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an insider look at IACP cookbook award judging + Summit info

Not So Secret Agent is an email newsletter all about the inside scoop on cookbook publishing from senior literary agent, Sally Ekus (that’s me!). Make sure we never miss the chance to connect. Subscribe!

Dear Not So Secret Agent Readers,

Cookbook awards are on my mind! The James Beard Foundation cookbook award submissions are now open and thus I’ve been inundated (in all the best ways!) with editors emailing my clients to request the impact statements that will accompany their submissions. The deadline to enter is November 21st.

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

Next week, I will be attending the IACP awards the evening before their annual Summit!

If you are a food writer and even remotely interested in publishing and connecting with colleagues, you likely are a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, or IACP. If you have no idea what I am talking about, here’s a distilled summary of their website description that I hope motivates you to join:

The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) is a vibrant, member-driven community that brings together culinary experts from around the world to share knowledge, creativity, and support. Founded in 1978 by cooking school leaders including Bill Rice and Nathalie Dupree, and joined early on by icons like Julia Child and Jacques Pépin, the organization has grown into a diverse network spanning chefs, writers, photographers, educators, and food entrepreneurs. United by commitment to collaboration and inclusivity, IACP continues to celebrate and shape the evolving world of food and culinary arts.

Early on in my career, I got to shadow Lisa Ekus at IACP conferences as she wined and dined clients and holed up at out-of-the-way tables to take back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to- …you get the idea, editor meetings (bathroom breaks are for the weak 😉) pitching projects.

Fast forward over a decade later, and I now have the honor of deeply immersing myself in the resources offered to IACP members. I owe so much of my career and network to this incredible organization.

Are you planning on attending the annual IACP Summit coming up on November 5th and 6^th in NYC? Did you know that yours truly is hosting an NSSA Publishing Salon?? It’s capped at an intimate number of participants, and attendees will have access to industry data reserved exclusively for this session. You will also walk away with a punch list of action steps for your specific publishing journey!

You can find more info here, and there are only 4 spots left!

Oh, and if you are coming to the summit, you likely want to sign up for a coveted spot in

Dorie Greenspan

Cake Session too. Who wouldn’t want to spend an afternoon with Dorie?!

To be honest, the ins and outs of both the Beard and IACP Awards have always been such a mystery to me. So, when food writer and author Christina Ward reached out to offer up an insider look at IACP’s judging for all you NSSA readers, you know I jumped at the chance!

Photo Credit: Ren Lenhof/Studio 29

Christina Ward is an independent food historian, cookbook writer, and editor. She is also the managing and acquiring Editor of Feral House, an independent publisher noted for its non-fiction, counterculture books. She had the distinct pleasure of riding around town in the Wienermobile with Padma Lakshmi on the hottest day in July of 2019 for “Taste the Nation.” Her most recent book is Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influence What We Eat (Process, 2023).

She has acquired, guided, edited, contributed to, and in a few (unnamed) instances, rewritten over 100 books. In her spare time, she is the certified Master Food Preserver for Wisconsin and always picks up the phone to answer pressing questions about runny jelly and soft pickles. You can learn more about Feral House at Feralhouse.com and her work at Christinaward.net.

Let’s dive in!

Sally: How are judges chosen?

Christina: All the judges are either members of the IACP or community and cultural leaders—it’s a volunteer project and a significant time commitment. It really is a big job reading a few dozen books and then practical testing of 15 to 20 recipes!

The IACP values the integrity of its assessment process, and in that spirit, I’ll say that I was one of three judges (for my category), led by a lead judge for our category. Each judge only knew and interacted with the lead judge, the IACP staff, and either of the Award Chairs for the year.

In recent years, the IACP Awards staff have worked to diversify judges to better represent the actual demographics of the States. (I brought the working-class warrior energy this year!)

Sally: Was the category you judged assigned or did you choose?

Judges are asked to fill out a questionnaire identifying their areas of expertise, as well as their willingness and ability to cook and test recipes. (Not all categories require recipe testing.) With all that information, the IACP staff then assigns people to a category. For example, I’m allergic to fish and would not be able to test those recipes, so it makes practical sense NOT to assign me to the Seafood category. Some assessors may be assigned two categories if needed to fill out the three-person + lead panel.

If there was a conflict of interest, you could ask to be moved to a different category…but the IACP tries to avoid that by asking members who have entered that year’s contest not to judge in that year. And of course, the food world is small, so it’s entirely possible a judge may personally know or be aware of a specific author and book in their category. There is an element of trust that a judge isn’t going to go all-in for a friend, but even if one judge attempted that, the process is set up so that it would become obvious that someone was trying to skew the results. The leadership committee does meet with judges to understand anomalies in scoring and to learn more if needed.

I know, it’s not a revelatory answer, but I appreciate the protocols the IACP has put in place to ensure the fairest possible assessment.

Sally: How should authors evaluate the various categories when planning to submit their book?

