1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Are Michelin stars and James Beard Awards actually worth pursuing? Amanda Polick reveals the uncomfortable politics behind best-of and awards lists—and what they really mean for your career. In this episode, you'll discover: → Why restaurant awards are often more about PR relationships than food quality—and what happened when Amanda's Oakland restaurant picks got killed for &quot;not fitting our demographic&quot; → The truth about the Michelin Guide's Southern expansion and why Top Chef's Gail Simmons says she &quot;hates that cities judge themselves by awards&quot; → How awards impact cookbook deals and platform building (critical intel if you're pursuing a book deal) → How to build your food career and define &quot;best&quot; on your own terms, with or without institutional validation Perfect for: Chefs, food writers, cookbook authors, restaurant owners, and anyone building a career in the food industry Amanda Polick is a cookbook and food memoir coach who helps food professionals land book deals. She brings insider knowledge from years in food editorial and publishing. Resources: Show notes &amp;amp; full blog post: amandapolick.com/blog-best-of-episode Newsletter: Weekly insights on food writing and creativity Connect: Instagram: @amandapolick Website: amandapolick.com Babe Cave http://www.amandapolick.com <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/39001780/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/item/39001780