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Wow. I mean, wow. I was all aflutter a year ago when I got nominated for the James Beard Award for Best Food Blog, but I just found out this morning that I was nominated AGAIN! I am floored.
And it’s not the only award Hunter Angler Gardener Cook is up for this year: I also was nominated for Best Food Blog by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. This is probably the second-biggest award a food writer can earn; I find out if I win the IACP in Portland next month.
It has occurred to me that in 18 years of work as a political reporter, covering several presidential elections, numerous governor’s races, untold legislative races, a decade-plus of legislative coverage, with a handful of top-flight investigative stories to my credit (I once got the head of the Republican Party indicted in Minnesota, and a story I wrote got the state of California to finally enforce pesticide laws after I brought to light the fact that lax enforcement was killing farm workers) — the closest I came to a major journalism award was a whiff of a Pulitzer for stories our whole staff worked on when US Sen. Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash.
And yet here, with a blog that will not turn three years old until November, I already been nominated for food writing’s greatest awards. Did I miss my calling? Waste all those years?
I prefer to think not. I enjoyed politics for many, many years; covering the competition for scarce resources can be riveting. Not so much any more, however, thus all this food writing. Still, can I say I am floored again? I’m floored.
In the Beard Awards, I am up against two extremely good blogs, Grub Street and Serious Eats. Both are huge sites, with zillions of readers, done by teams of writers. I don’t read Grub Street all that often (guess I should!) but I read Serious Eats every day. If I lose to either behemoth, so be it. Consider Holly and me as the Cornell or Northern Iowa of this bracket.
In the IACP awards, I am up against SF Weekly in San Francisco and its sister paper in Houston. Both are more traditional blogs, with quick-hit news items and a strong focus on the local restaurant scene. Both those guys are seasoned pros in the food world.
With all these nominations, I am just hoping to not become the Susan Lucci of the food writer world. Last year I watched while Kelly Choi botched the reading of the nominees at the Beard Awards, letting the cat out of the bag that my soon-to-be-friends at Sunset magazine had won the award, leaving Bon Appetit’s Andrew Knowlton and I holding our drinks. In the end, I didn’t mind that the Sunset peeps won — they have a good message and they are excellent folks.
At any rate, I learn whether I am the winner May 2 at a ceremony in New York City. Manhattan in May is wonderful; I grew up across the river in New Jersey and spent much of my youth there. It’ll be good to get back. Regardless of what happens, it is quite a thing to be so recognized.
One more note: If you read this space and are going to be at either the IACP conference in Portland or the Beard Awards in NYC, let me know — I’d like to meet you in person. And to all of you who are arriving here for the first time because of these nominations, welcome! I hope you like what you find.
WAY TO GO!! FINGERS CROSSED THIS TIME AGAIN! AND I”LL SEE YOU IN PORTLAND FOR THE IACP! Ken
congrats and good luck
Congrats Hank! I hope your hard work is rewarded.
Congratulations Hank! You totally deserve to be nominated! I’m happy for you guys! : )
Massive props. =)
Second time is the charm. I’m predicting a James Beard win this year. Good luck. I also think the redesign of your website will help as you’ve given a bit more professional polish to your blog in addition to the consistently fantastic content.
I think you have to look at those 18 years in journalism and political writing as excellent training that prepared you for what you’re doing today — the best journalism of your life. I think it’s both ironic and telling that you’re doing this mostly on your own and not for the benefit of some media company or outlet.
I think it’s the combination of your reporting and writing skills and professional experience honed over those 18 years plus your personal passion, knowledge and honest voice that make Hunter Angler Gardener Cook what it has become. Some blogs and writers offer some of these traits and characteristics, but few offer all that you bring to the table as consistently as you do it. You’re on a great roll and it’s fun to watch, even from the sidelines.
Richly deserved! Congratulations – twice!
Congratulations. Clearly you’re doing something very, very right. You’re not only a gracious nominee but a super talented contender. Everyone wins, as far as I’m concerned. Best of luck, Brooke
Yeow! Fantastic! Am I a proud Mum? You bet! Way to go!
Lizz and I want to be there again to see you win as I just know this is your year! (Even if you don’t win it is still a win to be nominated!)
Congratulations once again for being nominated!
Lots and lots and lots of love!
Kudos… you have a great blog and I love all the time you put into it.. the journalism background is what puts you head and shoulders above the rest….that and your obvious enjoyment of what you do. Good luck!
Congrats Hank and I hope you’re second-time lucky. Don’t fuss too much about whether you win or not.
