The James Beard Foundation Awards will be streamed live online during the ceremony honoring them on Monday May 9.
The 2011 awards will be the first ceremony in the history of the James Beard Foundation to be offered for viewing via webcast and will be available in real time at www.jamesbeard.org/awardslive.
The awards will also be reported live via the James Beard Foundation’s blog at www.jamesbeard.org/blog by a team that includes Chris Stang and Andrew Steinthal of Immaculate Infatuation, Fiona Tang and Amy Cao of Foodspotting, Megan Krigbaum, associate wine editor of Food & Wine andphotographer Michael Harlan Turkell, photo editor of Edible Brooklyn/Manhattan magazines and host of The Food Seen on Heritage Radio Network.
There will also be red carpet videos and interviews by Chris and Jennifer McBride of Savory Cities and Jennifer Leuzzi of Snack. The award winners will also be posted in real time on the James Beard Foundation’s Twitter page at www.twitter.com/beardfoundation.
Tom Colicchio, Ming Tsai and Traci Des Jardins will host the James Beard Foundation awards ceremony at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York, as well as the gala reception.
During the event, which is open to the public, awards for the Restaurant and Chef and Restaurant Design and Graphics categories will be handed out, along with special achievement awards including Humanitarian of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Who’s Who and the America’s Classics award honorees.
During the gala reception immediately following, top culinary talents from across the country will serve dishes that reflect the nation’s diverse and multi-cultural influences in a nod to this year’s awards theme, “The Ultimate Melting Pot.”
“This year, we are pleased to offer the first-ever live webcast of the James Beard Foundation Awards,” says Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation.
“The web stream, along with coverage on our blog and Twitter page, will make it possible for those unable to attend the live program in New York City to enjoy this remarkable event. Now, fans all over the country will be able to celebrate with the nominees and winners—in real time—while dining out at their favorite restaurants or hosting viewing parties of their own.”
Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and continue to emphasize the Foundation’s mission: to celebrate, nurture, and preserve America’s diverse culinary heritage and future.
The annual James Beard Foundation Awards honor the best and the brightest talents in the food and beverage industries, celebrating outstanding achievement in each of the following categories: Restaurant and Chef, Restaurant Design and Graphics, Books, Broadcast, and Journalism, as well as several special achievement awards.
