EBONY magazine's historic test kitchen will embark on a nationwide journey as part of a touring exhibit through the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFD).
Created in 1971, the iconic space was located in Johnson Publishing's Chicago headquarters. EBONY food editors used the elaborately designed kitchen to test recipes for the magazine's "A Date With a Dish" column.
The kitchen became a staple in the company and was never redecorated, even after EBONY moved out of the building in 2012. It was purchased by Landmark Illinois, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving historic spaces in the state, for $1 in 2018.
MOFAD Executive Director Peter J. Kim celebrated the news in a statement on Wednesday. "MOFAD has won the rights to take possession of the historic Ebony Magazine Test Kitchen. This technicolor wonder, described by The Chicago Tribune as “the most distinctive test kitchen ever created,” is nothing short of a national treasure," he revealed. "With this development, we are now seeking lead funding to create our next exhibition, African/American: Making the Nation’s Table, which will feature the kitchen as its centerpiece."
The exhibit is slated to open in 2020. The first stop on the nationwide tour is Brooklyn, New York.
