Dear Friends,

We hadn't previously sent out a follow-up email after our May 3rd request for you to cross your fingers for THE FLAVOR BIBLE at the May 4th James Beard Foundation Awards...and while some of you followed the results on Twitter in real time, a few of you interpreted our silence as defeat and emailed us your condolences! So, we apologize for being long overdue in reporting our news, but here goes:

Your 54,184 collective crossed fingers (plus four of our own!) did the trick:

Yes, THE FLAVOR BIBLE
won
the 2009 James Beard Foundation Book Award,
presented on Monday, May 4th,
at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in NYC

We couldn't have been more thrilled when chef Mary Sue Milliken announced the results — and then placed the James Beard medallions around our necks on stage!

We were also touched by how many friends and strangers alike complimented us on our acceptance speeches (which appear below), with some even admitting that listening had made them teary-eyed.

"Congratulations on your win last night. You guys gave the
absolute best acceptance speech. Very sweet...."
—Jessie Price, Deputy Editor, EatingWell

"Congratulations to each of you on the award for THE FLAVOR BIBLE...
Your acceptance speech was among the highlights of the evening...."
—Pamela Chirls, Senior Editor, John Wiley & Sons

"...You two were adorable onstage at Beards! Love, love, love your 'BIBLE.'
Used it yesterday, in fact...."
—Hank Shaw, 2009 James Beard Award-nominated blogger
at Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Karen: Thank you — from the bottom of our hearts — to the James Beard Foundation and especially the Book Awards Committee for this incredible recognition of our eight-year labor of love, which means more than we can say.

THE FLAVOR BIBLE has been described in reviews as both "radical" and "revolutionary," so it definitely took a leap of faith on the part of many to bring it to this moment.

Our thanks to everyone at Little, Brown, and especially our editor Michael Sand, for not freaking out when he saw that the manuscript for our "cookbook" didn't contain a single recipe (Thank you, Michael!); our literary agent Janis Donnaud; our photographer Barry Salzman; and most importantly, all the amazing chefs and pastry chefs [and other experts*] featured in THE FLAVOR BIBLE — many of whom are here tonight — who were so generous with their time and insights, and who trusted that we'd do them proud. We hope they're feeling proud tonight!

I'd like to dedicate this award to my alma mater for its own leap of faith: When I was a high school senior, I dreamed of becoming a writer, and of one day writing books that would make a difference in the world. However, I was the first person in my family to apply to college, so I didn't understand that writing a college essay was important and foolishly didn't submit one. Yet Northwestern University took a leap of faith by believing in a bright but naive 16-year-old and admitting me to its journalism program anyway — which changed my life forever.

And before turning over the mike to him, I'd like to especially thank Andrew — my incredible husband of 18 years and co-author of 16 years — for every day spoiling me with his wonderful cooking, and "everlong" for "promising not to stop when I say when." Thank you, sweetheart.

Andrew: I'm really glad that this year's James Beard Awards are celebrating "Women in Food," because there are so many women who still haven't received their due. Tonight, I would like to pay a special tribute to a woman I work with every day. On our first 7 books, Karen and I listed our names alphabetically. This led some to believe that I — a dyslexic former line cook — was the lead author. Tonight, I'm happy to set the record straight: Karen has always been the lead visionary and writer of all of our books. It's been my pleasure and privilege to work with a co-author whom I not only respect but deeply love. And on this night of recognizing women, I could not be prouder that the James Beard Foundation is recognizing our first book on which Karen's name comes first!

It also happens to be Karen's birthday this week, so I can't thank you enough for giving her the perfect birthday present and taking all the pressure off me! I can't imagine a better gift than this. Thank you very much.

_ _
Left: With 2009 James Beard Awards co-host Stanley Tucci
Right: With 2009 James Beard Award presenter Lorraine Bracco

_
Left: With 2009 James Beard Outstanding Chef Dan Barber & friend
Right: With 2009 James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef Gina DePalma

*We share this award with all of the imaginative chefs, pastry chefs, and other experts we interviewed for THE FLAVOR BIBLE, many of whom we had the pleasure of thanking in person on May 4th as they were also up for an award and/or cooking for the Awards gala reception:

Jose Andres, The Bazaar (2009 James Beard Outstanding Chef Finalist and
2009 James Beard Best New Restaurant Finalist)
Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern (2009 James Beard Best Chef: NYC Finalist)
Jerri Banks, cocktail consultant
Dan Barber, Blue Hill (and 2009 James Beard Outstanding Chef)
Homaro Cantu, Moto
Andrew Carmellini, Locanda Verde (and author of Urban Italian)
Gina DePalma, Babbo (2009 James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef)
Marcel Desaulniers, The Trellis
Traci Des Jardins, Jardiniere
Meeru Dhalwala, Vij's
Dominique & Cindy Duby, Wild Sweets
Odetta Fada, San Domenico
Brad Farmerie, Double Crown and Public
Katsuya Fukushima, The Bazaar (2009 James Beard Best New Restaurant Finalist)
Sharon Hage, York Street (2009 James Beard Best Chef: Southwest Finalist)
Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park
Bob Iacavone, Cuvee
Johnny Iuzzini, Jean Georges (and author of Four Play)
Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern (2009 James Beard Best Chef: New York City)
Michael Laiskonis, Le Bernardin
Tony Liu, Morandi
Michael Lomonaco, Porter House New York
Emily Luchetti, Farallon
Max McCalman, maitre fromager, Picholine
Adrian Murcia, maitre fromager, Chanterelle
Carrie Nahabedian, Naha
Kaz Okochi, Kaz Sushi Bistro
Vitaly Paley, Paley's Place (and author of Paley's Place Cookbook)
Monica Pope, T'afia (2009 James Beard reception chef)
Maricel Presilla, Cucharamama (2009 James Beard Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Finalist)
Alexandra Raij, Txikito
Michel Richard, Citronelle
Eric Ripert, Le Bernardin (2009 James Beard Outstanding Wine Service Award)
Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita (and 2009 James Beard reception chef)
Bradford Thompson, Bar Artisanal
Jerry Traunfeld, Poppy
Vikram Vij, Vij's
David Waltuck, Chanterelle (and author of Chanterelle)

