Toronto Star’s Jennifer Bain wins North American food writing award

Jennifer Bain is the food editor at the Toronto Star and the author of the paper’s Saucy Lady column. She’s also this year’s recipient of the Association of Food Journalists Award for best newspaper food column. The awards “recognize excellence in reporting and writing in all media, newspaper food section design and content, food illustration and food photography.” Specifically, Bain was honoured for two articles: one about natto, in which she enlists Ryo Ozawa of Edo to elucidate the charms of the stinky, fermented soybeans; and another about Uptown Fine Caribbean, a tiny smoked-jerk takeout shop tucked away beside a Scarborough gas station. The annual competition drew 280 entries in 15 categories, with Bain beating out writers from the Kansas City Star and the San Francisco Chronicle. “There are so many incredible, offbeat food stories to tell in a city like Toronto, and I’m thrilled to be honoured for writing some of them,” Bain told her own paper. We’re just as happy she’s telling those stories.

• Saucy Lady column wins top award [Toronto Star] • Association of Food Journalists Announces 2011 Winners [Eater]