Food Network President Brooke Johnson To Retire

After more than 12 years as president of the Food Network and Cooking Channel, Brooke Johnson has announced her plans to retire.

Since taking over Scripps Networks Interactive's food brands in 2003, Johnson oversaw the creation several of Food Network's most popular programs, including Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives; Chopped; Cutthroat Kitchen; and Food Network Star.

During Johnson's tenure, Food Network also launched Food Network Magazine and helped the network to become one of the top 10 cable networks in the country. Johnson has also overseen the growth of the sister network Cooking Channel since its launch in 2010.

Johnson will serve as a consultant to Scripps through the end of 2016, and an announcement regarding "the leadership of Food Network moving forward" will follow within the next several days.

"I couldn't be more proud of everything that the team and talented chefs and hosts have created and accomplished together during my time," Johnson said in a statement. "The timing was right for me to step back and enjoy the next phase of my life, but I leave with total confidence that Food Network and Cooking Channel will continue to grow and engage fans of these beloved brands for many years to come."

The Daily Meal has reached out to Food Network for comment.