The world of journalism is in mourning following the death of Rachel Cooke, a celebrated journalist and critic for the Observer, who passed away on Friday after a diagnosis of cancer earlier this year.
A Colleague Remembered: The Backbone of the Paper
Cooke, who was 56, had been a central figure at the Observer for 25 years, a tenure during which she became what colleagues described as "the backbone of the paper". Her remarkable career spanned a vast array of subjects, showcasing a rare and formidable talent.
Paying tribute, Tim Adams, the current editor of the New Review supplement, highlighted her unparalleled versatility and speed. "Rachel could not only do everything as a journalist – fearless and funny commentary, ego-piercing interviews, campaigning social reporting, erudite and blistering book reviews, taste-making food writing, courageous foreign reportage – she could invariably do it all better, and quicker, than anybody else," he said.
A Legacy of Intellectual Fire and Culinary Passion
Jane Ferguson, a former editor of the New Review, remembered Cooke as a writer who "positively fizzed with ideas". She praised Cooke's "intellectual ballast, lightly worn, authority, bite, and humour", noting that despite filing an astonishing over 100,000 words annually for decades, she still found time to be deeply culturally engaged.
Her influence extended beyond her published work. Fellow journalist Sonia Sodha described Cooke as a "loyal sister-in-arms" to feminist colleagues, recalling a friend and colleague who was "funny, kind, clever, a truly exceptional writer".
Cooke's passion was not confined to hard news. She was also the author of a monthly food column for the Observer, a passion that culminated in the 2023 publication of "Kitchen Person", a collection of her culinary writing. The book was partly inspired by her grandmother from Sunderland, whom she considered a genius in the kitchen. Adams noted that Cooke had "an emotional connection to lunch and dinner" and was a known sceptic of diets and Dry January.
An International Life and Enduring Impact
Born in Sheffield in 1969, Cooke's life had an international flavour from the start. The daughter of academics, she spent part of her childhood in Jaffa, Israel, attending a unique Church of Scotland school where Arab and Jewish children were taught together. After studying at Oxford University, she launched her journalism career at the Sunday Times and also wrote a television column for the New Statesman before her long and defining stint at the Observer.
The Guardian's Simon Hattenstone perhaps summed up the collective feeling of loss, simply calling her "the brilliant Observer journalist who could write wonderfully about anything" and stating she would be "hugely, hugely missed".
Rachel Cooke is survived by her husband, the writer Anthony Quinn. The couple lived together in Islington, north London.
