The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s (IFWTWA) prestigious Excellence Awards are awarded quarterly and recognizes the best of the best in beverages, cruise, culinary, and hospitality around the world. The award nominations are recommended by IFWTWA members, carefully evaluated by IFWTWA’s Excellence Awards Committee, and finally approved by IFWTWA’s Board of Directors.

Recipients include MS Europa (Cruise); Rob Howell GM and owners Charles & Virginia Kirkwood of Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort (Hospitality); Chef Gaurav Navin of The River Room at Shawnee Inn (Culinary); and Chef Dan Stripp of Gem & Keystone Brew Pub (Culinary).

MS Europa, hl-cruises.com

The MS Europa (Hapag Lloyd cruise line) earned IFWTWA’s Cruise Excellence Award. Year after year, the Berlitz guide gives the Europa the highest ratings given to any ship. The vessel inside and out is impeccably clean featuring creative innovative architecture and ambiance. Ports of call are as advertised and the staff is friendly and responsive to inquiries and requests. The crusie company makes a concerted effort to operate using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

According to the IFWTWA member journalist who nominated The MS Europa for recognition, “On-board food and beverages use quality ingredients and are professionally prepared and served. This cruise company offers interesting activities with knowledgeable and friendly guides/leaders. I have not yet had an experience comparable to the times I’ve sailed on the Europa. ”

http://www.hl-cruises.com

IFWTWA member Marc d'Entremont (right) presenting award to Rob Howell, GM of Shawnee Inn & Gofl Resort

Rob Howell, GM and owners Charles and Virginia Kirkwood of Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort in Pennsylvania have earned IFWTWA’s Hospitality Excellence Award. The establishment uses “green”, eco-friendly operating practices whenever possible, The guest room amenities are exceptional in quality and variety. The staff is friendly and responsive to requests and acts as an excellent resource for area activities. The establishment takes strong measures to ensure guest safety and security. On ten evenings from November through March, free community dinners are provided at the resort to all families and individuals who utilize the services of the local Food Bank. The dinners are prepared and served by volunteers among the resort’s staff.

According to the IFWTWA member journalist who nominated Howell and the Kirkwoods for recognition, ” General Manager Rob Howell was chosen by the American Hotel and Lodging Association as United States General Manager of the Year 2011. Charles and Virginia Kirkwood have owned the historic resort since 1977 and besides maintaining the highest standards of luxury and comfort within an affordable family price structure, they have been at the cutting edge in creating as small an environmental footprint as possible from natural cleaning products, recycling/processing brown water for exterior cleaning to reusing building materials. Community involvement is equally strong. The Kirkwood’s fully restored the National Historic Register Shawnee Playhouse. Community concerts by local groups take place on the Grand Lawn every Wednesday evening along with a farmers’ market featuring members of the Foodshed Alliance.”

http://www.shawneeinn.com

IFWTWA member Marc d'Entremont (right) presents award to Exec. Chef Gaurav Navin, River Room, Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort

Chef Gaurav Navin of The River Room at Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort located in Pennsylvania earned IFWTWA’s Culinary Excellence Award. The cuisine represents a specific culture or region. The preparation uses innovative, cutting edge techniques. The combination of ingredients is well balanced in terms of flavor profile and texture. The presentation is creative, appetizing, aesthetically pleasing, and uses sustainable sources (i.e. locally sourced, organic ingredients).

Chef Navin grew up in India north of Delhi receiving his B.A. in International Hospitality Management from Bangalore University. After graduation he worked in the kitchens of the Ashok Hotel Group as an assistant cook. He joined Celebrity Cruise Lines as a cook’s assistant and received several promotions within a couple of years. At 27-years-old, Gaurav Navin became the River Room’s new Executive Chef.

According to the IFWTWA member journalist who nominated Chef Navin for recognition, “This chef is firmly committed to the principals of local sourcing. Chef takes full advantage of produce from the resort’s own Great Shawna Island Farm, honey from its apiary, and beers from ShawneeCraft® Brewery. With a menu that changes with the seasons – last autumn’s focused on game – purchasing priorities go to members of the Foodshed Alliance – a non-profit of local farms and dairies. Local sources are used for fish, seafood, artisan cheeses, and such items as quail eggs.”

http://www.shawneeinn.com

IFWTWA member Marc d"entremont (left) presenting award to Chef Dan Stripp, Gem & Keystone Brewpub

Executive Chef & Manager Dan Stripp of The Gem & Keystone Brew Pub located in Pennsylvania earned IFWTWA’s Culinary Excellence Award. A graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh in Art & Animation, thirty-two year old Chef/Manager Dan Stripp did not come from a foodie background. He started working in the business about five years ago when a national chain held the franchise for a pub restaurant at the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort. With his art background, being the expeditor – designing the plate presentation – was a logical introduction to the business. Soon he was learning with a franchise’s set of recipes which gave him a good start in the basics of restaurant cooking. In 2009 Shawnee ended the franchise contract creating the Gem & Keystone Brew Pub. Dan was asked to take over as chef/manager.

According to Chef Stripp, “My approach is what’s my dining population going to be comfortable with and what are two ingredients that scare them (but will) branch them out a little bit? Then I find a prep method that will create an attractive presentation. What I lack in a sensitive palate, Travis and Corey (his sous chefs) are better at, and (I balance) what they lack in visual presentation.” The menu changes with the seasons. Favorite items: local trout, ribs, sashimi and crab cakes and local artisan cheeses. A wood grill is used for most meat and fish dishes. The wood is locally sourced as well, and he particularly likes fruit tree wood. Food sources include the resort’s own Great Shawna Island Farm, its apiary,orchard, maple trees, the FoodShed Alliance and ShawneeCraft® Brewery.

http://www.gemandkeystone.com

Allen Cox, IFWTWA Excellence Awards Committee Chair

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s prestigious award recognizes the best of the best in wines, brews, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages around the world.

