Nilou Motamed (Persian: نیلو معتمد) is an Iranian-born American magazine editor and television personality. She was born on April 19, 1971, in Iran. She is a recurring judge on the television series Iron Chef.[1] Motamed is the former Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine magazine[2] and Condé Nast's Epicurious.[3]
Motamed was born in Tehran and spent her childhood in Iran.[4] Her family fled to Paris after the Iranian Revolution,[5][6] then to New York when she was a teenager.[2] She attended Binghamton University in upstate New York and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, earning dual degrees in Political Science and Philosophy.[7] Motamed is fluent in four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Persian.[8]
In 2000, Motamed joined the staff at Travel + Leisure as Associate Editor; she was soon promoted to Food Editor and ultimately to Features Director & Senior Correspondent.[7]
For 14 years Motamed also directed Travel + Leisure's culinary and restaurants coverage. She was the instigator of the magazine's annual "Food & Travel" issue, along with the "Eat Like a Local" special.[9] Her Travel + Leisure food coverage was nominated for eight James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards.[7]
In collaboration with CNN, she created Travel + Leisure's "Eat Like a Local" special, combining print, digital, social, and broadcast in a global food platform.[10] She has hosted several TV series, including the restaurant review show Reservations Required[8] and Travel Channel's undercover series Travel Spies,[11] appearing on outlets ranging from CNN[10] to NBC's Today[12] and CBS This Morning.[13]
In 2013, Motamed was named editor-in-chief of Epicurious, Condé Nast's digital food site.[9] In 2015, she became the first-ever Director of Inspiration for Conrad Hotels & Resorts, where she reimagined the guest experience and concierge programs for 24 luxury hotel properties around the globe[14][15] Motamed created and curated the brand's "1/3/5" collection of local experiences.[16]
In 2016, Motamed took charge of Time Inc.'s Food & Wine,[17] overseeing editorial operations and content for an audience of more than 12 million.[7] As editor-in-chief, Motamed managed all of F&W's tentpole franchises and partnerships,[5] including the annual Best New Chefs showcase and the millennial food site FWx.[18]
Beginning with Season 5 in 2008,[19] Motamed has appeared often as a guest on Bravo's award-winning series Top Chef.[11] For Season 16, set in Kentucky, she took on a more official role as recurring judge.[20]
Motamed has been a panelist for the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards since 2007.[3] She has been profiled in The New York Times.[21] and was named one of AdWeek's "30 Most Influential People in Food".[22]
Motamed met her husband magazine journalist Peter Jon Lindberg in 2000 while both were working at Travel + Leisure magazine.[21]