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These Are the 2020 James Beard Media Awards Winners

The awards recognize the best in books, broadcast media, and journalism.

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Published on May 27, 2020

James Beard Medal — Courtesy of the James Beard Foundation

After announcing its 2020 awards finalists earlier this month, the James Beard Foundation has released the list of winners in the Media Awards categories, spanning books, broadcast media, and journalism.

In the book category, winners included Toni Tipton-Martin's Jubilee, The NoMad Cocktail Book from Leo Robitschek, and Josh Niland's The Whole Fish Cookbook; TV-wise, Roy Choi was recognized as an outstanding host for Broken Bread with Roy Choi, Chef's Table won for "Visual and Audio Technical Excellence," and Las Crónicas del Taco (Taco Chronicles) won "Television Program, on Location."

Originally scheduled for April 24, the announcement was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, as were the Restaurant and Chef Awards, which are now planned for Friday, September 25.

Check out the full list below, courtesy of the James Beard Foundation.

2020 James Beard Foundation Book Awards

For cookbooks and other non-fiction food- or beverage-related books that were published in the U.S. in 2019.

American

Books with recipes focused on the cooking or foodways of regions or communities in the United States.

Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking

Toni Tipton-Martin

(Clarkson Potter)

Baking and Desserts

Books with recipes focused on breads, pastries, desserts, and other treats.

Living Bread: Tradition and Innovation in Artisan Bread Making

Daniel Leader and Lauren Chattman

(Avery)

Beverage with Recipes

Books focused on recipes for how to make beverages.

The NoMad Cocktail Book

Leo Robitschek

(Ten Speed Press)

Beverage without Recipes

Beverage-focused books and guides that either don't contain recipes or that may have minimal recipes but aren't recipe-centric.

World Atlas of Wine 8th Edition

Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson

(Mitchell Beazley)

General

Books with recipes that address a broad scope of cooking, not just a single topic, technique or region.

Where Cooking Begins: Uncomplicated Recipes to Make You a Great Cook

Carla Lalli Music

(Clarkson Potter)

Health and Special Diets

Books with recipes related to health and nutrition, or that address specific health issues, such as allergies or diabetes.

Gluten-Free Baking at Home: 102 Foolproof Recipes for Delicious Breads, Cakes, Cookies, and More

Jeffrey Larsen

(Ten Speed Press)

International

Books with recipes focused on food and cooking traditions of countries or regions outside of the United States.

Ethiopia: Recipes and Traditions from the Horn of Africa

Yohanis Gebreyesus with Jeff Koehler

(Interlink Publishing)

Photography

American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta

Eric Wolfinger

(Chronicle Books)

Reference, History, and Scholarship

Includes manuals, guides, encyclopedias, and books that present research related to food or foodways.

The Whole Okra: A Seed to Stem Celebration

Chris Smith

(Chelsea Green Publishing)

Restaurant and Professional

Books written by a culinary professional or restaurant chef with recipes that may include advanced cooking techniques, use specialty ingredients, and require professional equipment. This includes culinary arts textbooks.

The Whole Fish Cookbook: New Ways to Cook, Eat and Think

Josh Niland

(Hardie Grant Books)

Single Subject

Books with recipes focused on a single or category of ingredients, a dish, or a method of cooking – such as lobster, seafood, grains, pasta, burgers, or canning. Exceptions: baking and desserts books, vegetable-focused books, health and special diets books, restaurant and professional books, and beverage books should be entered in those respective categories.

Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook: The Secrets of Italy's Best Home Cooks

Vicky Bennison

(Hardie Grant Books)

Vegetable-Focused Cooking

Books that feature recipes for how to prepare and serve vegetables and plant-based ingredients. Books may be vegetarian, vegan, or vegetable-focused with minimal reference to meats.

Whole Food Cooking Every Day: Transform the Way You Eat with 250 Vegetarian Recipes Free of Gluten, Dairy, and Refined Sugar

Amy Chaplin

(Artisan Books)

Writing

Narrative nonfiction books, including memoirs, culinary tourism, investigative journalism, food advocacy, and critical analysis of food and foodways for a general audience.

Eat Like a Fish: My Adventures as a Fisherman Turned Restorative Ocean Farmer

Bren Smith

(Knopf)

Book of the Year

The Whole Fish Cookbook: New Ways to Cook, Eat and Think

Josh Niland

(Hardie Grant Books)

Cookbook Hall of Fame

Jancis Robinson

2020 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Awards

For radio, television broadcasts, podcasts, webcasts, and documentaries appearing in 2019.

Audio Program

It Burns: The Scandal-Plagued Race to Breed the World's Hottest Chili

Airs on: Audible

Audio Reporting

Gravy – Mahalia Jackson's Glori-Fried Chicken

Reporter: Betsy Shepherd
Airs on: southernfoodways.org and iTunes

Documentary

That's My Jazz

Airs on: Vimeo

Online Video, Fixed Location and/or Instructional

Grace Young – Wok Therapist

Airs on: GraceYoung.com and YouTube

Online Video, on Location

Handmade – How Knives Are Made for New York's Best Restaurants; How a Ceramics Master Makes Plates for Michelin-Starred Restaurants

Airs on: Eater and YouTube

Outstanding Personality/Host

Roy Choi

Broken Bread with Roy Choi

Airs on: Tastemade and KCET

Television Program, in Studio or Fixed Location

Pati's Mexican Table – A Local's Tour of Culiacán

Airs on: WETA; distributed nationally by American Public Television

Television Program, on Location

Las Crónicas del Taco (Taco Chronicles) – Canasta (Netflix)

Visual and Audio Technical Excellence

Chef's Table (Netflix)

Adam Bricker, Chloe Weaver, and Will Basanta

Visual Reporting (on TV or Online)

Rotten – The Avocado War (Netflix)

Reporters: Christine Haughney, Erin Cauchi, and Gretchen Goetz

2020 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards

For articles published in English in 2019.

Columns

Power Rankings: "The Official Fast Food French Fry Power Rankings"; "The Official Spicy Snack Power Rankings"; "The Official Domestic Beer Power Rankings"

Lucas Kwan Peterson

Los Angeles Times