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Remembering Pierino: Dear Friend, Community Member & Passionate Cook
A tribute to Bill Tierney, a beloved Food52 voice.
We recently received some sad news in our editors' inbox: Longtime community member, Bill Tierney (pierino), passed away at the beginning of last December.
Bill enriched our community with his vast cooking knowledge, whip-smart humor, and fiery spirit. Everything he did, he studied relentlessly: His most treasured kitchen possessions were his mother's cookbooks, which included first editions of The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne and Gourmet's Basic French Cookbook by Louis Diat. He shared more than 150 recipes, all imaginatively named and thoroughly researched, and was an active, adamant commenter across our site. (We recommend reading this exchange with drbabs that taught us a thing or two about capers.)
“Bill loved art, music, literature, and his friends, but food was his passion,” his sister Lisa Tierney wrote to us. “I think Food52 was such a blessing to Bill because it provided an outlet for both his love of cooking and his love of writing. And, even more so, I think he really appreciated the social nature of it.”
Bill’s close friend, Jeff Roberts, echoed how much Bill enjoyed helping other home cooks learn and grow. “Bill was one of the kindest, most caring persons you could ever hope to meet," Jeff said. "Every so often, on the Food52 Hotline, I noticed his response to someone who asked how to do something. It was always thoughtful, caring, and helpful. He took his partnership with Food52 very seriously.”
We will miss Bill deeply. To celebrate his life, his voice, and his contributions to our community, we've asked current and former Food52ers to share their favorite memories of him.
“We remember when pierino first started showing up on Food52 with recipes in our recipe contests. The titles of his recipes provoked you to click through, not in a Buzzfeed way, but more of a who-is-this-guy way. And in a is-he-punking-us-with-high-falutin-recipes way. Red Beans Pasionaria and Durutti Column Rice (the commis revisionist version) is a good example—it's a recipe that includes an illustration of a soldier holding a rifle in place of a recipe photo, and that calls for 1 green bell pepper 'brutally chopped.' Pierino's profile photo back then was of a man, his face out of view, holding two very large and fierce-looking chefs knives crossed over his chest. A tough guy with a soft spot for cooking, and not much patience for traditional food writing.
"For many months, we really didn't know what to make of pierino, but we were glad, and quietly proud, to have attracted such a counter-culture home cook to our friendly little site. Pierino added recipes for tripe and frogs legs and cracked us up with recipe titles like Felonious Pork, Roux Paul Peach and Crawfish Etouffée, and Black Sheep Ragu. We often wondered if he first came up with a name that amused him and then created a recipe for it, or the other way around?
"Pierino let his opinions about changes on the site be known, but he was forever a defender of our efforts. On the internet, such friends are few and far between. He was a true original—a passionate cook who saw recipe writing as a playground for his wit and creativity. He didn't care about pretty photos or encouraging, helpful language. His recipes were a way for him to create narratives around foods he loved.
"We were lucky to meet pierino in person. He was once passing through New York City and made a visit to our office. We expected someone gruff, but were greeted by a slight, gentle man in neat pants and a sports jacket. He was warm and affable, and we loved him even more.” —Amanda Hesser & Merrill Stubbs, co-founders of Food52
“If you’ve spent time wandering Food52, you’ve probably already had the fortune of reading pierino’s unmistakable voice: his wit, his serious cooking knowledge, and his always-fiesty opinions. And if you haven’t, start with his articles (like his not-recipes for paella, burritos, and grilled steak)—you’ll learn a lot, and not just about cooking. Food52 wouldn't have become the community it did, and won’t be the same, without him.” —Kristen Miglore, creative director, Genius
“Bill—or pierino, as we knew him, even in editorial meetings—was a true spark. We loved him for his willingness to always keep us accountable, on our toes, and feeling pushed by the community we showed up to work for every single day. And god, for his muffuletta—and for his one-of-a-kind recipe titles. 'That must be a pierino,' we'd say. He had a signature, and we'll always remember him for it." —Kenzi Wilbur, former managing editor
"Getting to interact with pierino enough to know him as Bill Tierney was a delight. I knew every time his name popped up in my inbox that my day was bound to be more interesting, and I hope the feeling was mutual. Or, at the very least, I like to imagine that he considered me an exception to the 'hopeless vegetarian faction.'
"I appreciate that Bill never hesitated to call it like he saw it. His spunky language rubbed some people the wrong way at times, but I never saw it as rooted in any ill will; he simply didn't take himself or anything around him too seriously, and always found the humor in life. To this day, even though I've read them all multiple times, I still get a kick out of going to his recipe collection and reading through his sometimes outrageous headnotes, they bring a smile to my face every time." —Lindsay-Jean Hard, former community editor
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23 Comments
What a loss! Still, I can't imagine him "Resting In Peace"--probably poking someone else in the ribs.
Here are a few excerpts from a message I sent to another Food52 member, shortly after we returned:
Bill Tierney (pierino) speaks exactly the way he writes. He's got an M.A. in American Studies, and is a book publishers' rep, mostly selling children's books. I was struck by how kind and generous he is - and how he is the perfect dinner party host.
We love Bill! He's writing a cookbook proposal, which I hope will be accepted. The world *needs* this man's cookbook. Bill is genuine, and delightfully unique. It was simply wonderful spending an evening with him, and giving him a big hug the next morning before we left.
Bill has a huge personality, though he's basically a gentle, thoughtful and very smart guy. As I said, it was unforgettable. I am honored to be his friend.
* * *
Bill had a twinkle in his eye, and a somewhat shy, mischievous grin. How I will miss him! My heart goes out to his family and other friends, for this sad, sad loss.
Sincerely,
Helen Leah Conroy (AntoniaJames)
I think I'll make Bucatini all'Amatriciana this week in his honor.
I am grateful to his family for sharing so much about him. He is missed.
The Red and the Black. Roasted Red Peppers, Black Quinoa and Allioli (with apologies to Stendhal), etc...) As a vegetarian and married to the son of a butcher, I sometimes would consult Pierino before planning our monthly dinner party menus. As you have already mentioned, an email from Pierino always made for a better day. Indeed, I am sure that Pierino brought joy to all he encountered while traveling, blogging and contributing to Food 52. Tonight I am making his Little Dinosaurs (of Peace)--however, I have my grandmother's cookie-cutter collection which includes witches on brooms, candy canes, turkeys, etc...I'll be using the stars and will make a toast to M. Pierino with some cava and buttery cookies.
I recall his advice on entering a recipe in the contests. He said something to the effect...if you want to win or get noticed, your recipes need a catchy name. And, he did that extremely well!
Rest In Peace, Pierino, you will be missed terribly, but never forgotten!
BB💐
Knowledgeable, playful, always worth the read.
Glad that Pierino's recipes and notes live on.
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