Local Food Scribes Fare Well at 2009 AFJ Awards Contest

The Washington Post placed in four separate categories in the Association of Food Journalists 2009 awards contest in New Orleans last week, including nods for Tom Sietsema, Jane Black, and the Food Section as a whole.

Black won or shared two awards. She earned a second-place finish for Best Newspaper Food Feature, circulation 250,001 and over category, for her profile on Patrick O’Connell, chef/owner at the Inn at Little Washington. She also shared a first-place award for Best Newspaper Special Food Project with Anthony Faiola, Dan Morgan, and Steven Mufson for “Clipping, Scrimping, Saving.”

Sietsema earned second place for Best Newspaper Restaurant Criticism, while WaPo’s Food Section, under editor Joe Yonan, took home second place for Best Newspaper Food Coverage, circulation 215,001 and over category. It’s the latest recognition for Yonan, who also won a James Beard Award this year for the nation’s best food section.

The only other area publication to score an award was the Baltimore Sun. Rob Kasper took second place for Best Newspaper Food Column.

You can see the full list of winners here.

Tags: Association of Food Journalists, baltimore sun, food crisis, Inn at Little Washington, James Beard Awards, Jane Black, Joe Yonan, Patrick O'Connell, Rob Kasper, Tom Sietsema, Washington Post