00:00 The hosts of Reply All apologize for the publication of a series about the structural racism and toxic work environment at Bon Appetit, and announce that they will not be continuing the series due to their own editorial failures and the departure of their colleagues, PJ Voet and Shreethie Pinnamaneni.

04:28 New hires at Bon Appetit, like Elise and Jesse, were aware that being considered cool and stylish was just as important as their actual qualifications, and they were promised structural change and a more inclusive environment during their interviews, but the reality was far from what they expected.

08:41 Junior employees at Bon Appetit, like Jesse and Elise, felt marginalized and unheard in pitch meetings, where mostly white senior staff members would analyze and critique their ideas, leading to a lack of representation and understanding of their perspectives.

13:02 Jesse and Ryan, two black employees at Bon Appetit, joined forces to address issues of diversity and representation in the company, starting with the lack of diversity in food photos and the underrepresentation of non-white staff members.

17:31 Jesse and Ryan, two black employees at Bon Appetit, faced resistance and disrespect from Adam, the person in charge, when trying to hold him accountable for making the workplace less racist, even during important meetings with other corporate people.

22:03 Priya, an onscreen talent on the Bon Appetit YouTube channel, confronts her boss about the lack of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and proposes starting an initiative to address these issues, despite the lack of support and funding from the company.

26:32 Priya, the new deputy editor at Bon Appétit, is determined to make the magazine more inclusive and sensitive to other cultures, but she is immediately faced with a problematic story that offends French people and feels outdated.

31:18 The new deputy editor at Bon Appétit, Priya, is faced with outdated and offensive stories that go against her goal of making the magazine more inclusive and diverse.

35:46 Despite some positive changes in later issues, the core of Bon Appétit remained a magazine for white people told from a white perspective, leading to frustration, exhaustion, and a feeling of powerlessness for people of color on staff, including Priya, Ryan, and Christina.

40:31 The power dynamics at Bon Appétit, particularly the use of humor as a way to deflect criticism, created a sense of territoriality and defensiveness among staff members, but after the summer of 2020, Christina realized her complicity and felt a deep sense of responsibility for the problems at the company, highlighting the concept of soft power and the difficulty of using it to effect meaningful change.

45:33 Jesse, an editor at Eat or Know, reflects on the lingering effects of his time at Bon Appétit and compares it to a toxic romantic relationship, but ultimately finds success and happiness in his new job.