2022 Gourmand Cookbook Awards

This year marks the 27th Anniversary of the Gourmand Cookbook Awards. The awards are split into Food Culture Awards and Drink Culture Awards. Each category contains four winners, considered the “Best in the World” for their respective topics or regions. The list is sprawling and contains worldwide submissions for various cities, countries, and subjects, including Food Books Fighting Covid 19, Female Chef Book, Bloggers, Food Tourism, Food Heritage, Dairy and Cheese, Chocolate, and loads more.

Unlike most awards, you will find books from almost every country in the world, including Finland, Columbia, Belgium, and Mexico in addition to the usual USA and UK offerings you expect to see in other awards lists. In addition to the four best in each category, the awards recognize significant books by country and outstanding achievement. Claudia Roden received an award for her lifetime contribution while Lazy Fare by Jane Cornes Maclean (Australia), Famine Pots by Leanne Howe (Ireland), My Cookbook Passion by Pamela Kure Grogan (USA), Second Helpings by Kristen Frederickson (UK), and Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob (USA) were also provided special recognition.

Highlights include:

Restaurant book: Nordisk Gastronomi Från Hanaholmens Kök (Finland), Frantzén (Sweden), Mini Mal – 18 Años (Colombia), and Le Coq Aux Champs (Belgium).

Woman chef: Najat by Najat Kaanache (Spain), Identidad Zapoteca by Abigail Mendoza (Mexico), Cocina con la Cafetiere en Casa by Anita Botero (Columbia), and Sea & Shore by Emily Scott (UK).

Celebrity Chef (English): Bella, My life in Food by Annabel Langbein (NZ), Asian Green by Ching-He Huang (UK), The Hebridean Baker by Coineach MacLeod (Scotland-UK). No fourth place award was given.

First Cookbook: Mes Recettes Passion by Virginie Legrand (France), Anything’s Possible by Natasha Burbury and Thomas Ziegler (Australia), Olive Me: A Collection of Recipes by Laurie Salvador (Canada), and Camping Soul Food by The Buggans Family (Ireland).

We have to mention that one of Jenny’s favorite books Lioroooosh: Baking from my Tel Aviv Kitchen by Lior Mashiach won first place in the confectionary category. The book is still under $10.00 on Amazon.