The Guild of Food Writers Awards 2024
About The Guild of Food Writers Awards
The Guild of Food Writers Awards recognise outstanding achievement in areas where food writers work and have influence. They are awarded annually and are the only awards judged entirely by professional food writers, editors and broadcasters. The Guild Awards were inaugurated in 1996 and reflect the Guild’s commitment to encouraging new and established food writers.
If you are unsure about which category you should enter or have any questions about the awards process please contact the Awards Coordinator at awards@gfw.co.uk.
The winners of each Award will be announced at The Guild of Food Writers Awards Ceremony.
There are 15 main awards categories:
For judging criteria and entry requirements please read the detailed information for each Award category before entering.
Please also read the general entry criteria below.
Newcomer Award
About the Award
Introduced in 2023 this award is intended to give opportunities to new food writers starting out in the field, regardless of age, background or experience.
In addition to the trophy winners will receive a Guild mentorship and a year’s honorary membership.
Judging Criteria
- Open to people who aspire to be food writers, but have never had anything published on a paid basis, including sponsored content on social media.
- The judges will take into account both a food writing piece and a personal statement
- The piece can be about any aspect of food – news-related, recipe-based, travel, memoir, review.
- The statement should tell the judges about themselves, explaining why they wish to be a food writer and their career aspirations.
- The article can have been previously published, but not paid work.
- Paid writing in other fields is acceptable.
- Note that the same criteria for ‘paid writing’ will be applied as when assessing membership applicants.
Entry Requirements
- Food writing piece of up to 1500 words
- Personal Statement of up to 500 words
- These should be supplied in PDF form via the entry form
Food Podcast or Broadcast Award
About the Award
This award has been given for many years in recognition of excellence in a television or radio broadcast and in 2019 was extended to include video and podcasts.
Judging criteria
To qualify for the 2024 Awards your entry must have been broadcast or released between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry requirements
- The entry may be a complete programme, series, or one part of a single programme.
- Where a series is nominated, the whole series will be supplied, and please highlight one episode that the judging panel must view or listen to in the first instance.
- This should be supplied as links to an online source via the entry form.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
Food Writing Award
About the Award
This award is given for the best food-related articles published in newspapers, magazines or online, including work with a focus on travel (but not restaurant reviews).
Judging Criteria
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 awards all of the work entered must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
- The work may contain recipes, but recipes should not form the bulk of the text.
- Material may be nominated only if the author has been commissioned and paid for the work and it is not self-published.
Entry Requirements
- The award is judged on the basis of three pieces of work.
- These may be from the same or different publications and may have appeared online, in print or both.
- These should be supplied in PDF format or as links to an online source via the entry form.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
Recipe Writing Award
About the Award
This award goes to the writer of the best recipe-led work published in a magazine, newspaper or newspaper supplement or online. It may also include recipes that promote food brands such as leaflets, packaging and online work.
Judging Criteria
- Material may be nominated only if the author has been commissioned and paid for the work and it is not self-published.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 awards all of the recipes entered must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- The award is judged on the basis of three pieces of work.
- These may be from the same or different publications and may have appeared online, in print or both.
- These should be supplied in PDF format or as links to an online source via the entry form.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
Restaurant Writing Award
About the Award
This award recognises that the best restaurant writers present their opinions in a readable, reliable and responsible way.
Judging Criteria
- Restaurant-focused work may be nominated only if the author has been commissioned and paid for the work and it is not self-published.
- Work should be restaurant focused but may include opinion pieces on the hospitality industry, interviews with chefs or reviews on alternative services offered by restaurants (e.g. meal boxes).
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 awards all of the work entered must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- The award is judged on the basis of three pieces of work.
- These may be from the same or different publications and may have appeared online, in print or both.
- These should be supplied in PDF format or as links to an online source via the entry form.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
Drinks Writing Award
About the Award
This award is given to the best writer of drink-related work published in newspapers, magazines or online. The work may cover both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including wine, beer, spirits, tea and coffee.
Judging Criteria
- Material may be nominated only if the author has been commissioned and paid for the work and it is not self-published.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 Awards all of the work entered must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- The award is judged on the basis of three pieces of work.
- These may be from the same or different publications and may have appeared online, in print or both.
- These should be supplied in PDF format or as links to an online source via the entry form.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
Investigative Food Work Award
About the Award
This award, given in memory of the Guild’s first president, Derek Cooper, honours food writing that is persuasive and opens readers’ eyes to what is happening in the food world, often behind the scenes.
Judging Criteria
- Entries may include, for instance, work informing the public about agricultural and manufacturing processes, or campaigning to raise standards in the food supply chain.
- It is open to work in broadcasting as well as print and online, and to works by single authors or by organisations.
- Submissions may take the form of online food-writing or as hard copy printed material.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 Awards the work entered must have been published or broadcast between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- The award is judged on the basis of up to three pieces of work.
- Submissions may be article-based or provided as one major investigation work or book.
- These may be from the same or different publications and may have appeared online, in print or both.
- These should be supplied in PDF format or as links to an online source via the entry form.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
Food Magazine or Section Award
About the Award
This award is given to the editorial team responsible for magazines and periodicals that take food as their main subject or food sections comprising a collection of articles within a larger publication.
Judging Criteria
- Online nominations should have clearly-defined issues or food sections which are emailed or made available to subscribers as a collection of content published together on the same date.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 Awards the magazines and periodicals must have been published in the UK between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.
Entry Requirements
- The award is judged on the basis of up to three issues or editions of the magazine or section.
