Rowan Jacobsen Credit: Andy Duback

Awards season isn’t just for stars of the big and small screens dressed in bling and skimpy outfits — folks in toques get to partake, too.

Two heavies in the culinary world, the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), just announced the nominees for their 2008 prizes. Here’s a run-down of some of the candidates with Vermont connections. Congrats and good luck!

James Beard Awards

Healthy Focus

The EatingWell Diet

by Jean Harvey-Berino with Joyce Hendley and the editors of EatingWell

(The Countryman Press)

Reference

A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur’s Guide to Oyster Eating in North America

by Rowan Jacobsen (Bloomsbury)

Magazine feature writing with recipes

Barbara Kafka Saveur

“Toss and Serve”

Reporting on nutrition or food-related consumer issues

Peter Jaret

EatingWell Magazine

“The Search for the Anti-Aging Diet”

Rising Star chef of the year award

Gavin Kaysen

(New England Culinary Institute graduate) Café Boulud, New York City

IACP Awards

Food Reference/Technical Category

A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur’s Guide to Oyster Eating in North America

by Rowan Jacobsen

(Bloomsbury)

Essay Category

Laura Fraser

EatingWell Magazine

“Food for the Heart”

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Former contributor Suzanne Podhaizer is an award-winning food writer (and the first Seven Days food editor) as well as a chef, farmer, and food-systems consultant. She has given talks at the Stone Barns Center for Agriculture's "Poultry School" and its...