You can find more photos from the 2009 James Beard Awards ceremony on our Blog at www.becomingachef.com/blog.dwt.php

Devour.tv's Philippe Newlin interviewed us on the red carpet before the Awards, which you can watch here (especially for the surprise cameo by Emeril Lagasse!).

With The Washington Post's Joe Yonan

We were also very happy to be a part of yet another 2009 James Beard Award-winning team: The Washington Post took home the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award as Best Newspaper Food Section. Our congratulations to Food Editor Joe Yonan — who had submitted for consideration last year's June 18th and October 29th Food sections that featured our wine columns "Grape and Grill Sessions" and "Big Flavors Need Big Wines" — and the rest of our colleagues at the section for such outstanding work in 2008!

Little, Brown congratulatory ad in NY Times

We woke up still pinching ourselves a couple of days later, so it was especially welcome to see confirmation of our Book Award in the form of a congratulatory ad from our publisher Little, Brown in The New York Times' Dining section on May 6th.

Our thanks again to our incredibly supportive team at Little, Brown — including (alphabetically) Zinzi Clemmons, Heather Fain, Carolyn O'Keefe, Michael Pietsch, Michael Sand, and many others — for all of their efforts on behalf of
THE FLAVOR BIBLE!

Seeking Wine & Food Photographers

WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU EAT photographer
Michael Sofronski, shooting at Blue Hill at Stone Barns

We've been blessed to work with several incredibly talented photographers on our previous books, and we're now seeking others t0 work with on future book projects.

Ideal candidates are based in New York City, and experienced in shooting wine and/or food as well as people. We especially enjoy working with creative rising star photographers who are excited to shoot in some of New York's very best restaurants, and about the opportunity to gain access to a broader stage for their work.

If you're interested (or know someone who is), please email us (with links to online portfolios — which should feature photographs of people as well as of wine and/or food) at DornenburgPage@gmail.com.

With Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma

Cowgirl up: (verb) To draw upon the core of the human spirit in times of adversity.
When faced with a hard chore, it is a shift in attitude from "can't" to
a positive, confident, contagious "can do" spirit.

Please "Cowgirl Up" and support our favorite "cowgirl" Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma — who was just named 2009 James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef — and her efforts to fight ovarian cancer.

Today through Wednesday, May 20th, you can bid on fabulous prizes — from signed copies of our books to dinner for 4 at Babbo — in her online auction, which benefits the Cowgirl Cure Foundation.

What's that, you ask? Please take a moment to read about its inspiring origins here.

+ = THE FLAVOR BIBLE iPhone app

We've been hearing from you on a weekly basis — if not more frequently — that you'd love to be able to access the information in THE FLAVOR BIBLE on your iPhone or other PDA. We'd love to find a way to make this a reality. Please share more detail with us regarding your tech needs, and any developer recommendations, via email at PageDornenburg@gmail.com.

"THE FLAVOR BIBLE...may be the best food-related book ever....
An essential book. It's like the Rosetta Stone, except it's been left by
the world's great chefs for cooks who know the basics."
—Tyler Nemkov, Denver Westword (May 15, 2009)

We'd resisted...and resisted. But after learning that we already had 10 people following us on our inactive Twitter account even though we had never posted a single tweet, we have started a new one and are already enjoying being a part of the Twitter community — where you can follow us at Twitter.com/KarenAndAndrew.

Especially now that we just reached the milestone of more than 1,000 followers in just a few short weeks, we'd like to give credit where credit is due — our sincere thanks to our "Twitter 10": our 10 initial Twitter followers who inspired us to finally take the plunge and start micro-blogging: Glutenfreegirl (Shauna James Ahern), RCBjornson (Rachel Bjornson), MollyOrangette (Molly Wizenberg), ChefMendez (Mark Mendez), Docsconz (John Sconzo), CNaha (Carrie Nahabedian), LennDevours (Lenn Thompson), PhillyBear (Phil Johnson), JeeWPark (Jee Won Park), and Marliese (Marliese Franklin).

With all the great travel deals out there right now, we hope you'll consider joining us on Monday, June 8, 2009, in Paris at the 2nd annual Gastronomy by the Seine festival, which has been called "the Davos of the culinary circuit." We'll be addressing the growing global interest in flavor pairing (which we also spoke about in Belgium in January 2009 to an audience of thousands) and, of course, THE FLAVOR BIBLE. For more information, visit www.gastronomyfestivals.com.

We love hearing from you, and welcome your email at DornenburgPage@gmail.com.

Delicious wishes,
Andrew & Karen

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page
527 Third Ave.  Suite 130
New York, NY  10016
Email: DornenburgPage@gmail.com
Web: www.becomingachef.com
Blog: www.becomingachef.com/blog.dwt.php
Twitter: www.twitter.com/karenandandrew