Jefford: bounced back to claim Glenfiddich Trophy after sacking
Andrew Jefford put a miserable year behind him when he took the main prize in the Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards 2003.
Jefford was awarded the Glenfiddich Trophy, which is given to the outstanding winner from the 14 categories, after claiming the drink writer and wine writer of the year categories for his bimonthly column in Decanter and contributions to Waitrose Food Illustrated and Harpers.
“It’s been a bad year in many ways because I got sacked by the Evening Standard after the change of editorship and I also had a drink series on Radio 4 that was not recommissioned after a change of controller. So it was heartening to see that what I was doing was at least appreciated by one bunch of people – even if they weren’t in the powerful positions of editors and controllers,” he told Press Gazette.
The judges, who included The Independent’s Caroline Stacey and broadcaster and author Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, said Jefford consistently produced “incredible, intelligent, thought-provoking observation pieces, which challenge the readers’ and listeners’ perceptions”.
Jefford said he would continue to freelance as well as working on his book on the whiskys of Islay.
Other award winners included: Food writer: Chandos Elletson, Restaurant magazine; magazine cookery writer: Brian Glover, Homes and Gardens; newspaper cookery writer: Mark Hix, The Independent Magazine; restaurant critic: Tracey MacLeod, The Independent Magazine; regional writer: Sue Lawrence, Scotland Today, and Paddy Shennan and Mike Chapple, Liverpool Echo Pub Guide; bar writer: Richard Ehrlich, The Independent on Sunday Review; radio programme: The Food Programme, Radio 4; television programme: Jamie’s Kitchen, Fresh One Productions/Talkback for Channel 4; photography: Georgia Glynn Smith, Sainsbury’s Magazine and Living etc; Multimedia: www.bbc.co.uk/food, edited by Sue Todd.
By Sarah Boden
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