New York cookbook wins big

“Arthur Schwartz’s New York City Food,” written by a Manhattan radio personality, was the surprise winner of the cookbook of the year award from the International Assn. of Culinary Professionals at its annual awards ceremony Saturday in Dallas.

Schwartz had earlier won in the American category, but most people expected the top award for cookbooks published in 2004 to go either to the bestselling “Bouchon” by Thomas Keller and his crew (winner of the chefs and restaurants and food photography categories) or to Harold McGee’s highly praised “On Food and Cooking” (winner for food reference/technical). “The Breath of a Wok” by Grace Young and Alan Richardson was a dark horse, winning in the international category and receiving a special award for distinguished scholarship.

The win caps a tumultuous period for Schwartz, a longtime writer and radio broadcaster in New York City. He quit his radio show last August after a disagreement with station management, and was replaced by celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito. Schwartz returned to the air on a different station in January.

The winners, by category:

American: “Arthur Schwartz’s New York City Food,” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang). Bread, other baking and sweets: “A Blessing of Bread,” Maggie Glezer (Artisan). Chefs and restaurants: “Bouchon,” Thomas Keller with Jeff Cerciello, Susie Heller and Michael Ruhlman (Artisan). Compilations: “Cooking New American,” the editors of Fine Cooking magazine (Taunton Press). First book: “Bread,” Jeffrey Hamelman (John Wiley). Food photography and styling: “Bouchon,” photographed by Deborah Jones, styled by Jeff Cerciello. Food reference/technical: “On Food and Cooking,” Harold McGee (Scribner). General: “Williams-Sonoma Entertaining,” George Dolese and Steve Siegelman (Oxmoor House). Health and special diet: “Getting Thin and Loving Food!,” Kathleene Daelemans (Houghton Mifflin). International: “The Breath of a Wok,” Grace Young and Alan Richardson (Simon & Schuster). Literary food writing: “Poet of the Appetites,” Joan Reardon (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). Single subject: “All About Braising,” Molly Stevens (W.W. Norton). Wine, beer or spirits: “Everyday Dining With Wine,” Andrea Immer (Broadway Books). Jane Grigson Award for Distinguished Scholarship: “The Breath of a Wok,” Grace Young and Alan Richardson (Simon & Schuster). Design award: “The Japanese Kitchen,” Kimiko Barber (Kyle Cathie). Cookbook of the year: “Arthur Schwartz’s New York City Food.”