Awards Watch: 2009 Media Awards Recap

A night of mixed emotions. Media advertising dollars are tanking. The restaurant business is tough. And yet the mood was optimistic and hopeful at the third annual JBF Media Awards at Hudson Theatre. On the one hand, Rebekah Denn, who won for an article in the now defunct Seattle Post-Intelligencer, began to cry on stage as she explained how her editor and others supported her despite cut backs and budget freezes to allow her to produce her award winning article about woolly pigs. On the other hand, Alan Richman thanked his editor at GQ for an unlimited budget to write an unexpected piece on non-Japanese culinary perfection in Tokyo which won him a Magazine Feature award. New media winners included www.gourmet.com and www.oneblockdiet.sunset.com. In an unsuccessful attempt to remain anonymous, restaurant review award-winner Adam Platt of New York, who towered over the podium, joked he was an imposter and the real Platt was only 3 feet tall.

With multiple wins for Gourmet, GQ, epicurious.com, and gourmet.com, Condé Nast certainly cleaned up the Beard medallions. Will enough advertising dollars follow to make their whole gastro-media enterprise viable? With many of the nominees and guests a-Twitter during the ceremony and dinner—prepared by a team of superb female chefs—one wonders how the make up of the room will change at next year’s celebration. JBF president Susan Ungaro’s mood-changing advice: “We are going to cook, eat, and dine our way out of these tough times.” View a complete list of Media Award winners here.

by JBF Editors on May 03, 2009 at 11:45pm, under Awards Watch

Tags: JBF Awards