It’s midmorning in the test kitchen when a sizzling Dutch oven–roasted chicken emerges from the oven. On the opposite side of the room, a KitchenAid® mixer swirls with clouds of meringue soon to top a zippy, coconut-kissed lemon pie while steam rises from a saucepan of collards that’s been simmering for several hours. A few steps away, a photographer adjusts lighting and snaps photos of a rack of blackberry jam–glazed ribs while stylists arrange linens and meticulously drizzle the ribs with ribbons of sauce. In earshot, a team prepares for the evening’s virtual baking class, gathering ingredients, testing equipment, and preparing a script. Amongst the chatter of ideas for upcoming magazines and photoshoots and brainstorming recipe ideas and grocery lists, Taste of the South’s new downtown Birmingham, Alabama, headquarters is the most delicious place to be on any given day.
The start of 2023 marked a big year for us at Taste of the South. Not only did we celebrate the 20th volume of the magazine, but we also settled into our brand-new home smack dab in the heart of the Magic City. The new office sits on the city’s 2nd Avenue North, part of an energetic downtown district where nationally recognized restaurants and businesses thrive. “It’s very exciting,” says Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, founder and CEO of Hoffman Media, who owns and publishes Taste of the South. “The office is centrally located in a great area of urban renovation and renewal.” The two-story, 21,000-square-foot building underwent a total internal renovation and creative re-design before it became Birmingham’s newest magazine mecca when it officially opened just last year.
Take a tour with us as we open our doors to the new test kitchen!
