2026 James Beard Media Award Winners Announced
The James Beard Foundation revealed the winners of its 2026 Media Awards at a ceremony held on Saturday, June 13, at the Art Institute of Chicago. These awards acknowledge excellence in cookbooks, food- or beverage-related books, radio productions, podcasts, documentaries, and social media. Sallie Ann Robinson, author of works such as "Cooking the Gullah Way," was inducted into the Book Awards Hall of Fame.
The James Beard Foundation announced the recipients of its 2026 James Beard Media Awards during a ceremony at the Art Institute of Chicago on Saturday, June 13.
The Media Awards program recognizes a broad range of culinary and beverage media, including cookbooks, food- or beverage-related books, radio productions, podcasts, documentaries, and social media content. Sallie Ann Robinson, known for books like "Cooking the Gullah Way, Morning, Noon, and Night," was inducted into the Book Awards Hall of Fame.
Winners across various Book Award categories include: * **Baking and Desserts:** "Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes" by Helen Goh * **Beverage with Recipes:** "Soju Party: How to Drink (and Eat!) Like a Korean" by Irene Yoo * **Beverage without Recipes:** "Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond" by Cha McCoy with Layla Schlack * **Food Issues and Advocacy:** "Eating Behind Bars: Ending the Hidden Punishment of Food in Prison" by Alex Busansky, Leslie Soble, and Aishatu Yusuf * **General:** "By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear" by Hailee Catalano * **International:** "Kin: Caribbean Recipes for the Modern Kitchen" by Marie Mitchell * **Literary Writing:** "The Last Sweet Bite: Stories and Recipes of Culinary Heritage Lost and Found" by Michael Shaikh * **Professional and Restaurant:** "Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen" by Melissa King with JJ Goode * **Reference, History, and Scholarship:** "Nile Nightshade: An Egyptian Culinary History of the Tomato" by Anny Gaul * **Single Subject:** "The Japanese Art of Pickling & Fermenting: Preserving vegetables and family traditions" by Yoko Nakazawa with Rochelle Eagle * **U.S. Foodways:** "Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes" by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn * **Vegetable-Focused Cooking:** "Comida Casera: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes" by Dora Ramírez * **Visuals:** "MUMBAI: A Journey Through Its Kitchens, Streets, and Stories" by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal and Bhavya Pansari with Nandini Thirani * **Emerging Voice in Books:** Ozoz Sokoh for "Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria"
Broadcast Media Award winners include: * **Audio Programming:** Heard Podcast for "Become a Better Chef: Lessons Learned" * **Audio Reporting:** Buzzkill for "A post-pollinator world" * **Commercial Media:** The Theory of Spice * **Documentary Visual Media:** "Raoul’s, A New York Story" * **Docuseries Visual Media:** Chef’s Table: Legends * **Instructional Visual Media:** Pati’s Mexican Table * **Lifestyle Visual Media:** Duck Camp Dinners, The Texas Tour * **Social Media:** Michael Ligier * **Travel Visual Media:** Tucci in Italy * **Emerging Voice in Broadcast:** Me
The Restaurant and Chef Awards are scheduled to take place in Chicago on Monday, June 15.
(Source: Eater)
