On behalf of the trustees, I would like to welcome you and say that we are looking forward to receiving your entries for the 2021 Awards.
This year we are delighted to welcome Yemisi Aribisala as the assessor for the food books.
A Nigerian born writer and painter, Yemisi Aribisala is best known for her thematic use of food writing to explore Nigerian culture. Her first book, Longthroat Memoirs: Soups Sex & Nigerian Tastebuds won the 2016 John Avery Prize at the André Simon Book Awards and was shortlisted for the 2018 Art of Eating awards. Her writing has been published in The New Yorker, Vogue UK and in Cape Town's Chimurenga Chronic. She recently illustrated the Yoruba translation of Emily Rolfe Grosholz's poetry collection, Childhood. She lives in London.
Rose Murray Brown MW will be judging the drink books. Rose is one of 418 Masters of Wine worldwide (149 female) - and is the only MW offering wine events and wine courses across Scotland & northern England.
A graduate of St Andrews University, she worked in Tuscany, Italy for several wine estates, then returned to London to train with Sotheby's International where she worked for 12 years. Rose is Scotland's leading award-winning drinks' journalist, working as The Scotsman's weekly drinks' columnist for the past 33 years. She writes for international specialist trade and consumer magazines and broadcasts regularly on radio, working as a wine expert for BBC Radio Scotland's Kitchen Café. Rose Murray Brown has won The Glenfiddich whisky writing award and been a finalist for the Harpers Summit French Wine Critic & Roederer wine writing awards.
Books can now be submitted and the criteria, rules and the application form can be found under 2021 awards. A copy of each book entered should be sent to the Chairman, trustees, the secretary and the relevant assessor - six copies in all. If you are entering books do contact Katie Lander on katie@andresimon.co.uk for the address details, each one needs to be sent individually to the trustees and assessors. The closing date is 26 November 2021 and the shortlist will be announced in early December.
Publishers are invited to submit books as they are published which enables the trustees and assessors to have more time to read and consider the books. Do try to get your entries in as soon as possible.
If you have any queries please contact Katie Lander, the Fund's organiser, at katie@andresimon.co.uk who will be able to help you.
We look forward to receiving the books for the 2021 awards.
NICK LANDER
CHAIRMAN
Nick Lander, Chair of the André Simon Memorial Fund
2020 Award Winners
Food:
Red Sands
by Caroline Eden
Drink:
Intoxicating: Ten Drinks that Shaped Australia
by Max Allen
The John Avery award:
Salmon
by Mark Kurlansky
Special Commendation:
Nose Dive
by Harold McGee