- Where possible please supply these in a digital format such as a PDF or a link on issuu.com (or similar platform) via the entry form.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
- Hard copy printed material, if available, may also be supplied. We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
Self Published Writing Award.
Previously the Online Food Writing Award and Self Published Work Award.
These categories have been combined for 2024 as the Self Published Writing award for non-commissioned work
About the Award
This is a new category for 2024 which recognises non-commissioned food writing and publishing.
This award recognises writing talent that has been generated by self-motivation to reach a wider audience. It may be a professional or amateur writer, and may or may not generate a revenue, but shows the skill and dedication required to establish and maintain a presence as a food writer.
Judging Criteria
- The self published writing may be text- or recipe-led work directly related to the topic of food.
- Submissions may take the form of online food-writing or as hard copy printed material.
- This may include newsletters, blogs, e-books or platforms such as a Substack, Instagram or Facebook.
- Examples provided should be written material and not audio-visual material such as reels.
- Printed material may be published in the form of a book, a set of leaflets or a ‘zine.
- Book entries must be entirely self-published (i.e. the author has undertaken all of the publishing decisions and funded the project independently).
- Entries must not have been published through an imprint of an established publisher although authors who have used the services of self-publishing companies such as Matador or Unbound would be eligible to enter this category.
- All work must have been self-published by the author between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- The Award is judged on the basis of up to 3 pieces of work entered via the entry form.
- Where an online platform has been used, please provide the specific link. Please also provide links to highlight three individual pieces for closer consideration by the judges
- Printed self-published work should be readily available in the UK.
- Please note that if you enter a book into this category it will not be eligible for any other book category.
- We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
- All online sources should be free to access and not require a subscription.
First Book Award
About the Award
This award is given to a writer of any age, provided that the entry is his or her first cookery book, food book or drinks book.
Judging Criteria
To qualify for entry into the 2024 awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept entries from anyone who has co-authored a food or drink themed book in the past even if this is their first solo publication. However, ‘ghost writers’ who have written books on behalf of other people (e.g. chefs, celebrities etc) are eligible so long as they are not listed as the co-author on the cover of those previous publications.
Entry Requirements
- Please note that if you enter a book into this category it will not be eligible for any other category.
- You may, however, enter any of the other relevant book categories in preference to First book but it can only be entered once.
- Please enter all book details on the entry form. We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
Drinks Book Award
About the Award
Books entered in this category should focus on beverages rather than food. The work may cover both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including wine, beer, spirits, tea and coffee.
Judging Criteria
- All books entered must be first editions and not second or subsequent editions, unless they have been substantially revised.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- Please note that if you enter a book into this category it will not be eligible for any other category.
- Please enter all book details on the entry form.
- We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
Food Book Award
About the Award
This may be a biography, a historical study, or a study of the gastronomy or food culture of one or more cities, countries or regions; it could be a guidebook, encyclopaedia or compendium, even a technical handbook. Recipes, if they form part of the work, should serve to illuminate the text, rather than lead it.
Judging Criteria
- As a general rule we expect a food book to contain fewer than 20 recipes with the majority of the book being text.
- All books entered must be first editions and not second or subsequent editions, unless they have been substantially revised.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 Awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- Please note that if you enter a book into this category it will not be eligible for any other category.
- Please enter all book details on the entry form.
- We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
International or Regional Cookbook Award
About the Award
This award covers international or regional cuisines, including British food, and encompasses those with a travel element. Recipes and, if appropriate, the practicalities of cooking should be the main focus.
Judging Criteria
- All books entered must be first editions and not second or subsequent editions, unless they have been substantially revised.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 Awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- Please note that if you enter a book into this category it will not be eligible for any other category.
- Please enter all book details on the entry form.
- We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
Specialist or Single Subject Cookbook Award
About the Award
This award covers books with focus on a particular technique, ingredient, food group or single subject, for example fermenting or fish. Recipes and, if appropriate, the practicalities of cooking should be the main focus.
Judging Criteria
- All books entered must be first editions and not second or subsequent editions, unless they have been substantially revised.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- Please note that if you enter a book into this category it will not be eligible for any other category.
- Please enter all book details on the entry form.
- We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
General Cookbook Award
About the Award
Books entered in this category should focus on recipes and the practicalities of cooking, but they can be based on any cuisine, historical period or diet. There is a separate category for International or Regional cookbooks, and Specialist and Single Subject cookbooks.
Judging Criteria
- All books entered must be first editions and not second or subsequent editions, unless they have been substantially revised.
- To qualify for entry into the 2024 Awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
- Please note that if you enter a book into this category it will not be eligible for any other category.
- Please enter all book details on the entry form.
- We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
Who is eligible for entry?
You do not need to be a member of The Guild of Food Writers to enter. However, the work you are entering:
Any work that does not meet all these requirements cannot be considered.
How are the awards judged?
For each award category, the Committee of The Guild of Food Writers appoints a lead judge. The remaining three judges are sampled from the Guild membership.
How will I know who has won?
The shortlisted writers or broadcasters will normally be notified by telephone or email as soon as possible after judging has finished. The shortlist will be published on the Guild’s website. The winners of each prize will be announced at the Guild of Food Writers Awards Ceremony.
Is there a prize?
The winning entry in each category will receive a trophy.
How do I enter?
If you are uncertain as to which category work should be entered, please contact the Awards Co-ordinators for advice (awards@gfw.co.uk).
For judging criteria and entry requirements please read the detailed information for each Award category before entering.
The current Awards have now concluded and you can find a list of winners for 2023 here. We will update this page when we reopen for applicants.