Sam Sifton is now at the helm of The Morning, The New York Times’s flagship newsletter, reaching over five million readers daily. He’s here to navigate the day’s most important stories, offering a comforting presence through challenging news, sharp analysis, insightful profiles, engaging audio, and all the other remarkable content this news organization delivers.
In getting to know Sam this past autumn, I’ve found him to be a truly unique individual. His journey at The Times, since joining in 2002, spans an impressive seven distinct roles:
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He served as the acclaimed restaurant critic from 2009-2011. (Imagine the dedication required to stay fit while reviewing all those meals!)
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As National editor, he led one of our largest news desks, covering major events like the Boston Marathon bombing.
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He was the mastermind behind NYT Cooking, a resource many of us now depend on. It’s my personal emergency go-to when I’m stumped—for instance, “What on earth do I make with these parsnips?” (His seafood chowder is a fantastic answer.)
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For the last five years, he’s directed all our culture and lifestyle coverage, so his recommendations in these areas are certainly worth noting.
I recently sat down with him for a quick Q&A.
Adam: You’re hosting a morning newsletter. Are you a morning person?
Sam: Yes, I am. The hours from 5 to 9 AM are buzzing with creativity, and I truly enjoy greeting the dawn. However, I’m also aware that this role will involve its share of late nights. Late nights, early mornings. I even quit coffee during the pandemic. We’ll see if that resolution holds!
I’m also caffeine-free. What’s your go-to breakfast?
Breakfasts, for me, are often about routine. You stick to one until a whim or circumstance nudges you towards another: granola with yogurt, French toast, a single fried egg with toast and marmalade, or simply cut fruit. Lately, I’ve been really enjoying a toasted bagel generously slathered with butter, topped with a slice of deli ham and Swiss cheese.
Last year, the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale awarded you an honorary doctorate and called your previous newsletter, “What to Cook,” a “secular sermon.” What was your aim with that, and how does it translate to your new role at The Morning?
My intention was simply to reassure readers: Everything will be okay. Even in challenging times, even if you’re new to cooking, even if you’re feeling apprehensive. We’ll find a way. We’ll uncover the truth. We’ll create something nourishing, no matter what’s happening in the world. Above all, I wanted to convey this message: You are not alone. And that remains my core mission with The Morning.
Your cooking newsletter often featured your life on the water. Tell us about that.
I’ve been involved with boats since childhood, spending time at my grandparents’ home in Maine. I’ve worked on schooners and cruise ships in New York Harbor, piloted light-tackle fishing boats around the city and Long Island, and sailed extensively along the East Coast. There’s an incredible sense of freedom when you’re out on the water, especially when you lose cell service. It offers unique perspectives and unforgettable sights.
Another recurring theme was your casual approach to cooking. Your cookbook is titled “No-Recipe Recipes.” What advice do you have for aspiring improvisational chefs who want to move beyond strict instructions? For me, it was all about practice.
Sometimes I genuinely enjoy following a recipe, much like learning a new piece of music. Other times, I prefer to improvise. You’re absolutely right; consistent practice makes improvisation much easier, building confidence in your skills and your palate. Cook any recipe three or four times, and it transforms from someone else’s creation into uniquely yours.
How did you get into journalism?
I started writing for my high school newspaper, and something just clicked. The idea that you could ask questions, record the answers, and share them with people—who would either be delighted to know or quite upset because they didn’t want the information public—was captivating. I thought, If I can do this well, I’ll never have to get a real job.
You have a warm, even cheerful, demeanor. Are you an eternal optimist?
My family might not entirely agree with that assessment. So, I’ll echo Machiavelli: There is nothing more important than maintaining the appearance of an optimist.
You’re a keen student of New York Times history. Share a fun story from the old days.
One of my early assignments at The Times involved editing the travel and food pieces of a political reporter named R.W. Apple Jr., affectionately known as Johnny. Johnny was legendary for his vast interests and even vaster appetites. A persistent rumor was that his expenses were so outrageous they warranted their own cost center, completely separate from any other department in the newsroom. I, personally, never saw them.
Back then, cellphones weren’t common, and Johnny was always on the move, covering politics and enjoying extravagant meals. I once found myself facing a deadline for a story he wrote about a trip to Vancouver (“Conspire to arrive by ship,” he’d penned). I needed to trim ten lines to fit it on the page, but he insisted on being consulted for all cuts. And he was nowhere to be found. What was I to do?
I tracked down a politics editor who informed me Johnny was in Ohio, interviewing voters. That wasn’t much to go on. After a moment’s thought, I consulted a travel guide and compiled a list of all the four-star hotels in the state.
I found Johnny on the second call. He chuckled heartily. We were only five minutes past deadline.
Your home sounds a bit like an animal sanctuary.
Indeed. Two big dogs and one small, incredibly bossy cat. It often feels like living on a farm!
Alright, lightning round. Favorite book about boats.
“Spartina,” by John Casey, published in 1989. What a beautifully crafted novel. If I had the chance to work a season for Dick Pierce, the compelling “swamp Yankee” protagonist in that superb narrative of a complex life in South County, Rhode Island, I would seize it. He’d undoubtedly make me equally miserable on land and sea, but I’m so captivated by his world that it would be entirely worth the hardship. And those sentences!
Favorite song about food.
Nas, “Fried Chicken”? Kacey Musgraves, “Biscuits”? UB40, “Red Red Wine”? So many fantastic choices!
Favorite movie about New York.
Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing.” (With honorable mentions to “Metropolitan” and the original “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.”)
Favorite neighborhood you’ve lived in.
Red Hook, Brooklyn. I’ve called it home for nearly two decades.
Favorite dish in Brooklyn.
There are far too many incredible dishes here to pick just one. Sometimes I crave a banh mi from Ba Xuyen in Sunset Park, or a calzone from Lucali in Carroll Gardens. Other times, it’s dry pot chicken from Authentic Szechuan in Park Slope. Or maybe doubles from A&A in Bed-Stuy? She-crab soup at Gage & Tollner in Downtown Brooklyn? I truly enjoy it all.
Favorite thing to find at the farmers’ market.
Pea shoots, neck and neck with fairy-tale eggplants.
Favorite thing to cook.
Currently? Clay pot rice, prepared in the rice cooker. It makes for a wonderful dinner.
What scares you about this new role?
You mean writing a daily newsletter about the news for millions of people? Hoping it’s the very first thing they read in the morning, perhaps still in bed? Hoping it will inform, entertain, and help them grasp the complexities of the world? What about that wouldn’t be daunting? I guess I’ll see you in The Morning!