How do cookbooks win national awards? If it’s the James Beard awards or the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) awards, there’s a long process that leads to the winners. Over the decades, I’ve had the privilege to be part of the judging for both associations.
Generally speaking, here’s how it works: Book publishers choose which books they’ve published in the prior year that they want to enter. Then they decide which category is best for each book. They ship their books to the awarding association. The association ships the books on to the appropriate category judges.
The category judges follow judging criteria set out by a committee to select the finalists during round one. A second round involves recipe testing when appropriate (there is a literary category which might include narrative non-fiction, memoir or historical writing, for example — so it’s not all cookbooks).
Then it’s on to a different set of judges (usually called executive or super judges) who pick the Cookbook of the Year from a list of finalists. Later, the association announces the finalists in each category, and then, at an annual event, they announce the winners, culminating with the Cookbook of the Year Award. (For more on cookbook judging, read this interview.)
The first time I volunteered to be a book judge, it was 2003, for IACP. To determine the Cookbook of the Year, IACP flew the executive judges to New York and put us up in a hotel. We spent a day in a conference room at one of the national food magazines, arguing over which book to anoint as Cookbook of the Year. I argued for the book that won! Maybe I am good at arguing (ask my husband, LOL).
I’ve also been a category judge for the James Beard awards. I wrote a passionate argument about why the book I chose to win the category should also win the Cookbook of the Year. It won!
Lest you think I’m really good at picking winners, the time after that I was a category judge once again. The books I chose as finalists didn’t make it into the finals. It was a humbling experience to know that the other two judges didn’t agree with my choices.
Another year, I applied to IACP to judge, and I was accepted as a category judge. But once I reviewed the overall list of books, I had to recuse myself because I had worked on book proposals for two of them.
This year, I applied again to IACP and found two books where I had worked on the proposal. Same problem! But the People Who Decide These Things said that I could still be a judge, as long as no books in my category included those where I worked on the book proposal. They gave me a promotion to executive judge. Now I am in charge of three categories, and I supervise nine judges. Plus I get to argue my choice for the Cookbook of the Year with other executive judges, but on Zoom, as has been the case for years.
So that’s why I have all those books on my laundry room counter. Right now I’m in the honeymoon period, where I don’t have to read any books. I can browse them all I want. Later I’ll get to read all the finalists for the big award. It’s exciting and a little overwhelming but overall, it thrills me to be a judge in whatever capacity. It’s an honor!
I’d love to tell you what I’ve noticed when browsing all those books in my laundry room, but I can’t, other than to say that cookbooks are more beautiful than ever. There are pillow top covers, special metal inks for the cover type, embossed cover type, pretty endnotes, and full color pages inside. And, in line with current trends, not every cookbook has a color photo of a dish of food on the cover.
Office Hour for Paid Subscribers
Think of this as an hour-long group consult. You can text me about anything you want related to writing a blog, newsletter, cookbook, memoir, article and more. Join me on Substack on July 2, at 9 a.m. PDT/ noon EDT. Paid subscribers get an email notification that the chat has begun.
What I’m Reading
These Food-Focused Romance Novels Are the Sweetest Reads of the Summer. Chandra Ram writes about new and older romance novels about food.
Talking Cookbooks with Jenna Helwig. David Lebowitz speaks with Food editor Jenna Helwig, founder of the Cookbookery Collective newsletter, on his podcast.
The Best New Cookbooks of Summer 2026. Bon Appetit tested dozens of recipes to concoct this list. I’m proud to see client and student Martin Sorge’s Great Bakes on the list.
Fall cookbook announcement from Chronicle Books. The publisher has taken to Substack to get the word out.
The 20 Best Plant-Based Cookbooks for Summer Cooking. VegNews suggests you invest in one of these books.
Your AI Doesn’t Know It Can’t Taste: How ChatGPT, Gemini, and the Rise of AI Recipe Tools Are Rewriting the Way America Cooks. AI writes recipes as if it invented them.
