Hi From The James Beard Media Awards

Did not win, but meeting the who's who in food media was a real treat 🥹

Hi all,

I’m writing this from my AirBnb in Chicago the morning after the James Beard Media Awards. My cookbook Made in Taiwan was a nominee in the Best International Cookbook category and… we did not win.

The prize went to the World Central Kitchen team, a well-deserved win and an incredible cause. If you haven’t already, check out their cookbook. All of their proceeds go to emergency response efforts.

But can I be real?

Just being in the same category as chef Jose Andres and Yewande Komolafe, NYTimes food writer and author of My Everday Lagos, was such an honor. I really mean that.

Me and Lani, one of my best friends. She drove up from Indiana to be my date 🥹

I’ve been living full-time in Asia for six years now, and the longer I’m away from the States, the more I feel like an incredibly small fish in a giant pond. I kind of went the reverse route with my career. I started off in New York City as a food writer for the Village Voice, rubbing elbows with the biggest names in the industry. I thought I was so cool back then.

But let me tell you. No one in Taiwan cares that I’m a food writer. Unlike in America, there’s no real prestige to it because we don’t have a food media industry. In fact, sometimes it’s even a bit embarrassing to admit that I write about food for a living. I just tell people I’m a journalist and leave it at that.

The longer I do this, the more grateful I am to be out here, writing about food and being recognized for my work.

This is a stupidly difficult industry. Most of us—staffers and freelancers alike—aren’t making any real money, but fight tooth and nail for bylines and book deals in hopes of being able to tell the stories we’re passionate about.

So being at the James Beard Awards yesterday was nothing short of surreal. I felt like Cinderella at the ball. I had such a good time meeting food writers, cookbook authors, and cookbook editors I’ve admired from afar for so long. I fangirled in a way I never did when I lived in New York or Los Angeles… mostly because I’ve come to appreciate how lucky I am.

My book editor Justin Schwartz, Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard, and me! I’m a Top Chef fangirl and can’t believe I’m holding it together here haha.

I have a lot of qualms about the United States (which is why I don’t live here), but it is truly miraculous that we have a robust publishing industry and a food media industry big enough for a fancy awards ceremony. Yesterday's winners included specialists in pasta, Japanese American food, and Belgian baking. I assure you, no other country in the world has that.

Call it imposter syndrome or just plain ol’ gratitude, but yesterday was special and something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

I read Toni Tipton-Martin’s cookbook Jubliee from cover to cover when I was mapping out Made in Taiwan. She’s a huge inspiration. Almost teared up here. 🥹