Julie Biuso beats out top international chefs to win ‘Best in World’ Gourmand Award

 

Highly respected New Zealand food writer Julie Biuso has taken out some of the top names in the international culinary scene to win one of the most hotly contested categories at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

She was in Beijing last night to accept the award for her latest book Julie Biuso at Home, published by New Holland in October 2013, as winner of the Best Easy Recipes Cookbook section of the prestigious competition. “I can’t believe I beat Jamie Oliver!” said a clearly delighted Julie afterwards.

In announcing the category, founder of Gourmand International and World Cookbook Fair Awards, and President of Honour of China Food Television, Edouard Cointreau said it was one of the hardest to win because of the number of entries in it (the awards committee choose where to place books, rather than the entrants). Six other titles had made it through to the global finals, including Oliver’s Save with Jamie and Neil Perry’s Simple Good Food.

The event in the sumptuous Daxing Theatre was attended by food writers from around the world, as well as leading Chinese publishers, printers, television companies, government officials and other dignitaries. “Winning an award such as this in the presence of such hugely influential people means the world to me, and shows New Zealand off in the very best light,” said Julie.

Fellow New Zealander Robert Oliver also took home one of the top awards, winning the Best TV Chef Cookbook.

Julie Biuso is no stranger to the Gourmand awards, having been a finalist numerous times and having had three of her other books also take out the ultimate Best in World title. She was awarded a Special Prize by the Gourmand World Cookbook Award's Jury in 2007 for her career achievements, the only New Zealand food writer to receive this recognition.

She will celebrating today by visiting the Great Wall of China.

Footnote:
Julie Biuso at Home by Julie Biuso, with photography by Aaron McLean, is Julie’s 16^th cookbook and her 10^th with New Holland. It contains more than 270 recipes and 30 pages of cook’s notes.