Cookbook Awards
The IACP Cookbook Awards honor the authors, publishers, and other contributors behind the best cookbooks published each year. Being acknowledged as a finalist or winner has become a coveted mark of distinction, in part because of the program’s growing list of illustrious honorees, who, over the years, have included Mark Bittman, Julia Child, Dorie Greenspan, Thomas Keller, J. Kenji López-Alt, and Yotam Ottolenghi, among others. Our program requires recipe testing in all relevant awards categories. Awards are given in 18 categories, and one cookbook will be selected by our judges as the IACP Cookbook of the Year. Entries into multiple categories are allowed to provide maximum submission flexibility. For more information about cookbook award submission guidelines, judging procedures or FAQ’s, please review the links at the bottom of the page. The Cookbook Awards are open to both IACP members and non-members. Award entries begin January 11, 2024 and close on March 21, 2024. Deadline to receive all entry forms and payments through the IACP Submittable Page is March 21, 2024. All books must be received at our PSSC book facility no later than April 4, 2024. Here are the categories:
American
Cookbooks that focus on ethnic, cultural, or regional cooking in the United States. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Baking, Sweet & Savory, Confections and Desserts
Cookbooks that focus on breads, pastries, doughs, confectionary, ice cream or desserts. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Book Design (NEW)
Awarded to the book designer/design team and/or publisher that clearly and artistically illustrates the creative direction of a cookbook, reference book or other book including culinary-based information. Submissions will be evaluated on the masterful use of visual elements which may include: layout, cover design, font, use of color, illustrations, and/or overall graphic design. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing by the judges.
Chefs & Restaurants
Cookbooks by professional chefs and cookbooks that focus on the cuisine of specific chefs or restaurants and are designed with the home cook in mind. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Children, Youth & Family
Cookbooks that focus on young home cooks and/or family cooking. These everyday or special occasion cookbooks present ways to teach basic nutrition concepts, or provide fundamental knowledge for dietary needs, managing fussy eaters, or focus on the economics of food and family meal preparation. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Compilations (NEW)
Cookbooks consisting of recipes previously published in another format or compiled by a staff of writers or editors. This includes books produced by corporations, community organizations or food and beverage related recipe websites, magazines or newspapers. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Culinary Travel
Books that focus on culinary travel. These can be guidebooks, travelogues, or other types of books that illuminate the culture of a place through an exploration of its food, anywhere in the world. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.
Food Issues & Matters
Books and cookbooks that focus on the impact of food choices on personal health and the health of the planet. This category encompasses issues related to farming and fishing, buying and selling, abundance and scarcity, the joy of plenty and the fear of hunger and deprivation. Books included may be related to science and technology, food processing, marketing and publicity, ethical and cultural issues related to food, and the influence of law and politics on our daily diet. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.
Food Photography & Styling
Awarded to a photographer, stylist and author for photography and styling in a cookbook that clearly, accurately and artistically reflects recipes, cooking techniques and/or cooking equipment, enhances the text with stimulating visual images and reflects the overall tone of the book through the photos. These books may include recipes, however this category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.
General
Multiple-subject cookbooks, including all-purpose cookbooks, personal recipe collections, and books that reach a general audience. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Health & Wellness
Cookbooks and diet books that focus on healthful eating, nutrition, dietary concerns, and special or restrictive diets. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
IACP Julia Child First Book Award
Presented by the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, this is open to the first cookbook by a writer who has not previously authored or co-authored a food or beverage related book. When a book is co-authored, all writers must be first-time authors. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes. All entries in this category must be accompanied by the IACP Form “First Book Affidavit”. This form must be completed by all named authors attesting to the fact they have not previously authored, co-authored, or significantly contributed to a food or beverage related book. Should a question arise regarding an entry, the entrant agrees by his/her signature to submit any documentation deemed necessary for review. Inability to provide this documentation will disqualify a book for entry in this category.
International
Cookbooks that focus on recipes of a particular geographical region or cultural identity other than the United States. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Literary or Historical Food Writing
Fiction or nonfiction books about food and/or beverages, food and/or beverage-related travel, culinary history, or memoirs or biographies of food people in which the work is distinguished by the quality of its prose. Quality of writing is the defining factor. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing/evaluation by the judges.
Reference and Technical (NEW)
Reference and/or technical books on culinary terms, techniques, ingredients, beverages or other culinary-based information. This includes books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, glossaries, atlases or culinary instruction manuals. These books may include recipes, however, this category does not require recipe testing by the judges.
Self-Published
This award seeks to recognize the work of a self-published author who specifically pays the full cost of producing, editing, marketing, and distributing written work. Therefore, all finished copies, the copyright, all subsidiary rights, and all profits are exclusively the author’s. Entries will be judged on a demonstrated mastery of language, knowledge, clarity of thought, persuasive explanatory writing, ability to engage the reader on the subject at hand. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes. Should a question arise regarding an entry, the entrant agrees by his/her signature to submit any documentation deemed necessary for review. Inability to provide this documentation will disqualify a book for entry in this category.
Single Subject
Cookbooks that focus on specific food ingredients, cooking methods, techniques or appliances that reach a general audience. This category may also include non-alcoholic beverage writings. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
Wine, Beer or Spirits (UPDATED)
Books on the history, evaluation or production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, the serving or pairing of these beverages with food, or mixology. This category is limited to alcoholic and non-alcoholic wine, beer and spirits. This category requires recipe testing/evaluation by the judges. Books entered in this category must contain recipes.
