Pam Brandon, managing editor of Edible Orlando, announced Thursday that the October issue of the quarterly publication that has highlighted and celebrated the area’s rich food resources and culinary personalities for the past 13 years will be its last under current ownership.
Kendra Lott, Edible Orlando’s publisher, said by phone that she had been planning to sell the magazine but hoped to take the publication through the spring edition, then help a buyer through the transition. But her daughter is now in 12th grade and “parenting a senior is a lot a lot,” she said. “I realized she needs me now and I need to spend more time with her.”
Lott had been living in New York’s Hudson Valley and planning to move back to Central Florida when she saw an edition of Edible Hudson Valley, another publication under the parent Edible Communities International. She learned that the Orlando license was available and figured it would be a good way to return to the community and use her master’s degree in food studies from NYU.
She bought the licensing rights to Edible Orlando and set about finding an editor. She was introduced to Brandon, a well-known author of Disney cookbooks, and she, Lott and Brandon’s daughter, Katie Farmand, became the founding editorial staff and remained on the masthead the full run. They planned each edition – Edible Communities does not dictate content – focusing on local farmers, purveyors and chefs in well-written articles, many by contributing authors, beautifully illustrated with professional photography and graphics.
“It’s been a journey of finding our collective voice,” Lott said of the team. “It’s been a real ride, but I think we’re all looking optimistically for our next chapters.”
Lott said the publication’s online and social media presences will continue until a buyer is found.
