and they aim to expand this collaboration even more.

We’re seeking exceptionally gifted individuals who are currently working independently and are interested in joining our team. Moreover, we’re particularly interested in those with exceptional recipe creation skills since NYT Cooking primarily focuses on providing unique recipes. When we scout for talent worldwide, we’re looking for people who excel at creating captivating content, have a knack for fostering communities around their recipes, and are also consistently producing exceptional recipes of their own.

As a gamer, I’m diving into an exciting expansion phase that mirrors the broader movement beyond my usual gaming grounds. While the core subscription to my recipe library and content remains the bedrock of NYT Cooking, I’m venturing out onto other platforms, with YouTube being a significant focus, to amplify my influence and reach a wider audience.

To achieve this goal, The Times is exploring additional partnerships with brands and increasing its advertising efforts. This may involve incorporating products directly into videos or providing free access to recipes that are typically only accessible for a fee.

Velasquez points out that not everything needs to be a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we can capitalize on the entertainment element for YouTube content and emphasize the instructional aspect for recipes, thereby providing multiple ways to engage users based on their preferences.”

Or simply:

“Velasquez suggests tailoring different aspects of our content to meet various user needs – using entertainment for YouTube and instruction for recipes, creating diverse methods of user engagement.

In today’s multi-platform era, as video creators increasingly shape our culture (with cooking being a genre enjoyed by millions), NYT Cooking aims to stay not just relevant but at the heart of this transformation. By fostering an environment where creators can grow their audience through The New York Times, we also enlarge our own pool of talent. This creates a cycle, much like a wheel spinning, that benefits both parties.

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2025-06-27 20:25