James Chatto is the author of six books, editor of Harry Magazine, senior editor of Food and Drink magazine, food and culture columnist for ROM magazine, food critic for the Toronto Standard and National Culinary Advisor to Gold Medal Plates. He has been declared a Freeman of Corfu Town and is a Chevalier of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Taste Fromage de France.
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| Image credit: George Whiteside. |
Website: www.jameschatto.com
Twitter: @jameschatto
Twitter: @jameschatto
What was your favourite class in high school? Why?
English with Mr. Lever who was 23, crashed people’s parties, smoked and drank and inspired profound enthusiasm for his favourite writers.
How did you get your start as an editor?
I was a writer first, started line editing other people’s work, liked it and then got lucky first with Food and Drink, then with Harry Magazine.
If you weren’t a Media, Darling, what would you be doing right now?
I’d be a puppetmaker.
Pitching or follow up: Phone or email?
Always email. I’ve stopped answering the phone.
We know irrelevant pitches, calling you the wrong name and eight follow-ups are no-no’s; what else should publicists avoid doing?
They should do a little more homework. Find out lead times for magazines so they don’t pitch Christmas stories in November. Keep their databases up-to-date.
Sunrise or sunset? Both. I’m less interested in the time in between.
Scent? Gin.
Cookie? Bath Olivers.
Flower? Gardenias.
Ticklish? I can’t remember.
Shower or bath? Bath (very deep and hot).
Film? Carry On Sergeant.
Crush? Just the one. 😉
First job? Toiling in the basement of a bookshop.
Inspiration? See Crush.
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