Awards Watch: Where were you when…?

by jbfauthor on May 08, 2011

We asked some of tonight’s nominees to tell us where they were when they got the news they were up for a James Beard Foundation Award. Here are their stories: “I was actually in my pajamas, typing madly at my home computer, on deadline and ensnared in that light caffeinated panic that I find closes so many deadlines. Grasping for a phrase, I dipped on to Facebook, which I do and don't recommend. And then a message pinged in from Jonathan Gold, congratulating me! I had no idea about what so I tripped over myself, in a computer-window-opening, computer-window-closing sort of way, to find out. Happy!  I met my deadline, then went upstairs to tell my husband. Before I left the house I tucked a bottle of bubbly in the fridge (Schramsberg blanc de blancs.) We had it as soon as I got back from work. I'm still floating on air! People always ask me, it's your tenth nomination, do you still care? I care profoundly. Writing is such a lonely endeavor, the lag between publishing and writing makes it lonelier, but the Beard Awards make a lonely writer feel not alone at all, but celebrated. I'm so grateful.” --Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, nominated tonight for the Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review award “I was actually mopping the floor at home. My daughter was nibbling on chocolate and sprinkling it mischievously on the floor as I mopped. Then, I got an excited call from my mother. Talk about a surprise! I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming!" --Alexandra Guarnaschelli, whose show, “Alex’s Day Off,” is nominated tonight