About

I’m Hugh Amano, a chef and writer based in Chicago. Bon Vivant is a biannual culinary journal that I launched in 2021 after publishing three cookbooks with Ten Speed Press (Let’s Make Ramen!, Let’s Make Dumplings!, and The Adventures of Fat Rice). I’ve worked in the food industry since the early aughts, but have been captivated by food and all that surrounds it since I was a small boy in Colorado, fascinated by the magic of leavening bread or eating gyoza by the dozen during family visits to Japan.

I believe that the best way to learn about people and culture is through the lens of food and drink. Maybe that’s making soba with a master in the foothills of Mt. Fuji, or eating cevapcici in the glow of a food stall’s window on a dark night in Pula. Perhaps it’s drinking absinthe in a dark jazz bar after a day at the baths in Budapest, or sitting fireside with a bottle of rye and the West’s rootin’est tootin’est hunting guide. Or maybe it’s back in my own kitchen, simply braising a rich ragù to toss with fresh tagliatelle for dinner with friends.

Throughout the pages of Bon Vivant, my team shares tales of our exploration alongside well-tested recipes and culinary advice in a beautiful print format—a tactile medium we believe deeply in. We’re joined by talented photographers and are always sure to include something from the great food city we call home as we cover a single topic in each issue twice per year. Join us as we strive to contribute to a united world through food and drink, celebrating the joie de vivre that cooking, eating, and exploring create.