Craig Claiborne
The fastidious newspaperman who transformed American food writing from mere homemaking advice into a serious, authoritative, and hungry cultural critique.
1920–2000 (age 80)·American critic, journalist and author·Birthday: September 4·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Craig Claiborne didn't just review restaurants; he instituted a system. As the food editor and critic for The New York Times from 1957, he brought journalistic rigor to the dining beat, introducing star ratings and insisting on anonymous visits. His precise, descriptive prose and exacting standards held chefs and restaurateurs accountable, making his endorsement a career-making force. Claiborne democratized gourmet cooking for the American middle class through his definitive 'The New York Times Cook Book' and his explorations of global cuisines. He lived a complex life, one of great influence and personal struggle, but his ultimate gift was teaching a nation how to pay attention to what was on its plate.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Craig was born in 1920, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Craig Was Born
The biggest hits of 1920
#1 Movie
Way Down East
Craig's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1920Born
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1925Started school
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1933Became a teenager
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Could drive
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1938Could vote
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Turned 21
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1950Turned 30
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 40
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 50
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 60
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 70
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 80
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
Key Achievements
- Revolutionized restaurant criticism at The New York Times by instituting the anonymous review and a four-star rating system.
- Authored the seminal 'The New York Times Cook Book' (1961), which became a foundational text in American kitchens.
- Won a landmark lawsuit allowing the deductibility of business meals for critics, a major victory for the profession.
Did You Know?
He studied at the prestigious Swiss hotel management school, L'École hôtelière de Lausanne.
Claiborne once hosted a historic $4,000 dinner for two at Paris's Chez Denis, billed as the world's most expensive meal, for a Times article.
He was one of the first prominent food writers in America to be openly gay.
““Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.””
