This morning, we were able to attend the 2018 James Beard Award nominee announcements at Parc in Philadelphia, and we were thrilled to hear Diane Flynt of Foggy Ridge Cider was once again named as a finalist in the “Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional” category (she was also nominated last year). The parameters of the category are simply listed as: “A beer, wine, or spirits professional who has made a significant national impact on the restaurant industry.” As a widely-respected, oft-cited leader in the cider world, Flynt definitely meets and surpasses these criteria with flying colors!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Be9VALqBDs0/?taken-by=foggyridgecider
Among the other nominees, there are no other cideries or cider makers named to the list. Though we hope to see others from our industry named in years to come, even one person included in the prestigious list helps to further the visibility and respect of craft cider in the wider culinary world. We want to offer huge congratulations to Flynt for her nomination, and we will be rooting for her to take home the award (the gala is taking place in Chicago on Monday, May 7).
To learn more about Flynt and her work, check out our profile of her in the first installment of our Women Making Waves in the Cider World column.
- Photo: Foggy Ridge Cider