If you had a restaurant….would you prefer a Michelin star with empty tables or a full house and no criticial acclaim?
I am new to your site, but from what I’ve read so far the accolades are well deserved!
Well done and well deserved.
Congrats! Here’s hoping you win!
Congratulations! This is very exciting!
Congratulations Hank!
I don’t know if I’ll be at the awards since I don’t know if I’m cool enough to be invited, but if you have time while you’re in NY, I’d be thrilled to meet you.
So happy for you (and for Holly whose photos contribute so much). I knew this would happen since I first started reading you early on. I also knew there would be a book. You bring so much passion, knowlege, and fun to a subject whose time has returned, I’ve known Ed since he was a kid, so I’ll have divided loyalties, But I will be cheering you both on – a tie would be perfect!
Great News! You’re right up there with “the Big Guys” and your past experiences are the ingredients that simmered to make you the pot of stew that you are now and have melded quite nicely, I’d say – yummmm just about done!
Good go’in Holly, ya’ll both righteous!
As many have said, congrats on both counts…and well deserved!
Congrats, it’s well earned. And good luck. I’d love to see you win.
I probably won’t be in NYC in May. Any chance you’d be taking a tour along the NYC-Philly corridor? As intimidated as it might make me feel, I’d be honored to serve you some honest food of our own if you were in the neighborhood.
WooHoo! Many congrats Hank. I just saw you listed in the nominees, how awesome. You deserve the nomination and to win.
[...] GIANT congratulations to Hank Shaw over at Hunter Angler Gardener Cook for getting nominated for the 2nd time for a James Beard Award! That’s absolutely [...]
Hank – It is hard for me to think of HAGC as ‘mainstream’ (perhaps changing the stream a bit, tho’) and not because of any lack of quality… it’s just that game and fish are a foreign concept to most American food writers.
If you win (and I hope that you do) it is because you deserve the recognition, and if you do not win… well, I think that you still deserve the award. Holding a good thought for you.
Once again, I’m not surprised a bit! I remember when you were talking about starting this blog and also about writing a book. It was on our way home from our first hunting venture together. Now here you are 3 years later on your way to international food writing grandeur! Cheers!!
Luck, luck, luck, luck!!
Hope you bag them both!
Congratulations Hank! This is such a fantastic honor for you, and you deserve it!
Hank, I’m totally freaking out! Congratulations!!
I hope my little redesign helped to shine your magnificent work in its best light. You so deserve the nominations, and we must absolutely have a drink when you’re here in NYC for the awards.
xoxo
Congratulations, and your experience in writing shines through. You definitely are our go-to site for game and foraging information.
Thank you one and all! It’s been quite a day – lots and lots of calls and emails and people I’d not spoken with in years coming out of the woodwork. Even more than last year I fear I may not fare so well against the Big Boys, but considering it’s just me and Holly, being there is what counts.
And Lord knows There Will Be Drinking — and Eating. And major, hold-on-to-your-chest-hairs-it’s-gonna-get-wild big hootenany fun!
They don’t stand a chance to HAGC
We’re rooting for you!
Bravo Hank! Here’s hoping you sweep ‘em up.
I hope you bring it home this time Hank – best of Luck!!
Congrats Hank and Holly!!! Does this mean you will have to start on a second book??
Big congratulations! I know that I (and probably your other readers, as well) are not floored by these nominations. As far as I’m concerned, you’re the best and deserve it all!
Congratulations ! Your blog is amazing !
It’s always good to see people that deserve it being recognized. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
congrats! Wish you could write another article on pesticide laws so that state could step up again and do something!
Yes but Susan did win, and used the string of nominations as a running gag for years.
(Susan is a really nice person and nothing like Erica).
As they say in theater: Merde
warner
Richly deserved – can we vote? Blackmail judges? Keep the other entrants in a wine cellar for a few weeks?
SBW
I am pulling for you like crazy. Congratulations!!!
Big congrats again, Hank! Can’t say I’m surprised to see you up there with the heavies. May the force be with you.
[...] It’s not every day that I get to celebrate this kind of news, so I’m a little giddy. I’m delighted to announce that Hank Shaw’s Hunter Angler Gardener Cook just received its second nomination for a James Beard Award as Best Food Blog, as well as an IACP nomination for the same. I’m not alone in thinking that the accolades are well-deserved, as you’ll see from the comments in his announcement. [...]
[...] Hank Shaw of the always amazing Hunter Gardner Angler Cook was nominated FOR ANOTHER JAMES BEARD AWARD! It warms my heart knowing that such an awesome site as Hank’s is getting the nod again for [...]