Judging the Irish Food Writing Awards

I’m off to the Royal Dublin Society ballroom tomorrow for a swanky dinner and the presentation of the Irish Food Writing Awards. It’s a sight to see: nearly all the top food writers in Ireland sitting together in one big room.

Honorees are chosen in a variety of categories including blogs, newspapers, magazines and broadcast media. The cookbook of the year is also one of the categories. I have judged several categories, but my favorite is Seafood Writing. As the author of Sex, Death & Oysters and the star of the short film: Galveston Eats: Going Crabbing, I am a huge fan of fish tales, crustecean commentary, and other observations about edible marine life.

This year, I am also the judge for food features in newspapers and magazines. There were 25 entries in the category. Thankfully, I only had to consider the finalists on the short list. I look forward to meeting all the nominees.

It’s a fun party and a great chance to get into the big city and raise a glass with Irish food writers.