Big news is happening in the food world, as The James Beard Awards weekend kicked off last night in Chicago. Last night, the non-profit's 2024 Media Awards anointed the best-in-class for books, broadcast media, and journalism in the realm of food and beverage.
Hosted by CBS This Morning's Michelle Miller, I had the honor of attending and let me tell you, it was a night of delicious triumph. Culinary rockstars like Stephanie Izard and Rick Bayless were included among the list of incredible presenters, but the night really belonged to a host of phenomenal, humble talents who were visibly honored to receive the prestigious award.
Acceptance Speeches Spark Important Conversations
As is the case with many award shows, several honorees used the platform to shine a light on important political issues. Sohla El-Waylly, who won the award for General Cookbooks for her title "Start Here," tearfully noted that years ago, she changed her birth name because "people couldn't say it." Referencing Israel's latest attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp, she shared that "over 200 people, mostly women and children, were killed - a lot of women and children who look like me and have names like mine."
Accepting the International Cookbook award for "The World Central Kitchen Cookbook," Sam Chapple-Sokol paid tribute to Zomi Frankcom, one of the seven WCK aid workers who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza in April. Chapple-Sokol choked back emotion while noting that Frankcom was a part of the team that created the book and that "I will always think of Zomi when I read this book."
Abi Balingit, who won The James Beard Emerging Voice award for her book "Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed," took the opportunity to also voice her support for Palestine.
Standout Voices
Among the strongest voices honored last night was the incredible KJ Kearney, known for his inspiring @BlackFoodFridays content on Instagram, who took home the award for Social Media Account. Kearney made sure to give a special thanks to his haters, who keep him motivated and hungry to produce content that inspires and shines a light on Black culture.
Pati Jinich, a James Beard legend with five awards already, added another one to her collection for Season 2 of her PBS show "La Frontera with Pati Jinich."
Randy Lau of YouTube's "Made with Lau" was the only two-time winner of the night who grabbed awards for both Emerging Voice in Broadcast and Instructional Visual Media. Lau live vlogged the event and brought his parents on stage with him to accept both awards, allowing each of them to accept the JBF medal around their necks on his behalf. Lau thanked his parents for teaching him how to cook and voiced the importance of sharing his Chinese heritage through food.
While JBF did a tremendous job of honoring new and important voices, the night wouldn't be complete without honoring culinary giants. Chef Pierre Thiam secured his place as a culinary legend and was inducted into the cookbook hall of fame.
A Toast to Changemakers
As a first-timer attending The James Beard Foundation Media Awards, I was inspired by the perspectives and voices that were honored for their work. I was perhaps more inspired by the humility and grace shown by so many of the award winners. Of those that I had the opportunity to speak with, gratitude seemed to radiate from deep within their being, knowing that the work they had done was seen, recognized, and appreciated. I'll be following these winners - and the finalists - for a long time to come.
For a list of all of the 2024 James Beard Media Award winners, click here.
