'Independent' writer wins top food award

Caroline Stacey of The Independent won the restaurant critic prize last night at Britain's most prestigious food and drink media awards.

Judges for the Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards praised her "well-researched, consistent, high-quality, informative and entertaining" articles.

The panel added: "There is nothing except marmalade she will not eat, no bread roll she will leave untouched in her quest for good food". The prize is Stacey's second Glenfiddich award. She was awarded previously for her work at Time Out magazine 16 years ago.

Terry Durack, of the Independent on Sunday's Sunday Review, was shortlisted in the same category.

Three other Independent and Independent on Sunday writers were shortlisted for the annual awards: Michael Bateman in the newspaper cookery writer category for his work in Sunday Review; and in the drink writer section Michael Jackson, for The Independent, and Richard Ehrlich, for the Sunday Review.

Mr Jackson wrote an article asking whether ales were as fine as wine, and Mr Ehrlich wrote about fruit smoothies and making coffee.