Cookbook Awards

Categories

Cookbook Award entries are divided into 16 categories. Each book will be independently judged by every member of the jury responsible for that particular category. 

Books may be entered into multiple categories, as appropriate, although the full entry fee must be paid per category and four additional copies of the book must be submitted per each additional category. IACP retains the right to advise the publisher or author if a book entered is in an inappropriate category, and may recommend a more appropriate category or categories where the book in question may be more competitive. However, the final decision of a book’s category is the responsibility of the publisher/author.

American

Cookbooks that focus on ethnic, cultural or regional cooking in the United States. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

Baking: Savory or Sweet

Cookbooks that focus on breads, pastries, doughs or desserts. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

Chefs and Restaurants

Cookbooks by professional chefs and cookbooks that focus on the cuisine of specific chefs or restaurants and are designed with the home cook in mind. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

NEW Children, Youth and Family

Cookbooks that focus on young home cooks and/or family cooking. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

Compilations

Cookbooks comprised of recipes previously published in another format or compiled by a staff of writers or editors. This includes books produced by corporations, community organizations or food and beverage related magazines or newspapers. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

NEW Culinary History

Books that focus on culinary history, the social, economic, political history of food, single-subject food books whose focus is historical, or historically-oriented books about food in the arts and/or humanities. Books will be judged on the clarity of writing, rigor of research and methodology and appeal to a general audience. Books entered may include recipes, but recipe testing is not required of the judges.

First Book: The Julia Child Award

The first cookbook by a writer who has not previously authored or coauthored a food or beverage related book. When a book is co-authored, all writers must be first-time authors. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes. All entries in this category must be accompanied by the IACP Form “First Authorship Affidavit.” This form must be completed by all named authors attesting to the fact they have not previously authored, co-authored, or significantly contributed to a food or beverage related book. Should a question arise regarding an entry, the entrant agrees by his/her signature to submit any documentation deemed necessary for review. Inability to provide this documentation will disqualify a book for entry in this category.  First Book Affidavit Form 

Food Photography and Styling

Awarded to a photographer, stylist and author for photography and styling in a cookbook that clearly, accurately and artistically reflects recipes, cooking techniques and/or cooking equipment, enhances the text with stimulating visual images and reflects the overall tone of the book through the photos. This category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.

Food and Beverage Reference/ Technical

Reference books on culinary terms, techniques or ingredients, wine or other beverages, or general culinary information. This includes books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, glossaries, atlases or culinary instruction manuals. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.

General

Multiple-subject cookbooks, including all-purpose cookbooks, personal recipe collections and books that reach a general audience. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

Health and Special Diet

Cookbooks and diet books that focus on healthful eating, nutrition, dietary concerns and special or restrictive diets. The accuracy of nutrition information in these books will be judged against the guidelines established by the American Dietetic Association or other science-based recognized authority and a book may be disqualified if it does not meet those criteria. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

International

Cookbooks that focus on recipes of a particular geographical region or cultural identity other than the United States. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

Literary Food Writing

Fiction or nonfiction books about food and/or beverages, food and/or wine related travel, or memoirs or biographies of food people in which the work is distinguished by the quality of its prose. Quality of writing is the defining factor. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.

NEW Professional Kitchens

Books focused on preparation techniques, recipes and service for restaurant and/or institutional kitchens and written for foodservice professionals. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

Single Subject

Cookbooks that focus on specific foods, cooking methods, techniques or appliances. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.

Wine, Beer or Spirits

Books on the history, evaluation or production of alcoholic beverages, the serving or pairing of alcoholic beverages with food, or mixology. Books about non-alcoholic beverages should not be entered in this category. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.

Optional Awards

Two Optional Awards may be given: The Jane Grigson Award and the Design Award. All books entered in the IACP Cookbook Awards, not just category winners, are eligible for these awards.

The Jane Grigson Award is given to a book that exemplifies Jane Grigson’s great ability “to put food in a wider cultural context, using diligent but not pedantic scholarship.” Jane Grigson, a cookbook author from the United Kingdom, was “a prose stylist of high degree.” The book should exhibit distinguished scholarship in the quality of its research and presentation.

The Design Award is given to a book that exemplifies special qualities of visual design, including layout and typography, whether or not the book includes photographs, drawings or paintings. The Design Award will be given to the publisher.

Please note there is no additional fee to be considered for these optional awards.