Flashback to 2010. We had started our food blog (actually, a tumblr blog) and we were getting a lot of support from all kinds of people. They were fellow bloggers, food professionals, and regular people who happened to like food.
As we got more and more readers, and got more opportunities on a larger scale, it felt kind of empty blogging by myself. The people who loved food just as much as me, maybe even more in some cases, didn't get nearly the recognition we did. And when I looked at conventional magazines month after month, they included the same people time after time - amazing people, absolutely, but it felt like the publishing world was out of reach for a lot of people who had really good ideas and stories.
We started Chickpea as a way to include all of our readers and colleagues in a way that put them on a similar level, despite their individual experience or traditional skill level. We think it's not only important to showcase voices that aren't normally heard, but way more fun to get perspectives of all types. As well, these varying stories and mix of people helps inform each issue's direction and theme, making each one unique and fresh.
In short, we just love hearing from so many kinds of people from so many places, and believe that home cooks have just as many good ideas as a seasoned chef, just maybe in different ways. Everyone's perspectives are valid and worthy of hearing. We want to give everybody a chance to show the world what they've got, and I think in the end our magazine is better for it.
You can see all of our current & past contributors at our newly refreshed About page here!
Want to be a part of our issues? Our summer proposal date is tomorrow, or you can propose an idea for a future issue as well. Head to our Contribute page to propose your idea for writing, or send us your visual portfolio if you'd like to be hired for photography or illustration.