Rules

Art of Eating Prize Winner

The Art of Eating Prize Rules

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for the prize, a book must be about food or food and drink together. A book largely devoted to drink must stress the relationship to food and be roughly half or more devoted to food. A book must be of lasting value and aimed at a broad audience. It must be substantial in length and ambition, must form a whole, and must have been published in English in the United States for the first time during the calendar year leading up to the awarding of the prize. (The book may have been published previously in another country, and the author may be a citizen of any country.) Books published exclusively as e-books are eligible, if they are substantial works centered on text and form a sequential whole, similar to traditional printed books. Compilations of works from multiple authors, such as for an encyclopedia, are eligible, as long as those books too form a strong whole. And books written in English and another language (or languages), such as English on one page with the same text in translation opposite, are eligible, although only the English text will be judged. Books by authors who have previously won the award are eligible for subsequent prizes. Not considered are translations, children’s books, reprinted books, and revised editions. All decisions about eligibility or any aspect of the prize and its rules rest with the judges and the director of the prize.

Judging

The judges place a high value on accuracy and insight as well as on the quality of the writing. In the case of two competing books, they may place a small value on photographs, art, and design that particularly support the text, especially if the author is at least partly responsible for them. But the prize goes only to an author, and a book without any form of illustration will normally be an equal contender.

Nominating

Books are nominated primarily by publishers. Established publishers and imprints that issue (or new ones that will issue) multiple books each year (at least three books by three different authors, with production and distribution not paid by the authors) may nominate no more than three books. Authors may not nominate their own books, but several independent bookstores specialized in food are asked to each nominate no more than two books by self-published authors, and each judge may add to the list of nominations no more than two books, which may include self-published ones. Neither the judges nor anyone involved in administering the prize may have a book of their own in nomination. The nominations open through March 7, 2023. There is no fee for nominating a book. Publishers’ submissions and the entire list of nominations remain confidential.

The publisher of each nominated book is asked to send one printed copy to each judge by March 21, 2023 or to make available electronic copies of a work published only as an e-book. Books will not be returned to publishers. The book of an author who contacts a judge directly on the subject of the prize may be withdrawn from consideration.

The judges reach their decisions through a series of votes:

The long list. In April, each judge votes for 12 books. The 12 with the most votes form the long list. In the event of a tie, each judge votes again for one of the tied books. If for any reason the tie continues, the long list is expanded to include both books. The long list will be announced on April 25, 2023.

The short list. In May, each judge votes for six books on the long list. The six with the most votes form the short list. In the event of a tie, each judge votes again for one of the tied books. If for any reason the tie continues, the short list is expanded to include both books. The short list will be announced on May 2, 2023.

The winner. In May, the judges vote for the year’s best book from among those on the short list. The book with the most votes wins, even if it receives less than a majority. In the event of a tie, the winner is the first-place book with the most second-place votes. In the unlikely event of a continuing tie, the winner is the book that also has most third-place votes, and so on. A tie would split the prize.

The winner will be announced on May 9, 2023.