The Seattle Times wins 3 national journalism awards in the 2021 Society for Features Journalism contest

The Seattle Times has won three national awards for excellence in journalism in the Society for Features Journalism 2021 competition.

In the competition in Division 3, the largest division that presents publications with a circulation of 200,000 and more, food critic Tan Vinh was awarded first place in the Food Writing Portfolio category for his work in 2020.

Food author Jackie Varriano took third place in the Food Feature category. Vinh has also partnered with food reviewer Bethany Jean Clement to earn an Honorable Mention in the Food Review for the duo’s taste-testing debate on Seattle’s best chicken wings.

“These awards are a testament to the hard work, creativity and ingenuity our reporters have shown during the challenging 2020 pandemic year,” said Stefanie Loh, editor of the Seattle Times. “We are proud and grateful to have been recognized by our colleagues.”

Vinh’s entry to the food writing portfolio included his story of the best bánh mis in the Seattle area, an essay on the versatility of canned sardines, and a look at how the pandemic reopened in Skamania County in the spring of 2020.

“This is exactly what a portfolio winner should demonstrate: a broad, competent and committed mastery of the subject,” wrote the jury of Vinh’s winning entry. “The deep dive bánh mi shows an appreciation and knowledge of the topic and finds a wide vocabulary to describe it. We love the ‘I bleed Team Seattle Deli’ line.

“The sardine piece shows a versatile food author who likes to relate something unusual. The reopening of the pandemic is an example of on-the-spot coverage that unearths details and personalities that simply shouting around could never get. “

Varriano received her third place in the Food Feature category for a story about the mysterious woman who Krusteaz co-founded and whose name had been lost in the story.

“This well-researched read throws a bright and overdue spotlight on an unsung innovator and her contributions to an historic American brand,” wrote the judge.