2024 James Beard Book Awards Call for Entries are Now Open!

The James Beard Foundation® announced today that the entry and recommendation period for the 2024 James Beard Awards® is officially open until November 30, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The 2024 Awards ceremonies will be held in Chicago on the following dates:

● Media Awards: Saturday, June 8, 2024
● Leadership Awards: Sunday, June 9, 2024
● Restaurant and Chef Awards: Monday, June 10, 2024

For information on Broadcast Media, Journalism, Restaurant and Chef Awards see the James Beard Awards page.

The following outlines the Book Awards submission process:

Deadlines:

The deadline for submitting entries for Media Awards is Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

EIGHT copies of each book – along with a printed copy (If you are unable to print your confirmation, please include a handwritten page that includes the entrant’s name, book name, and category for entry) of your online entry confirmation – being submitted should be shipped to:

Quick International Courier
C/O James Beard Books
200 Robbins Lane, Suite E
Jericho, NY 11753
Attn: Kathy Canarte

Deadline for books to reach Jericho NY warehouse is Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

If your book was published in 2023 but will not be available for shipping until after December 6, 2023, please contact the Foundation staff at awards@jamesbeard.org to request a late shipment arrival.

Digital: You will be required to upload the final PDF of the book through the online entry portal. Electronic files must not exceed 500 MB in size. An electronic copy of the book must be submitted, in order for the book to be considered for the Awards in all categories.

Recommendation and Entry Overview:

Costs: The Media Awards (Book, Broadcast Media, and Journalism) conduct Open Call for Entries that require an entry fee of $85 per entry. The James Beard Foundation is committed to making the application process accessible for all. Fee waivers can be requested if the $85 entry fee presents hardship. Applications will not be penalized if this option is selected.

Statement: As part of all Awards submissions, the Foundation requires a short statement, written (150-300 words) or recorded (audio or video, 1-2 minutes) by the entrant or recommender. The statement offers a chance to tell the committees and judges a little more about the candidate and their work, and how their work expresses aspects of the mission and the Foundation’s values: equity, transparency, respect, integrity, and community. The statement is reviewed for content and not for language fluency, video quality, or production value. 

Entries should be entered here: https://jamesbeardawards.awardsplatform.com/

Outline of BOOK CATEGORIES:

Baking and Desserts: Books with recipes focused on the art and craft of baking, pastries, and desserts, both sweet and savory items, including ingredients, techniques, equipment, and traditions.

Beverage with Recipes: Books with recipes focused on beverages, such as cocktails, beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, or juices.

Beverage without Recipes: Books without recipes that focus on beverages, such as cocktails, beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, or juices; or books that cover these subject areas where recipes are not the focus of cooking, not just a single topic, technique, or region. Should be no more than 20 percent recipes.

Bread: Books with recipes focused on the art and craft of making bread, including ingredients, techniques, equipment, and traditions.

Food Issues and Advocacy: Books that include investigative journalism, food policy, deep dives, and critical analysis of the changing social landscape around food. Should be no more than 20 percent recipes.

General: Books with recipes that address a broad scope of cooking, not just a single topic, technique, or region.

International: Books with recipes focused on food or cooking traditions of countries, regions, or communities outside of the United States.

Literary Writing: Narrative nonfiction books, including memoirs, culinary tourism, investigative journalism, food advocacy, and critical analysis of food and foodways for a general audience. Includes memoir, biography, personal essays, culinary travel, and culture—no more than 20 percent recipes. 

Reference, History, and Scholarship: Includes manuals, guides, encyclopedias, and books that present research related to food or foodways. Should be no more than 20 percent recipes.

Restaurant and Professional: Books written by a culinary professional or restaurant chef with recipes that may include advanced cooking techniques, the use of specialty ingredients and professional equipment, including culinary arts textbooks.

Single Subject: Books with recipes focused on a single ingredient, dish, or method of cooking. Examples include seafood, grains, pasta, burgers, or canning. Exceptions are baking and desserts books, vegetable-focused books, restaurant and professional books, and beverage books—which should be entered in their respective categories.

U.S. Foodways: Books with recipes focused on the cooking or foodways of regions or communities located within the United States.

Vegetable-Focused Cooking: Books on vegetable cookery with recipes that are meatless, vegetarian, or vegan.

Visuals: Books on food or beverage with exceptional graphic design, art, or photography. Should be no more than 20 percent recipes.

The Cookbook Hall of Fame description has been updated for better clarity: This award is given to either a cookbook that has significantly influenced the way we think about food, honoring authors who possess an exceptional ability to communicate their gastronomic vision via the printed page, or an author whose cookbooks and other culinary books and work, taken together, make a difference in the world of food and cooking. The Book Committee selects the honoree for this category. No entries will be accepted for this category.

Emerging Voice: The Book Committee selects the Emerging Voice award winner, and the winner does not have to come from entries. This award recognizes work of immediate impact and lasting significance by a first-time published author whose unique perspective expands the reach of the subject matter. The medallion and a certificate are given to the winning author.

For more information about the James Beard Foundation Awards, visit jamesbeard.org/awards. For up-to-the-minute news about the Awards, follow @beardfoundation on X and Instagram and keep an eye out for posts using #jbfa.