David E. Hoffman

1953 - 2024

David E. Hoffman, age 70, of Los Angeles, CA died peacefully on January 3, 2024, following a brave six-month battle with Glioblastoma. He was predeceased by his father Dr. Bobby Hoffman and his mother Phyllis S. Hoffman. David is survived by his devoted sister, Susie Hayman (Chris) and brother Howard Hoffman, loving niece Erica H. Driscoll (Brian), and cherished great nephew, Declan H. Driscoll. David was also fortunate to have countless friends, who he considered his family, in LA and around the world.

David was the Emmy Award winning creator and executive producer of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and "The Best Thing I Ever Made", the long-running, highly-rated franchise that aired on Food Network and Cooking Channel. As the writer of the best-selling humor book, THE JOY OF PIGGING OUT, he hit the road to chronicle food and food obsession, while eating his way across the country.

Between bites, he spent most of the last 30 years in television, behind the camera as a writer for a number of networks series ("Matlock," "Diagnosis: Murder," "ABC AfterSchool Specials") and more failed pilots than he cared to remember. On the other side of the camera, David was a feature lifestyle reporter exploring trends and popular culture with a tour of duty that included morning shows in Los Angeles on both ABC and FOX, a stint with "Good Morning America," and appearances on "The View."

The author of seventeen books about popular culture, ranging from KID STUFF (which takes a look at classic toys) to THE SAND BUCKET LIST (366 Things To Do With Your Kids Before They Grow Up), WHO KNEW, and LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT WELL-KNOWN PLACES (a travel series covering the world's most popular destinations), David also turned his titles into brands. From Pigging Out, he assembled a $2.5 million licensing campaign that included greeting cards, calendars, plush, t-shirts, mugs, and magnets, as well as a line of kitchen textiles. He sold Kid Stuff as source material for two television documentaries, and with the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA, he co-created and curated a 4500-square foot interactive traveling exhibition based on the book that toured internationally for 12 years. As the author of two novelty cookbooks with recipes from world-class chefs (THE EASY-BAKE OVEN GOURMET and THE BREAKFAST CEREAL GOURMET), he served as a media spokesperson for publicity campaigns for Hasbro, Quaker Oats, and White Castle.

A native of Richmond, VA and a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, David lived in the Los Angeles area for 50 years, where he liked to pretend that all of this was hard work. His quick wit and brilliant sense of humor remained with him, even during the peak of his illness.

David will be best remembered and endeared for his love of food (especially finger foods), his extensive knowledge of the best restaurants and diners everywhere, his long-winded phone conversations, and the thoughtful and caring nature he extended to his family, as well as his family of friends and their children. Aided by his steel-trap memory and huge heart, David knew best!

Donations may be made to the UCLA Brain Cancer Research Center in David's memory (https://giveto.ucla.edu/fund/ucla-brain-cancer-research/).

A celebration of David's life will be held in Los Angeles in the early Spring.