The Best Food & Drink Books Announced At Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards 2023

By LoveReading | 12th May 2023

Food and drink A-listers gathered last night at The Royal Exchange in London, for the prestigious Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards. The annual awards champion the achievements of the UK’s current and emerging writers, publishers, photographers, broadcasters and personalities who encourage us to enjoy and discover more about food and drink through their work.

The ceremony was presented by Andi Oliver, alongside celebrated chef and Awards judging panel chair, Angela Hartnett OBE. The star-studded audience included Yotam Ottolenghi, Dame Mary Berry, Si King and Dave Myers (aka The Hairy Bikers), Matt Tebbutt, Asma Khan, Rick Stein, Ravneet Gill, Stanley Tucci and Claudia Roden.

The winners were selected by an independent panel of expert judges comprising some of the most talented figures in their fields: Clare Finney, Emma Inch, Honey Spencer, Jimi Famurewa, Joel Harrison and Tim Hayward.

Writer, Felicity Cloake, won Food Book of the year for Red Sauce Brown Sauce which follows her adventures, by bicycle, in a quest to uncover the great British breakfast.

The judging team were wholehearted in their praise for the Debut Food Book winner, Breadsong. Father and daughter Al and Kitty Tait are behind the part memoir part cookbook which tells the redemptive story of Kitty’s path from depressive withdrawal to finding the healing power of breadmaking.

A Fortnum’s Special Award went to legendary London chef Jeremy Lee for Cooking: Simply and Well, for One or Many. Lee has been one of the treasures of the UK restaurant scene for many years. His long-awaited book includes recipes, charming illustration and warm stories of a cook’s life and inspirations.

Celebrating Jamaican culture, cuisine, and history, West Winds by Riaz Phillips won Cookery Book of the Year. Debut Cookery Book went to writer and restaurateur Cynthia Shanmugalingam, for Rambutan, her joy-filled love letter to Sri Lanka, with tender family stories of the island.

The Drink Book of the Year went to Tom Morton for Holy Waters which explores the links between faith and alcohol, spirits and the spiritual. LoveReading commented: "fans of food writing, travel writing, history and global culture will be satisfyingly intoxicated by this fascinating exploration of connections between spirits and the spiritual."

Debut Drink Book winner is head brewer Jaega Wise for Wild Brews, an inspiring guide on how to brew beers at home using wild fermentation techniques.

Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt presented The Hairy Bikers with the trophy for Personalities of the Year for the second year running. The Digital Creator of the Year went to Giuseppe Federici AKA @sepps_eats whose millions of followers devour his plant-based content on TikTok and Instagram, many of which he films with his Nonna. Both categories are chosen by the public, allowing fans from across the country to vote for their favourite foodies.

FOOD BOOK

WINNER: Red Sauce Brown Sauce: A British Breakfast Odyssey by Felicity Cloake

SHORTLIST: The Joy of Snacks by Laura Goodman

DEBUT FOOD BOOK

WINNER: Breadsong: How Baking Changed Our Lives by Kitty & Al Tait

SHORTLIST: A Portrait of British Cheese by Angus D. Birditt

SHORTLIST: Takeaway: Stories from a childhood behind the counter by Angela Hui

COOKERY BOOK

WINNER: West Winds: Recipes, history and tales from Jamaica by Riaz Phillips

SHORTLIST: Home Food: Recipes to Comfort and Connect by Olia Hercules,

SHORTLIST: Modern Pressure Cooking by Catherine Phipps

DEBUT COOKERY BOOK