The award nomination was carefully evaluated and recommended by IFWTWA’s Excellence Awards Committee and approved by IFWTWA’s Board of Directors.

“We are proud to give Mi Suk Ahn this award,” says Maralyn Hill, IFWTWA President. “She demonstrates the professional standards that represent the best in the wine and spirits industries. With her creativity and knowledge, Ms. Ahn and other professionals in her class set new expectations.”

http://www.hotel1000seattle.com/

http://www.bokaseattle.com/

The IFWTWA 2011 Scholarship Award competition, open to non-members only, took the IFWTWA Scholarship Award Evaluation Committee on armchair journeys from Peru to Croatia, and Maui to Virginia, showcasing extraordinary writing talent. Two writers took the top prizes: Anja Mutic for the Professional Journalism Award and Hope Nardini for the Emerging Writer Award.

Anja Mutic has traveled to more than 60 countries in search of great stories. Her winning Professional Journalism entry, “Falling in Love with Truffles on Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula,” takes place in the country of her birth. The story, first appearing in The Washington Post in 2010 as “Fungal Love,” reflects a vivid sense of place against the backdrop of one of the region’s prized culinary assets—truffles—and includes characters ranging from foragers to chefs. Mutic’s readers become enamored with this delicacy right along with her on her journey through the Istrian countryside.

Hope Nardini won in the Emerging Writer category for her entry, “First Person Dispatch: What Are You Doing Here?,” first published on matadornetwork.com. Nardini’s entry marks the third consecutive IFWTWA Scholarship Award winner from Matador. “What Are You Doing Here?” takes place in rural Peru and raises the question of whether one can make a sustaining change in the lives of children living in conditions of isolation and poverty, in this case by teaching computer skills. Nardini tells a poignant and inspiring story from her perspective as a teacher, offering a window into a world far away from the one most travelers see.

Look for these winning articles to appear in Global Writes, the IFWTWA online magazine, in 2012.

The IFWTWA Scholarship Award includes a one-year membership in IFWTWA, all membership benefits, an award certificate signed by the IFWTWA President and Scholarship Awards Committee Chair, a cash award, a radio interview on Blog Talk Radio, publication in Global Writes, and widely distributed announcements.

“I am thrilled at the high caliber of competition entries this year,” says Maralyn Hill, IFWTWA President. “On behalf of every IFWTWA member, I extend a sincere congratulations to both Anja and Hope. We are very exited to welcome these talented writers into the organization.”

Second and third place winners in each category will receive a Certificate of Recognition: Cynthia Clampitt, second place in Professional Journalism for “All in a Day’s Work,” a day in the life of a busy chef; Ben Keene, third place in Professional Journalism for “Thailand Uncorked” about Thailand’s fledgling wine scene; Desirée Bilon, second place in Emerging Writer for “Shotgun Wedding Bells Ring in Maui,” about Maui as a wedding destination; Kristin Vukovic, third place in Emerging Writer for “A New Yorker’s Pilgrimage to Amritsar’s Golden Temple” about the author’s journey in India.

The IFWTWA 2012 Scholarship Award contest is accepting entries from non-members through August 1, 2012 in the Professional Journalism and Emerging Writer categories. Guidelines and an online entry form are on the IFWTWA website.

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s prestigious award recognizes the best of the best in wines, brews, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages around the world.

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s (IFWTWA) Excellence Awards program recognizes the world’s finest culinary, travel and tourism industry professionals as experienced by the organization’s journalist members. Robert and Jo-Ann Dunning, owners and operators of Dunning Vineyards in Paso Robles, California, have earned IFWTWA’s Beverage Excellence Award. Small-lot sustainable viticulture and years of winemaking experience have resulted in Dunning Vineyards’ award-winning, high-quality premium wines.

The award nomination was carefully evaluated and recommended by IFWTWA’s Excellence Awards Committee and approved by IFWTWA’s Board of Directors.

According to the IFWTWA member journalist who nominated Dunning Vineyards for recognition: “The small lot winery produces less than 2,500 cases annually, with expectations to grow to about 3000 cases. The climate and soil on this Westside Paso Robles vineyard lends itself to premium wine. The 1,200 to 1,600 foot elevations of the vineyards, along with soils that are lean, calcareous rock, produce low yielding vines. The warm summer days of Paso Robles along with the afternoon cooling effect of the nearby Pacific Ocean, allows for a longer growing season and adds intensity and concentration to the fruit. The Dunnings’ viticulture practices include a mix of techniques and they take a hands-on approach in the vineyards, spending time with canopy management and crop thinning, with the focus on keeping the vines always in balance. Topping off these ideal growing conditions, owner/winemaker Robert Dunning does much of the work himself, including pruning vines, hand-selecting the grapes, and then fermenting and aging in small lots. His focus is quality. The results are award-winning premium wines that are deserving of a Beverage Excellence Award. In addition to exceptional viticulture and winemaking practices, Robert and Jo-Ann are founding members of the Far Out Wineries of Paso Robles, promoting the small lot production, quality and diversity of the Westside wineries.”

“We are proud to give Dunning Vineyards this award,” says Maralyn Hill, IFWTWA President. “The Dunnings demonstrate the professional standards that represent the best in the small lot viticulture and winemaking industries. They and other professionals in their class raise the bar in the industry worldwide.”

www.dunningvineyards.com