“I'm still shaking. We made it!!” That’s how food content creator Erwan Heussaff described his feeling after his experience at the 2023 James Beard Media Awards after winning the Social Media Account category of Broadcast Media Awards. Considered by many as the "Oscars of the culinary world," this year's edition of the James Beard Media Awards took place on Sunday in Chicago, USA.
Erwan Heussaff (Photo from @erwan on Instagram)
"Anywhere you go in the world, you'll meet Filipinos, especially in the food and beverage industry," Erwan, clad in a Barong by Randolf Clothing, said during his acceptance speech. "In fact, one of our largest revenue streams as a country are Filipinos who are working overseas, yet not a lot is known about our culture or our food."
"And so, this for me means absolutely everything because it just motivates me further to keep shining a light on our beautiful country, beautiful people, and the food that is made in our kitchen," he continued.
For more than a decade, Erwan has been sharing his food experience and spotlighting the story of Filipino cuisine through his "The Fat Kid Inside" channel on YouTube. Eventually, the channel became a full-blown production company in 2018 that's focused on creating narrative digital video content. But in 2021, he shifted his works to Featr, the newest platform featuring more innovative shows, series, and documentaries centered around food, encounters, and travel.
Apart from Erwan, other Filipino culinary personalities are also set to be honored at this year's James Beard Media Awards. These include Filipino-American chef Aaron Verzosa, nominated for the Best Chef in the Northwest and Pacific category, and Abaca's Vince Bugtong and Republique's Margarita Manzke for the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category. Results will be revealed in a separate awards ceremony on June 5.
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