They’re the Oscars of the food world, the glitziest, glammiest awards on the block, and while I’m typing this, I have yet to don the black silk evening gown that I barely ever get a chance to wear.
But, I already know some of the winners.
Yup, I was one of the very few to be allowed into the secrets of the judges, as Angela Clutton opened the envelopes for a very special extra episode of Cooking the Books. Listen here to the thoughts of the judges on all the food books on the shortlist listed here, with the winners in bold:
FOOD BOOK
The Winner: Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food by Fuchsia Dunlop (Particular Books, Penguin Random House)
Of Cabbages & Kimchi: A Practical Guide to the World of Fermented Food by James Read (Particular Books, Penguin Random House)
Welcome to Our Table: A Celebration of What Children Eat Everywhere by Laura Mucha and Ed Smith with illustrations by Harriet Lynas (Nosy Cow)
DEBUT FOOD BOOK
Food of the Cods: How Fish and Chips Made Britain by Daniel Gray (HarperNorth)
Medlars: Growing & Cooking by Jane Steward (Prospect Books)
The Winner: Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken (Cornerstone Press, Penguin Random House)
COOKERY BOOK
Comfort & Joy: Irresistible Pleasures from a Vegetarian Kitchen by Ravinder Bhogal (Bloomsbury)
Frontières: A chef’s celebration of French cooking by Alex Jackson (Pavilion)
The Winner: Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking: Memories and stories from my family’s kitchen by Emiko Davies (Smith Street Books)
Yiayia: Time-perfected Recipes from Greece's Grandmothers by Anastasia Miari (Hardie Grant)
DEBUT COOKERY BOOK
The Winner: A New Way to Bake: Re-imagined Recipes for Plant-based Cakes, Bakes and Desserts by Philip Khoury (Hardie Grant)
The Art of Friday Night Dinner by Eleanor Steafel (Bloomsbury)
The Secret of Cooking by Bee Wilson (4th Estate)
Looking fab as ever Gilly and well done for even getting nominated! Lovely to see some familiar faces such as Elisabeth and Orlando!
Not to mention Jed xxx
Its still getstating but starting to grow. We are in the midst of clearing out 30 years of our family home to move to a smaller place so once that is behind me it should also create some more space in my head! But I am planning to start my substack very soon and have written a few posts but not ready to publish yet! xx