Sacramento-area food blogger Hank Shaw has been nominated a third time for a prestigious James Beard Award and, in something of a surprise, venerable Sacramento restaurant Frank Fat's has received a nomination in a special category, "America's Classics."
Shaw, 42, a longtime newspaper journalist who parlayed a well-received blog into a new and successful writing career, says he is happy to be recognized once again by the James Beard Foundation - and he's not yet ready to think of himself as the Susan Lucci of the food-writing set.
"It's always great to be nominated," Shaw said. "James Beards are a big deal. There's a little bit of a Susan Lucci thing going on, but the most important thing is I've already podiumed. The worst I can do is a bronze medal."
Shaw's blog is called "Hunter Angler Gardener Cook," in which he chronicles his quest for what he calls "honest food...nothing packaged, nothing in a box, nothing wrapped in plastic." It can be found at honest-food.net. Shaw's first book, published in 2011, is called "Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast." His second book, slated for an Oct. 1 release, is "Duck, Duck, Goose: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Waterfowl, Both Farmed and Wild."
His competition for the Beard Award in the Individual Food Blog category is "Canelle et Vanille" by Aran Goyoaga, and "Vinography" by Alder Yarrow.
"What I'm most excited about is Fran Fat's being recognized in this manner," said Shaw.
The iconic local restaurant is nominated with four other restaurants in the America's Classics category.
The winners will be named at a ceremony in New York in May.
Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.
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