Times Food Writers Win Five Awards

Times Food and restaurant writers won five awards and received one honorable mention from the Assn. of Food Journalists at a ceremony concluding the group’s convention in Portland, Ore.

Staff writer Russ Parsons won first place in food news reporting for his cover package on California’s tomato industry; former staff writer Margaret Sheridan won second place in the same category for her cover package on diets.

Restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila tied for second place in the columns category with Ruth Reichl of the New York Times. No first place was awarded. Freelance columnist Anne Mendelson won second prize in the columns category for her cookbook reviews.

In the series, special sections and special projects category, second place went to Times Food Editor Laurie Ochoa, Times Test Kitchen Director Donna Deane, Sheridan, staff writer Charles Perry, Food Art Director Tracy Crowe McGonigle, freelance columnist Matt Kramer, Test Kitchen cook Mayi Brady, photographers Paul Morse, Robert Durell and Iris Schneider and former interns Julianne Tantum and Alisa Schwartz for their special issue on wedding food.

An honorable mention citation was given to Russ Parsons in the food feature writing category.

First-place winners received $500, second-place winners received $250 and third-place winners received $125.