The Guild of Food Writers Awards are awarded annually and are the only awards judged entirely by professional food writers, editors and broadcasters.
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 Guild of Food Writers Awards 2024 winners were announced at our Awards ceremony on Wednesday, 12 June 2024, held in the Royal Institution in London. The list of winners can be viewed here and the Finalists and Sponsors can be viewed here.
Awards Categories
There are 15 main awards categories:
Newcomer
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 other than food and drink is acceptable.
– Note that the same criteria for ‘paid writing’ will be applied as when assessing membership applicants see link https://www.gfw.co.uk/about-guild-membership
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 may include video and podcasts.
This celebrates the team involved, and not just the presenter.
Judging criteria
To qualify for the 2025 Awards your entry must have been broadcast or released between
1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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 please highlight one episode and provide a link to this so that the judging panel may view or listen to this specifically
– 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 or be behind a firewall for the purpose of judging..
Food Writer Award
About the Award
This award is given for the best food-related articles published in newspapers, magazines or online. This includes work with a focus on travel but not restaurant reviews.
Judging Criteria
– 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.
– To qualify for entry into the 2024 awards all of the work entered must have been published between1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
– Writers may enter other categories but the material should meet the specific criteria and be substantially different
– 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 or be behind a firewall for the purpose of judging.
Recipe Writer 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 2025 awards all of the recipes entered must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
– Writers may enter other categories but the material should meet the specific criteria and be substantially different
– 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 or be behind a firewall for the purpose of judging.
Restaurant Writer 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 2025 awards all of the recipes entered must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
– Writers may enter other categories but the material should meet the specific criteria and be substantially different
– 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 or be behind a firewall for the purpose of judging.
Drinks Writer Award
About the Award
This award is given to the best writer of either drinks books OR 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.
– To qualify for entry into the 2025 Awards all of the work entered must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
– The award is judged on the basis of up to three pieces of work.
One book is required or three published articles.
– Articles may be from the same or different publications and may have appeared online, in print or both.
– Books and articles should be supplied in PDF format or as links to an online source via the entry form
– Books should also be supplied in hard copy, 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 or be behind a firewall for the purpose of judging.
Investigative Food Writer 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.
– Where a TV or radio series is nominated, please highlight one episode and provide a link to this so that the judging panel may view or listen to this specifically
– To qualify for entry into the 2025 Awards the work entered must have been published or broadcast between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
– The award is judged on the basis of up to three pieces of work.
One book is required or three published articles.
– 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 or be behind a firewall for the purpose of judging.
Food Magazine or Supplement 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 supplements 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.
– To qualify for entry into the 2025 Awards the magazines and periodicals must have been published in the UK between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024.
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.
– If you wish to supply optional hard copy printed material 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 or be behind a firewall for the purpose of judging.
– Please also supply mission statements and target audience where possible to aid judging of your entry
Self Published Online Food Writer Award
About the Award
This category recognises the increase in online publishing for non-commissioned food writing by professional writers.
The award recognises talent for creating work generated by self-motivation to reach a wider audience. It may or may not generate a revenue, but it 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 and may include photographs, illustrations, or consist solely of written material.
– This includes newsletters and blogs and work published on platforms such as a Substack, Instagram or Facebook.
– Examples provided should focus on written material and not be based purely on audio-visual material.
– All work must have been self-published by the author between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 in the UK first.
Entry Requirements
– The Award is judged on the basis of 3 pieces of work entered via the entry form.
– Where an online platform has been used, please provide the specific link. Please provide links to highlight three individual pieces for closer consideration by the judges
Please note – all self-published books should be entered into the appropriate category
Debut Book Award
About the Award
This award is given to a writer of any age, provided that the entry is their first cookery book, food book or drinks book.
Judging Criteria
To qualify for entry into the 2025 awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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 Debut book but it can only be entered once.
– Please enter all book details on the entry form.
– please supply a pdf of the book if possible as well as hard copy
– 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
– there is no limit to the number of recipes but the majority of the book will be text-led.
– 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 2025 Awards your book must have been published between
1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
– please supply a pdf of the book if possible as well as hard copy
– We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
International or Regional Book 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 2025 Awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
– please supply a pdf of the book if possible as well as hard copy
– We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date
Specialist Cookery Book Award
About the Award
This award covers books with focus on a particular technique or method, for example fermenting,preserving, sourdough, butchery, air fryer cookery BBQ, slow cooker.
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 2025 awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
— please supply a pdf of the book if possible as well as hard copy
– We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
Single Topic Cookery Book Award
About the Award
This award covers books with focus on one particular ingredient.
For example, medlars, salt, honey.
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 2025 awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
— please supply a pdf of the book if possible as well as hard copy
– We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
Cookery Book 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, alsoSpecialist Cookery books and Single Topic cookery books. Please read the criteria for each category to determine which is most suitable for your entry.
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 2025 Awards your book must have been published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 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.
– please supply a pdf of the book if possible as well as hard copy
– We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date.
For judging criteria and entry requirements, please read the detailed information for each category before entering. Please also read the general entry criteria below.
Entries for The Guild of Food Writers Awards 2024 are now closed. Winners can be viewed here.
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:
- must have been published or broadcast or released, in the English language, in the UK, in the last calendar year.
- should have been published in the UK before publication in any other country.
- must, if published online, be from a site based principally in the UK.
- must be a work of non-fiction.
Any work that does not meet all these requirements will not 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.
- No judges may have any of their own work entered in the category they are judging.
- The recipient of each award is (are) the writer(s) or presenter(s) of, or in the case of the Food Magazine or Section Award, the editorial team behind the winning work.
- No discussion or correspondence, outside the meetings of the judges, will be entered into.
- The judges’ decisions are final.
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).
- If nominating more than one piece of work into different categories each entry must be on a separate form. Please note that if you enter a book in one of the book categories it will not be eligible for any other category.
- You may nominate your own or someone else’s work. In either case, you are responsible for deciding in which category or categories it is to be entered but lead judges may at their discretion reallocate works to a different category. In this event, the nominator will be required to supply copies of the work to the new judges.
- All Awards communications and nominated work must be clearly marked with the relevant category and nominator’s details.
- Whoever completes the entry form is responsible for making sure that printed copies of the work(s) are despatched in good time for judges to receive them, regardless of who is despatching them. The Guild regrets that if entries arrive late, the work cannot be considered.
- All article-based entries are to be submitted as PDF files or as online links via the entry form
- For the book categories physical copies of the publication may be sent to the judges as well as a PDF if available.
- We will provide details of where to send physical hard copies after the closing date if relevant.
- Where entries are a collaborative effort, the Guild asks that those nominating the work, be they authors or publishers, acknowledge this on the application form.
Want to join the Guild of Food Writers?
To join the Guild of Food Writers, simply complete our online application form. If you have any questions about the process you can contact our Administrator on admin@gfw.co.uk.