Five laid-off Eater journalists are betting on a different future for food media. They are building a niche publication with a tiered subscription model.
Crowdfunding Cookbooks with Nandita Godbole. She did it on Kickstarter, and created great user engagement there. (I am mentioned!)
What Makes a Cookbook Cover Successful? Frances Abrantes Baca opines, with lots of visuals, and opinions from colleagues.
Crumbs Are All That Remain in Corporate Food Media. James Murdoch bought half of Vox Media (On Ravenous. Possible paywall.)
An award-winning food writer explores the legacy of sexual identity in the food world. Mayukh Sen, an adjunct professor at New York University, answers questions about key aspects of story craft.
This Writer Is Tweeting Everything Sylvia Plath Ever Ate. It’s a few years old, but a fascinating read! Thanks to MM Pack for sending it.
Favorite Summer Cookbook Covers with Jenna Helwig and Frances Abrantes Baca. A cookbook enthusiast and a designer/art director compare notes.
YES, this is a ‘BLURB’! Everything Cookbooks discusses how writing testimonials for (cook)books became standard practice in the publishing industry.
Vittles Pitching Guide 2026. What the publication wants to commission from writers this year.
What Makes a Cookbook Worth Publishing in 2026? Literary Agent Sally Ekus says it’s a strong concept, expertise, a distinct perspective and community trust.
There Was No American Regional Cuisine Until One ‘Virginia Housewife’ Thought to Compile a Diverse Collection of Recipes. Michael Twitty explains.
How the Money Works. A nuts-and-bolts post from an agent Kate McKean about how you get paid when you get a book deal.
How do you manage writer’s block? Melissa Clark, prolific recipe writer for The New York Times, opines on Instagram.
Ina Garten’s got a new podcast! And it’s a full video, with audio versions.
A Literary Agent Told Me I Needed 100K Followers to Pitch My Cookbook. Here’s What It Cost Me. Refreshing! But still hard to take.
Another Day, Another Chef Starts a Substack. And some of them are doing a great job as writers!
A Private Consult with Me Anytime
If you want to write a cookbook or food-based non-fiction, get published or find better freelance assignments, I can help move you forward. A one-hour consult costs $250. Email me at dj@diannej.com.
News from Clients and Students
I like to brag about the food writing accomplishments of clients and students. Send me yours at dj@diannej.com.
Amazing news! Dora Ramirez won a James Beard award for her cookbook, Comida Casera: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes. (I coached her on her book proposal and helped her envision the book.)
Sanaa Boutayeb is co-hosting a workshop on a photography workshop focused on food, travel, portraits and lifestyle, in Essaouira, Morocco September 10-16, with photographer Quentin Bacon. (We co-hosted a writing retreat there recently, and I worked on a cookbook with her.)
Cookbookery Collective interviewed Monti Carlo in Monti Carlo Never Dreamt About Writing a Cookbook. (I coached her on getting articles published and on her book proposal.)
Student Crescent Dragonwagon started a Substack newsletter, Nothing is Wasted on the Writer.
Kate Ryan announced an award for the best paper in the area of Food and Tech: Techniques, Technology and Technicalities, at this year’s Dublin Gastronomy Symposium.
My Book
The newest edition of my multiple award-winning book, Will Write for Food: 2021: Pursue Your Passion and Bring Home the Dough Writing Recipes, Cookbooks, Blogs, and More.
Disclosures: I am an affiliate of Food Blogger Pro, Amazon and Bookshop.org. Right now I’m mad at Bookshop.org, because they keep my book on backorder, so no one can order it.
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Dianne Jacob
Editor, Writer and Coach
Email: dj@diannej.com
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Nice write up, Dianne. I was a JB cookbook judge recently and discovered that authors don't have to wait for a publisher to submit their book for James Beard, but can submit them directly to the awards committee. Good news for authors! Not sure how that works with IACP
I loved this peek behind the curtain; thanks Dianne! And thanks for the Cookbookery links!