For food writers and journalists, to be short listed for a Guild of Food Writers Award is an ambition in itself. The announcement, late last week, of the short list has been eagerly anticipated by the contenders for weeks, as the prestigious panel of judges, including British Food Champion Henrietta Green, food historian Colin Spencer and writer and photographer, Alistair Hendy, have fiercely debated the merits of each and every entry. No doubt this debate will increase as the Awards ceremony on Thursday 12 June approaches!

Now in its 13th year, the Awards are a major event in the annual calendar of the Guild of Food Writers, a body which continues to strive to further excellence in food writing and is seen by many as the bastion of all that is great about food in this country. It is no wonder therefore that the number of entries for nearly all categories for the Awards rises year on year - with 2008 being no exception.

There are 11 categories in total, each judged by a panel of 5 judges. The criteria are stringent and reflect the Guild�s own very high standards. On the short list are some well known names such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who with Nick Fisher is a contender for Cookery Book of the Year; Antony Worrall Thompson for the Miriam Polunin Award for Work on Healthy Eating and some new names including Ben and Charlotte Hollins for the story of their amazing � Fight for Fordhall Farm�.

The Food Programme and bbc.co.uk are also recognised � reflecting the wide scope of the awards. From radio and television, to websites, books, newspapers and magazines � there are entries from all mediums and on many different topics.

Guild President Jane Suthering commented: �To be judged by your peers to be amongst the best is a true honour and one that we as food writers all value highly. The awards are highly competitive and I congratulate all those who have been shortlisted.�

Short List Summary:

Food Book of the Year

Lori de Mori and Jason Lowe: Beaneaters and Bread Soup (Quadrille Publishing)

Martin Jones: Feast, Why Humans Share Food ( Oxford University Press)

Dennis Cotter: Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me (Collins)

Paul Freedman: Food, the History of Taste (Thames & Hudson)

Cookery Book of the Year

Richard Bertinet: Crust (Kyle Cathie Limited)

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Nick Fisher: The River Cottage Fish Book ( Bloomsbury Publishing)

Sarah Raven: Sarah Raven�s Garden Cookbook (Bloomsbury Publishing)

The Michael Smith Award for Work on British Food

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Nick Fisher: The River Cottage Fish Book ( Bloomsbury Publishing)

The Food Programme: Food and Farming Awards (BBC Radio 4)

The Derek Cooper Award for Campaigning and Investigative Food Writing

Hattie Ellis: Planet Chicken (Sceptre)

Ben and Charlotte Hollins: The Fight for Fordhall Farm (Hodder & Stoughton)

The Food Programme: Two items on Sustainable Fishing by Margaret Collins and Rebecca Moore (BBC Radio 4)

The Miriam Polunin Award for Work on Healthy Eating

Jill Dupleix: Lighten Up (Quadrille)

Antony Worrall Thompson: The Diabetes Weight Loss Diet (Kyle Cathie)

The Jeremy Round Award for the Best First Book

Marwood Yeatman: Last Food of England (Ebury Press)

Claire Clark: Indulge (Absolute Press)

John Wright: Mushrooms ( Bloomsbury )

The Evelyn Rose Award for Cookery Journalist of the Year

Alex Mackay: Cook with Confidence articles in Sainsbury�s Magazine

Shona Crawford Poole : for work in Country Living magazine

Diana Henry: for work in Stella magazine

Restaurant Reviewer of the Year

Tracey Macleod: reviews in The Independent magazine

Food Journalist of the Year

Caroline Stacey: Body and Soul articles published in The Times

Bee Wilson : for work in Stella magazine

The New Media Award

Timeout.com/london/restaurants

bbc.co.uk/food

British Library Food Stories www.bl.uk/learning/news/foodnews.html

Food Broadcast Award

UKTV Food: Local Food Heroes

The Food Programme: Casino Food (BBC Radio 4)

The Food Programme: China Tea (BBC Radio 4)

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

This year�s Guild of Food Writers� Awards ceremony is being held on Thursday 12 June at Tamesa, Second Floor, Oxo Tower Wharf , London , SE1 9PH. Drinks and canap�s will be served from 6.30pm, and the Awards will be presented at 7.15pm.

The delicious canap� menu has been specially devised for the occasion by chef Carl Wade including wonderful sustainable wild seafood provided by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, our main sponsors for the 2008 Awards.

Fabulous wines on the evening include a delicious Prosecco from Bolla in Italy and 100% organically grown wines from Bonterra Vineyards, all specially chosen to complement the canap�s. Add the stunning views of London , the River Thames at sunset and, with luck, a glorious summer�s evening, and we�re set for an event to remember.

Come with an appetite for inspirational eats, good wine and convivial conversation, and share the triumph of the 2008 Guild of Food Writers� Awards winners. Places are limited, so if you want to come to the party of the year, contact the Guild's administrator, Jonathan Woods, as soon as possible on 020 8659 0422 or email jonathan@gfw.co.uk. Tickets cost �20 for members of the Guild and �30 for others; cheques made payable to the Guild of Food Writers to be sent to Jonathan Woods, The Guild of Food Writers, 255 Kent House Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1JQ.

For more information please contact: Jonathan Woods Tel: 020 8659 0422 Email: jonathan@gfw.co.uk