Christina: The IACP offers a wide range of categories, which can make it easier to find the best fit for your book. If you’re unsure, ask your editor and/or agent. I’ll use myself as an example. Before I was a judge, I entered my book Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat for the 2024 cycle. The book is a food history, yet it also contains about 75 recipes. It could have fit into at least two categories; I chose Historical Food Writing as I knew my intention in writing the book was to share this wild rabbit hole of American food history, using the recipes to give readers practical examples. (Note: My book did not make it past the initial round; beep boop.)

Some people will attempt to ‘game’ the contests by entering their book into a perceptibly less-competitive category, but the IACP will flag it and reach out to the submitter to help determine its more appropriate category if it is obviously in the wrong category.

For the IACP Awards, a cookbook is assessed on how it delivers based on the assessment criteria, so a book isn’t really competing with other books as much as it’s competing against the standards.

***Not So Secret Agent Side Note: Readers, it is important to really let Christina’s previous statement sink in. For the IACP awards, it is not that your book is competing against the others in your category. It is about your book meeting the expectations and standards. I appreciate that it really does come down to a rubric! ***

Sally: Is it true there is less competition in more niche categories?

Christina: I honestly don’t believe that. The IACP membership and the volunteer leadership committee all work in the culinary arts in some form or fashion and have zero tolerance for nonsense. A category may have 50 or 15 entries, yet each book is assessed on the same criteria.

It is entirely possible for the panel to give ALL the entries low scores! There isn’t a curve. It is theoretically possible for no book to meet the minimum criteria standards in a category. (Note that panel judges don’t see the final tabulations nor participate in the final assessment. We may know which are the top five books, but we don’t know who the winner is until it’s announced.)

Sally: Can you explain or breakdown the criteria and grading process?

Christina: NO! Part of what makes the IACP Award so special in the cookbook community is knowing that the assessment is confidential. I can share that the IACP staff works hard to process input from previous judges and leaders to continually improve the process.

If you’ve won an IACP Award, be extra proud because your book was put through the proverbial ringer and came out on top!

Sally: What is the testing process for your category and is that the same across the board?

Christina: The first step is a visual and textual analysis of each book. Broadly, the assessment is seeking to determine how well the individual book “does its job.” Are the headnotes and any supplemental text aligned to the vision of the book? Do the images align? Then does the tone and language match the intention and the “who is this book for?” elements.

Tonal and visual mismatch were important to me, and I was looking for how well a book was able to clearly execute its intention. Another judge could very well have put credence on another element of the criteria with more laser focus. That’s the power of multiple-judge blind assessments!

Then, recipe analysis. As the IACP is a culinary professional group, significant weight is given to the recipes. We were looking at whether the recipe was accurate in its measures, timing, and instructions. Are the step-by-step instructions clear? And again, intention vs. execution. If a book intended for beginning cooks had complicated instructions with surprise exotic ingredients, it would earn a lesser score.

Books that make it past the first round are then subjected to recipe testing. How recipes are chosen is decided by the leadership committee, and all judges make the same recipes plus one of their choosing. I encountered a few recipes that over-promised and under-delivered. Cookbook writers should make note that using superlatives when describing a recipe sets an expectation. If you tell me that this is the best-tasting brownie in the world…that brownie better be Meg Ryan eating a corned beef at Katz’s level of good. The same goes for an author touting expertise; if you’re a subject-matter expert, then readers have higher expectations for the results.

The takeaway for writers: Set accurate and appropriate expectations with and for your recipes. I would much rather read something in the headnotes about how a recipe can be tricky and take a few attempts to look picture-perfect than have the author rave about how special it was to Aunt Fanny while knowing the average home cook cannot execute at that level. Most kitchen disappointments (and cookbook fails) are when the reality doesn’t match the expectation.

***Not So Secret Agent Side Note: If you are now re-thinking your recipe testing process, check out this previous post all about recipe testing!***

Sally: What are common flaws or traps authors fall into when submitting?

Christina: Oh, so many! Your book competes with every other cookbook published that year in your category. It’s Michelin-starred chefs vs. TikTok sandwich makers. While the assessment criteria ruthlessly judges each book on its own merit, one universal demerit is what I deem “lazy recipe writing.” And that’s across the board. A pox on any recipe-writer that instructs “caramelize onions, ten minutes” because it’s not accurate and signals that either the writer doesn’t really know how to caramelize onions or doesn’t care!

Another trap is a disconnect between the content of the cookbook and the book’s intended reader/cook. I came across far too many examples of an author speaking about something in an intro or in a headnote, but the recipes and photos didn’t match the tone of the writing. The vibes must align!

Sally: Now that you have seen behind the curtain, are awards “worth” it?

Christina: I write and have submitted three of my books for both the IACP and Beard Awards and have only heard sad trombones. I think winning one of the Awards is a wonderful ego boost for an author. It’s fantastic to have your peers see your work and deem it worthy of accolades.

