Dr Vino's wine blog

Last night, the James Beard Foundation presented their 2007 media awards in a celebration at the Hudson Theater in midtown Manhattan.

Although I was nominated in the website category, only one Colman won, and it was Colman Andrews taking home a medal for his writing in Saveur (my name is Tyler Colman for those who only know me by my nom de internet, Dr. Vino). Congratulations to Leite’s Culinaria, which won in the category for best website in Food, Beverage, Restaurants and Nutrition. For me, it was truly an honor just to be nominated since it is such a broad category and there are so many great websites out there in that journalistic frontier known as the ‘Net.

A complete list of winners and quotable quotes follows after the jump.

Leonard Lopate of WNYC was the master of ceremonies. He presented some awards as did Susan Ungaro, Dorothy Cann Hamilton, and Mitchell Davis of the James Beard Foundation. Jane Crump of the Viking Range Corporation presented several awards, as did Corby Kummer of the Atlantic Monthly, Julie Powell (Julie & Julia), and finally, Gael Greene, the Insatiable Gourmet.

Quotables: On the only occasion of joint winners in the evening, Eric Felten of the WSJ raised his medal and said “and it’s not even half a medal!”…Scott Simon, host of NPR show Weekend Edition was nearly brought to tears remembering the people he had spoken with in writing a Gourmet piece on war-torn regions and “conflict cuisine”…Colleen Pierce announced her availability to write for hire since the day after she found out about the award nomination, the magazine in which her award-winning article appeared, Child, announced it was closing…Colman Andrews thanked, among others, the people at the “old Saveur.”

2007 award winners, in order of presentation

Newspaper feature writing about restaurants and chefs with or without recipes
Barbara Yost, “Bringing a restaurant to life,” The Arizona Republic

Newspaper Feature writing with recipes
Janet Fletcher, “Bringing duck home,” San Francisco Chronicle

Newspaper feature writing without recipes
Elaine Cicora, “Soul kitchen,” Cleveland Scene

Newspaper or magazine restaurant review or critique
Rebekah Denn, “Heads Up on Lovely Veil: Not One of the Best Yet”, ”We Went Trolling for the City’s Best Crab Cakes”, “Tiny Sitka and Spruce Makes a Big Splash,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Newspaper, newsletter, or magazine reporting on nutrition or food-related consumer issues
Colleen Pierce, R.D., “Solving the Sugar Crisis,” Child Magazine

A special tribute to R. W. Apple

Television food segment, national or local
CBS News “Sunday Morning.” Host: Charles Osgood

Television food special
Food Trip with Todd English.Host: Todd English
Network: PBS Nationwide

Television food show, local
Check, Please! Bay Area. Host: Leslie Sbrocco
Network: KQED Public Television

Television food show, national
Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie. Host: Ruth Reichl
Network: PBS

Radio food show
The Leonard Lopate Show’s Holiday Recipe Swap. Host: Leonard Lopate
Area: WNYC, Podcast, XM Satelite

Webcast
Savoring the Best of World Flavors: Volume One: India, Spain, Mexico and Thailand
Host: Bill Briwa, Website: www.ciaprochef.com

Newspaper, newsletter, or magazine columns
Dara Moskowitz, “Take the Cannoli”, “The Importance of Burgers”, “Weirded Out By Wine,” City Pages, Minneapolis

Newspaper writing on spirits, wine or beer
Eric Felten, “He Drinks, She Drinks,” The Wall Street Journal
AND (tie)
Dara Moskowitz, “Asked and Answered,” City Pages, Minneapolis

Website focusing on food, beverage, restaurant, or nutrition
Leite’s Culinaria, David Leite and Linda Avery

Magazine feature writing with recipes
Colman Andrews, “Ireland – From Farm to Fork,” Saveur

Magazine feature writing without recipes
Scott Simon, “Conflict Cuisine,” Gourmet

Magazine writing on spirits, wine or beer
Fiona Morrison, MW, “Chambolle-Musigny,” Wine & Spirits Magazine

Magazine feature writing about restaurants and/or chefs with or without recipes
James Villas, “Vive le Restaurant,” Saveur

Multimedia writing on food, beverage, restaurant or nutrition
Edward Deitch, MSNBC.com/NBC Mobile, “On the Trail of Great Californian Syrah”

Newspaper section
San Francisco Chronicle, Miriam Morgan and Jon Bonne

M.F.K. Fisher distinguished writing award
Jesse Katz, “Wheels of Fortune,” Los Angeles Magazine

The crowd definitely changed at the after-party with chefs and others in attendance. The drinks got better too. Tonight the book awards and the chef awards will be presented at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center. For more info, surf on over to jamesbeard.org