Eater and Punch Nominated for 6 James Beard Media Awards
The brands received nominations for distinguished writing, local coverage, foodways, video, and beverage
The James Beard Foundation announced the nominees for its 2025 Media Awards on Wednesday, and Eater received four nominations and Punch received two.
Eater correspondent Jaya Saxena was nominated for the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award, for “The Food That Makes You Gay,” an exploration of the power — both positive and negative — of “queer food.”
Ashok Selvam, regional editor for Eater’s Midwest region, was nominated for the Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award, which spotlights an individual covering the food and dining of a specific region. Selvam, a longtime Chicago resident, was recognized for three pieces, including an investigation into a local hospitality group’s collapse and a lighthearted look at the significance of a ballpark milkshake for White Sox fans during the 2024 baseball season.
In the Foodways category, Eater Chicago freelance contributor Nylah Iqbal Muhammad was nominated for “Grief, Solidarity, and Molokhia,” a feature exploring the leafy green stew that provides wartime comfort for many Arab Americans, especially Palestinians.
Eater’s video team was nominated in the Commercial Media category for an episode of the award-winning series Vendors. “Inside the Dangerous Dive for Sea Urchins: The Life of a Haenyeo,” presented by Yeti, takes viewers underwater with Young Nam Kim, a restaurant owner and haenyeo — one of the few remaining female divers who work off South Korea’s Jeju Island to harvest seafood from the ocean.
In the Beverage category, Punch received two nominations. “Detroit’s Third-Shift Bars Were a Lifeline. Now They’re a Dying Breed,” by contributor Mickey Lyons, spotlights the changing landscape for early-hour bars, designed to serve local industrial workers. And in “Want to Make Spirits in Thailand? Good Luck.” Punch contributor Craig Sauers profiles the Thai distillery entrepreneurs driving innovation amid governmental and cultural challenges.
Eater has previously won 12 James Beard awards, and Punch has won three, with many more nominations each. The 2025 James Beard Media Awards will be announced on June 14 at a live ceremony in Chicago.
Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards. Eater is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to livestream the awards in 2025. All editorial content is produced independently of the James Beard Foundation.
