Thrilled to announce that I’m a James Beard Foundation MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award 2024 nominee for my essay “In Praise of the Gas Station Pie,” published in Cake Zine in summer 2023. Thanks to Cake Zine’s co-editors in chief, Aliza Abarbanel and Tanya Bush, and Amanda Shapiro for her sharp eye on the piece itself. Also to illustrator Rachelle Hall for her beautiful work!

The James Beard Media Awards were live-streamed on Saturday, June 8, 6 p.m. EST, from Chicago. It was an incredible night and it’s such an honor to have been nominated.

Check out the winning essay by Hannah Dreier, “The Kids on the Night Shift,” published in the New York Times Magazine, Sept. 18, 2023, as well as my co-nominee Nylah Iqbal Muhammad’s essay “To Find Myself, All I Needed Was a Hunting License,Sweet July, Nov. 23, 2023.

From Cake Zine, “Humble Pie,” Vol. 3, Summer 2023