AAPI James Beard Media Award 2025 Nominees Are Serving Stories That Go Beyond the Plate

Asian American and Pacific Islander creatives are once again making their mark at the 2025 James Beard Media Awards. From intimate essays to groundbreaking documentaries, these nominees are redefining what it means to tell a food story. Their work reflects not just culinary excellence, but also deep cultural roots and bold personal narratives.

2025 Book Award Nominees

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.

‍Breaking Bao: 88 Bakes and Snacks from Asia and Beyond
Clarice Lam
Chronicle Books
Heritage: Chinese American

International

Books with recipes focused on presenting cuisines of the world in their cultural context.

‍The Chinese Way: Classic Techniques, Fresh Flavors
Betty Liu
Voracious
Heritage: Chinese American

Single Subject

Books with recipes focused on a single ingredient, dish, or method of cooking.

‍Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking
Mingoo Kang with Nadia Cho and Joshua David Stein
Artisan
Heritage: Korean

U.S. Foodways

Books with recipes focused on the cooking or foodways of regions or communities in the U.S.

‍Chinese Enough: Homestyle Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Stir-Fries, and More
Kristina Cho
Artisan
Heritage: Chinese American

Vegetable-Focused Cooking

Books on vegetable cookery that are meatless, vegetarian, or vegan.

‍Big Vegan Flavor: Techniques and 150 Recipes to Master Vegan Cooking
Nisha Vora
Avery
Heritage: Indian American

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‍The Vibrant Hong Kong Table: 88 Iconic Vegan Recipes from Dim Sum to Late-Night Snacks
Christine Wong
Chronicle Books
Heritage: Hong Kong Chinese American

Visuals

Books with exceptional graphic design, art, or photography.

‍Koreaworld: A Cookbook
Robert Diaz and Alex Lau
Clarkson Potter
Heritage: Filipino (Diaz), Chinese American (Lau)

‍McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches
Gary He
Self-published
Heritage: Chinese American

Reference, History, and Scholarship

Manuals, guides, and books presenting food research.

‍McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches
Gary He
Self-published
Heritage: Chinese American

2025 Broadcast Media Award Nominees

Audio Programming

Food- or beverage-related radio or podcast program.

‍Loading Dock Talks with Chef Preeti Mistry
Episode: “Cream Pie with Telly Justice”
Heritage: Indian American
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify

Commercial Media

Food or beverage-related media with branding or commercial funding.

‍Eater Vendors: Inside the Dangerous Dive for Sea Urchins: The Life of a Haenyeo
Eater and YouTube
Focus: Korean cultural heritage
Produced by Eater Video Team

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Social Media Account‍

This award recognizes excellence in a food-related social media account or platform.

Day With Mei 
Airs on: Instagram, Substack, and TikTok

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‍Little Fat Boy Frankie
Airs on: Instagram, TikTok, Substack and YouTube

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2025 Journalism Award Nominees

‍Columns and Newsletters

Compelling opinion and style on food- or drink-related topics.

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‍“Chinese Skewers Are the Last Bastion of Late-Night Dining in the Bay”; “Sunnyvale’s Hottest Late-Night Food Spot Is the 24-Hour Indian Grocery Store”; “Taquerias Come and Go, but La Vic’s Orange Sauce Is Forever”
Thien Pham and Luke Tsai
KQED
Heritage: Vietnamese American (Pham), Taiwanese American (Tsai)

Craig Claiborne Distinguished Criticism Award

Criticism or commentary contributing to food discourse.

‍“Momofuku responds to chili crunch backlash”; “I’ll take the beef jerky at Sophy’s…”
Jenn Harris
Los Angeles Times
Heritage: Chinese American

Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award

Food and dining coverage in a specific region.

‍“Etta’s Five Bankruptcies…”; “Namasteak, USA”
Ashok Selvam
Eater Chicago
Heritage: Indian American

MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award

A single article of exceptional literary merit on food or drink.

‍“The Food That Makes You Gay”
Jaya Saxena
Eater
Heritage: Indian American

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As the food media world evolves, these AAPI nominees remind us that stories rooted in identity and lived experience matter more than ever. Their voices are shaping not just what we eat, but how we understand culture, memory, and connection. Win or not, their work is already making a lasting impact.

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