Martha Stewart Celebrates Longtime Friend at Culinary Event

At the International Association of Culinary Professionals conference held at Brooklyn’s City Harvest last week, Susan Magrino, Martha Stewart’s longtime friend and publicist, made a cheeky remark, indicating she knows some of Stewart’s well-kept secrets.

Stewart shared how vital her daily phone calls are to keep Magrino “on her toes.” She praised her friend for staying loyal throughout the challenging years of managing her empire.

“There were renovations. There were times of rebuilding the business. And my boyfriend—Susan made sure he didn’t end up in Page Six,” Stewart shared with the audience.

Stewart continued, emphasizing that if anyone is familiar with her journey, it’s certainly Magrino.

She playfully remarked, “She knows where all the bodies are buried, like Turkey Hill and Bedford,” referring to her famous residences.

Max Tucci, owner of Tucci’s and Delmonico’s, introduced Stewart, who surprised Magrino by awarding her the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.

The “Entertainment” author reflected on how proud he is to be part of Magrino’s influential team. He even reminisced about offering financial advice to her years ago regarding a family loan that helped launch the Susan Magrino Agency.

“She managed to pay her father back within a year, so I congratulated her and felt proud,” Stewart stated. “Now, her business is expanding rapidly, and she’s surrounded by an amazing team. I’m really proud to be associated with her organization.”

Interestingly, Magrino isn’t a chef like Stewart. However, she has picked up quite a bit about fine dining and wines over the years.

Stewart joked, “She’s not a cook, but she certainly knows a lot about good food and wine. Maybe after 40 years of being with me, she’ll finally start cooking and get the hang of it.”