Bon Vivant
Culinary Journal

A culinary journal focused on a single subject per issue, published twice yearly. Featuring stories, recipes, and photography from our favorite places to cook and eat.

How We Started - My Role

Coming off our the Building Flavor cookbook, a new idea hatched from the Managing Editor, Hugh Amano to start a journal series. Not another cookbook, not a travel guide, but a 100 page issue about a single subject all encompassing of the culture and vibrance around and in that subject. Food is much more than the glory shot once it’s presented, it is the people, the landscape, and the stories behind it all. We find that is the story we want to tell.

Brand Development

Developing Bon Vivant as a brand was the opportunity I had been waiting for, we wanted it to be clean, strong, timeless, and somewhat natural feeling. A brand that represents all things in their truest forms. The typeface logo is reminiscent of a iron branding tool, but timeless and true; much like the content.

As we progressed with each issue, our brand application extended into stationary, digital media, email campaigns, and eventually partnerships. Eventually, my Graphic Design contribution turned into creative direction through photography, collaboration with partners, events, and onsite strategic research.

Issue 5: Rocky Mountain High

Ever since we started Bon Vivant back in 2021, we’ve been jonesing to put out a cannabis-based issue. And after a few trips into the mountains—namely to the first state to legalize it—the Rocky Mountain High idea hit. We spent the winter and early spring in the mountains of Colorado skiing, hiking, and cooking up some great treats with Mary Jane. But don’t worry if the green isn’t your thing. These recipes are just as great without it—and so are the stories and photos!

These recipes differ from the usual “one million ways to put pot into baked goods” cookbooks churning out the same tired old brownie recipe. Don’t get us wrong, we’ve got a few sweets in here (including a really good chocolate-filled peanut butter cookie known as the Magic Middle), but we’ve got some killer recipes for savories too, including chili crisp, queso fundido, and an all-time favorite of ours, Colorado green chile.

Issue 4: Texas BBQ

In this Issue of Bon Vivant, Hugh Amano and Johnathan Zaragoza journey to Texas for a deep dive into Texas Barbecue. There they learn all about the Holy Trinity of BBQ, how to smoke a brisket, the gear you need, and the Texas BBQ available in Chicago. Hugh and I visited Umamicue, Shaker BBQ, and Heffer BBQ, where we met great people with outstanding food.

This issue we were able to partner with Windy City Smokeout to visit Pit masters and share our hot off the press edition of Bon Vivant. We also created Bon Vivant BBQ gift kits working with Hedley & Bennet to create branded aprons, and creating our own BBQ rubs for pork and brisket.

Issue 4: Texas BBQ

Our newest issue, all things Texas BBQ.

Issue 3: Pasta

There is so much more to the world of pasta than a box of spaghetti and a can of sauce, there is heart, history, and fresh pasta that is so much more attainable than you know! We meet new friends in Chicago from Gemma, explore the streets of Philadelphia, and talk about fresh pasta in a approachable light.

Issue 1: Wood Fire Cooking

This issue was the initial launch of the culinary journal series. I wanted the spirit of a Bon Vivant to be felt in the pages throughout while allowing for nuance illustrating a spirited subject. The balance of space, use of images, and pace of content is used to build the stage for exploring culture through the lens of food.

Issue 2: Baja

This issue is an exploration of Baja California: tacos on Tijuana streets, the divine seafood of Ensenada, a beautiful dairy and cheese cave in the hills of Ojos Negros, world-class wine in the eerily misty vineyards of Valle de Guadalupe, and cooking (and drinking plenty of Mezcal) with new friends in the southern town of Todos Santos.