A Portland writer is among the winners of the 2026 James Beard Media Awards, one of the food industry’s highest honors.
Erica Berry, a Portland-based author and essayist, won the James Beard Journalism Award in the Personal Essay category for her piece, “Intuitive Eating: On Poison, Pleasure, and Trust,” published in Orion Magazine.
The James Beard Foundation announced the winners June 13 during a ceremony at the Art Institute of Chicago. The annual awards recognize excellence in food journalism, books, broadcast media and storytelling across the food world.
Berry’s winning essay explores food, trust and the choices people make about what they eat.
“Last night I was standing on the sidewalk in lower Manhattan when I found out I won the James Beard Award for Personal Essay AND the whole city was screaming for the Knicks,” Berry said in a social media post. “Thank you thank you thank you to @orion_magazine and team for publishing and championing my weird mushroom meditation on love and terror.”
The piece was recognized in the Personal Essay category, which honors outstanding food and drink-inspired essays that do not include recipes.
Who is Erica Berry?
Berry is a writer and teacher based in Portland and is the author of “Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear,” which won the Oregon Book Award in 2024.
Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, National Geographic, The Guardian and Orion Magazine.
What is the James Beard Media Awards?
The James Beard Awards are widely considered among the most prestigious honors in the culinary and food media industries.
The Media Awards recognize writers, journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers and authors whose work helps tell the stories behind food, restaurants, agriculture and food culture.
Written by Ginnie Sandoval. Sandoval is a news and travel writer for Pacific Northwest Crossing. She covers travel tips, news, destinations, places to eat, and hidden gems across the Pacific Northwest. She can be reached at pnwcrossing@ramsanmedia.com.