This year, the judges will be looking for fresh, new approaches to print and online editorials featuring eggs as they explore the theme, ‘the art of food and health writing’. They also hope to see more young writers entering the awards, particularly in the dedicated Up and Coming Writers category, and are encouraging industry newcomers to submit their works.

There is a new face on the panel in the form of Sumien Brink, editor-in-chief of VISI and Plascon Spaces magazines. Brink is well-known within local consumer food and lifestyle media, having worked for numerous magazines in the New Media, Associated Media, and Media24 stables.

She joins returning judges and previous Galliova Award winners, Dorah Sitole and Anna Montali.

Sitole is the former editor and food editor of True Love magazine and was awarded the Galliova Certificate of Merit in 1992 for outstanding achievement in food writing. Although she is an acclaimed magazine food stylist and cooking TV show host, and has lectured across the globe, Sitole will always be renowned for shining the culinary spotlight on the flavours of Africa through her books Recipes with A Touch of Africa, Cape to Cairo, and Cooking from Cape to Cairo.

Montali is the former food and deputy editor of Food & Home Entertaining. She was honoured as the Galliova Food Writer of the Year in 2007, and has been further recognised for her efforts in the South African industry through several Caxton media awards, and the LG Home Chef in Dubai Award. Prior to her 15-year stint at Food & Home Entertaining, Montali ran her own restaurant and was involved in professional catering.

The second new adjudicator this year is Marco Torsius, managing director of El-Azaar Poultry Farm in Bloemfontein and a member of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) committee. He has been involved with the Galliova Awards for many years and has great admiration for our South African food and health writers.

Torsius joins the judging panel in his professional capacity as an egg producer, but as he is equally passionate about the art of food, will also provide input as a consumer reading the print and online features for the first time.

Two other familiar faces on the panel this year are previous health writers’ awards judges, Professor Marthinette Slabber Stretch, a registered dietician and Emeritus Professor of the University of the Free State and Madeleine de Villiers, a nutritional consultant and dietitian in private practice.

The stringent judging process kicks off once all entries have been received, and includes two weeks of rigorous review by the judges. Following this, the panel will meet in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 28 September to draw up its short list, with the finalists being notified shortly thereafter.

The Galliova Food and Health Writers’ Awards enters its 27th year in 2016. It is sponsored by the South African Poultry Association and aims to help maintain the vital relationship between the egg industry and the food and health media.

The six award categories include Galliova Food Writer of the Year (magazines), Galliova Food Writer of the Year (weeklies/newspapers), Galliova Health Writer of the Year, Galliova Egg Champion (food/health), Up and Coming Writer of the Year (food/health), and reintroduced this year, the Galliova Online Writer of the Year (food/health).

The competition is now open, and all entries must be received by 16:00 on Wednesday, 7 September.

For more information, visit www.sapoultry.co.za.