LOCAL digital channel Featr (under celebrity Erwan Heussaff’s Fat Kid Inside Studios) has been nominated for three James Beard Foundation Awards.
The nominees were announced last month, and the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony itself will be held on June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Mr. Heusaff, a sibling of former it-girl Solenn Heusaff, and the husband of actress-host Anne Curtis, already won a James Beard Foundation Award last year for his Instagram account under the James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award Social Media category.
The Featr channel was nominated in two categories: Visual Media – Long Form (with two entries: Most Expensive Chocolate in the World: Heirloom Ingredients of Negros Occidental Philippines and Why is the Filipino Calamansi Being Left Behind?) and Docuseries Visual Media (Philippine Salt Series).
The James Beard Foundation Awards, founded in 1990, are said to serve like the Oscars of the culinary world. “The James Beard Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability,” said the foundation’s website. “Established over 30 years ago, the Foundation has highlighted the centrality of food culture in our daily lives and is committed to supporting a resilient and flourishing industry that honors its diverse communities.”
Winners in the past have included Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, and Joël Robuchon. The awards not only honor chefs, but also restaurateurs, authors, and food journalists.
“Thanks to everyone who worked with us on these stories — the people who shared their knowledge with us and the great storytellers who made these documentaries come to life,” said Featr on its Instagram account, @featrmedia. “It’s been truly a humbling experience to collaborate with the country’s best artisans and the hardworking Filipinos around the globe who continue to push the boundaries of Pinoy food and heritage.” — JLG