If you’re hyper-competitive or a gentle soul with rejection sensitivity, then maybe you shouldn’t. The stress of hoping to win isn’t worth it. (Or have your publisher enter it but not tell you unless you win!) But if you submit your book with the knowledge that you did your best work, and maybe others will see it, and that would feel nice…then definitely enter.

There is marketing value in winning an award if you’re building your writing career and plan on writing more food-focused books. And yes, winning books experience a sales bump. Who doesn’t want “Beard/IACP Award-Winning Author” in their bio and on that sticker on the front cover of their winning book?!

Being a judge helped me reconcile my own ‘not-winning any major awards’ status. I know that my work was fairly assessed and that other books executed their intention better than I did. And that’s okay! It doesn’t diminish my work, and not winning an award shouldn’t be taken personally.

***Not So Secret Agent Side Note: While winning awards may mean a wave of new marketing and media opportunities, in my experience, it does not always automatically translate to a bump in sales. Sometimes that bump can come years later. Usually, awards reiterate an author’s credentials.. They can also open up new networks to tap into. However, in select cases, such as conversations overheard at a bookstore, awards can lead to consumer action.***

Sally: What can an author hope to gain from submitting? For example, does the submission alone put their book in front of high-profile industry people?

Christina: Submitting for award consideration might get your book in front of someone with a high profile…but probably not. Making it to the short list and winning would get more high-profile eyeballs for sure.

Knowing your personal values and goals are paramount. If you have a goal of winning an award, the only way to do that is by creating a cookbook that is interesting, accurate, creative, and engaging. You could be the most famous chef in the world, but if your recipes are uncookable, you won’t win an award.

Sally: Are big platform social media stars judged in any particular way against their smaller social platform counterparts?

Christina: Every author and every book is equal in the eyes of the IACP; your platform and follower count are meaningless for assessment.

Sally: What have you learned from judging that could help people identify who their book is really for?

Christina: That notion of “who is this book for” is so important! If you never have an ideal reader in mind when you’re creating your cookbook, then stop right now and figure that out.

From a judging perspective, I don’t need to be a left-handed dentist from Peekskill to assess Cooking at the Dentist’s Office for the Left-Handed. I can read, assess, and enjoy it for what it is and know that it might not be for me, but that book should resonate with left-handed dentists! When there’s a disconnect between author and ideal reader, it is so profound that it’s evident in every aspect of the cookbook.

A book that consistently brings together narrative, images, and recipes in a way that resonates with 80% of the targeted “ideal reader” group is a good cookbook.

I’ll bring up a “take” that is 100% informed by my work in publishing books and not from my experience as a judge. Something I see in submissions and in actual cookbooks (because, yes, I love cookbooks and collect them) is a ‘voice’ problem. I know we hate talking about “class” in the United States, but it’s a real thing. If the author is white, upper-middle-class, yet they’ve identified their ideal reader as, say, working class, and the book is focused on “30-minute meals” and doesn’t speak to the reality of the working-class experience, that is a problem.

Here’s my entirely made-up example of that disconnect: an ingredient for an entrée in the theoretical 30-minute-meals cookbook is “wagyu” steak and doesn’t offer a substitute. The solution isn’t to change who the author is or replace the recipe with a ‘hamburger helper’ style recipe, but to ensure that the writer is familiar with the lives of their ideal reader to write the recipe in a way that speaks to them. Yes, include a recipe that uses “wagyu” and specify it as a high-priced ingredient to enjoy on a special occasion, OR you can use XXX as a substitute for a lower-cost version for a fancy family dinner. I also think that it’s important for everyone to have choices about what they eat! Folks on a budget can still make the more expensive option. The difference is that, while the author doesn’t assume that working folks only want cheap and cheerful meals, they correctly assume that they (and other readers) will want the option to make it fancy or make it cheaper. A great recipe writer will note how the substitution may affect the final dish.

It’s one thing to identify who your ideal reader is, but you also have to understand who that is and what their cooking lives are like.

Sally: Any last thoughts?

Christina: The process really opened my eyes to how many cookbooks are published each year. Knowing I wear two hats—I’m writing AND I’m publishing other folks’ cookbooks and food books—means I was struck by how many times I asked myself “Who is this book for?” and, more critically, “Why does this book exist?” As a writer and publisher, I’ve become much more deliberate about my choices. Yes, publishing is a business, but I’m re-focused on publishing books that truly have practical and/or cultural value for readers.

Thank you Christina!

Wow, I am floored by Christina’s generosity in time and information sharing. Personally, I was fascinated to learn more about the devoted judging process. I also really appreciate the way Christina frames the emotional and professional side of awards. Whether you are up for an award this year or writing a book that one day may never lead to a stage worthy acceptance speech, thank you for taking the time to hone your craft and share it with all of us.

One thing is clear, if you don’t know who you are writing for, that’s the place to begin. So dear NSSA readers, who is *your* reader?

~Sally~