The joy cooking and cuisine can bring is immeasurable. The world of food and drink is vast and there are so many inspirational figures in the industry. For Together TV, the Hairy Bikers, Anthony Bourdain and Nadiya Hussain are staples on our TV channel, but there are many people off screen that have made their marks.

The André Simon Food and Drink book awards 2020 was hosted in the first week of March. Aside from being the first time the André Simon awards was hosted online, it was also the first time a long list was drawn. With such an astounding array of food and wine literature to celebrate from the previous year, it was hard for the judges to choose the winners but inevitably they did.

Caroline Eden picked up the best Food Book Award for her cookbook Red Sands. This gorgeous book is a collection of recipes from Central Asia. It is a great win for a female author during International Women’s Month. Eden’s recipes and stories will leave you feeling well travelled as the recipes are collected from the less tourist regions of Asia. It is a well crafted book combining the classic travel writing and cookbook. The decision was made by judge Lisa Markwell who said, “In a year of vicarious travel and virtual feasts, Red Sands gave us the most sumptuous and delicious escape into other lands."

The 2020 best Drink Book Award was given to Max Allen for Intoxicating: Ten Drinks that Shaped Australia. We will forgive Allen for attending the ceremony drinking tea, it was 5 am on the other side of the world. This book is not only a brilliant guide to beverages, but also an ingenious exploration into Australia’s diverse history. Judge John Hoskins MW, remarked: "What made 'Intoxicating' the outstanding work in the group was Max Allen's achievement in weaving the minor world of drinks into a major historical and cultural context."

Harold McGee was awarded special commendation for the book Nose Dive. A book that took 10 years to write, a scientific and foodophile’s guide to scent and smells. And the John Avery Special Award was given to Mark Kulansky’s Salmon. A historical look at our beloved freshwater fish.

The additional books that made the André Simon shortlist include Jikoni by Ravinder Bhogal, Summer Kitchens by Olia Hercules, Falastin: A Cookbook by Sami Tamimi & Tara Wigley, Parwana by Durkhanai Ayubi, Inside Bordeaux: the châteaux, their wines and the terroir by Jane Anson, The Wines of Georgia by Lisa Granik and Wine from Another Galaxy: Noble Rot by Dan Keeling & Mark Andrew.