For the past few years I have been one of the judges for the Guild of Food Writers annual food writing awards. Last year 100 new books landed on my doorstep. Who says you can’t have too many cookery books? The awards are always worth following for discovering really good quality and worthwhile food books, some from small publishers you may not otherwise come across along with blogs, broadcasts, magazines and campaigns you may have missed. Having just returned from an amazing trip to Georgia, I was delighted to see that Carla Capalbo’s book on Georgia had won the Food and Travel award. It was the book that guided us through so many food and wine adventures in that remarkable country. There are many other worthy winners so take a look.
Food Writing Award: Joanna Blythman for work published by the Sustainable Food Trust and in The Guardian and Sunday Herald
Cookery Writing Award: Meera Sodha for work published in The Guardian’s Weekend magazine
Restaurant Writing Award: Tim Hayward for work pubished in FT Weekend Magazine
Food Blog Award: Grand Dishes (granddishes.com) by Iska Lupton and Anastasia Miari
Food Broadcast Award: Food Programme: Leah Chase: The cook who changed America presented and produced by Dan Saladino (BBC Radio 4)
British Food Award: Sue Quinn for work published in Dorset Magazine
Food & Travel Award: Tasting Georgia: A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus
Tasting Georgia: A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus (Pallas Athene)
Campaigning Award: Foodism: Issue 21 (sustainability special issue) (Square Up Media)
Food Magazine Award: Market Life magazine, edited by Mark Riddaway
First Book Award: The Palestinian Table by Reem Kassis (Phaidon)
Food Book Award: The Hungry Empire: How Britain’s Quest for Food Shaped the Modern World by Lizzie Collingham (Bodley Head)
Cookery Book Award: The Modern Cook’s Year by Anna Jones (4th Estate)
Special Award: Charlie Hicks
Lifetime Achievement Award: Anne Willan