About
The Good Food Awards rely on the expertise of the pantry community to create the tasting, determine judges and set standards for the category. Read on to learn who has been integral to building the category, as well as what the pantry standard are and who will be judging this year.
Committee
Co-ChairsKyle Hughes
Faire – Enterprise Retailer Partnerships
Kyle helps lead Enterprise Retailer Partnerships at Faire, helping emerging brands find new opportunities and placements in major retail. He grew up in Northern California and has spent the majority of his career working in food. He graduated from New York University and shortly thereafter moved back to San Francisco and immersed himself in the local food movement. He’s previously led wholesale programs at 4505 Meats, Black Oak Coffee Roasters and Bellwether Coffee, and co-founded a Food & Beverage consulting company to advise emerging brands on growing their businesses. He’s also worked at numerous restaurants throughout the region including the Delfina Restaurant Group.
Wendy Robinson
wendyEATGOODFOOD Consultant & Chef
With over 30 years of experience in the food industry, Wendy is a seasoned culinary professional specializing in leadership, operations, and strategic buying. Her career spans from hands-on kitchen roles to executive leadership, providing her with a unique and comprehensive understanding of the entire food chain. As a passionate advocate for food education and sustainable agricultural practices, Wendy is dedicated to sharing her deep knowledge and love for the products and people that shape the industry. Her palate, honed through decades of sensory tasting, is a testament to her expertise and commitment to quality. Through her consulting business, wendyEATGOODFOOD, she offers customized services, including culinary consulting, catering, and educational classes, designed to help clients navigate and connect with the best in the food world. Wendy is always seeking new opportunities to collaborate with individuals and businesses who share her dedication to quality and craftsmanship.
2024 Judges
Katie Sullivan Morford
Food Writer/Cookbook Author
Jennifer Knapp
Associate Brand Manager, La Terra Fina
Dava Guthmiller
Chief Creative Director/Founder, Noise 13
Olga Katsnelson
Founder / CEO, Postcard Communications
Valerie Ng
Account Controls Associate, La Cocina
Gabby Vega
Student Success Coordinator, Food Biz Wiz
Brie Mazurek
Communications Director, Foodwise
April Kim
Private Chef
Leslie Santarina
, Broadway Angels, C200, Longtime Good Food Awards Co-Chair/Judge/Supporter
Lisa Murray
Catering Coordinator, La Cocina
Monica Navarro
Owner, Wine & Eggs
Paolo Bicchieri
Reporter, Eater / Vox Media
Charles Davis
Sales & Service Specialist - Specialty Food Expert
Summer Thompson
Senior Buyer, Market Hall Foods
Leilani Baugh
Executive Chef, Magnolia Street Wine Lounge & Kitchen
Will Kent
Program Manager, Wiki Education
Stacey Breidenstein
Nutrition Advisor/ Advocate, Groundwork Wellness
YuYu Schatz
Product Designer, Faire
David Sucio
Chef, Sucio Talk Podcast
Aaronette King
Executive Chef/Managing Partner, EPEC FOOD/Eat Play Events & Catering
Deborah Kwan
Principal, DKPR, Inc.
Patrick Crowl
Owner, Chairman of Fun, Woodstock Farmers' Market
Mark Carlson
Beekeeper, San Francisco Beekeeping Association
Standards
In order to be eligible for a Good Food Award, pantry entries must meet the following standards:
- Made in the USA or US territories.
- Made with a balanced objective of local, organic and highest-quality.*
- Made with transparency in supply chain.**
- Free of high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients, including colors, flavors and preservatives. Free of natural flavorings and colors.
- Made with rBGH-free milk, where milk is used.
- Made with domestic, non-petroleum based vinegar where vinegar is used.
- Free of genetically modified ingredients.
- Made with spices that are certified organic, Fair Trade or traceable to the farm level.*
- Made by a crafter that is an upstanding member of the good food community, committed to equity and inclusion in all levels of their business,*** as exemplified through integrating these practices:
- Creating a safe and healthy work environment where employees receive a fair wage, are safe and respected at work and have access to the resources they need to keep themselves healthy.
- Offering a diversity, equity, and inclusion training to staff members and/or leadership annually.
- Thoughtfully acknowledging the heritage of culturally-specific food on websites, packaging and/or marketing materials.
- For the small percentage of Good Food community that operates on a significantly larger scale, meeting additional criteria related to board diversity, maternity leave and employment practices.***
*Ingredients that make up less than 2% of the product, such as spices, sugar or lemon juice, may be sourced from farther afield, or from a larger distributor.
**That is, an earnest attempt is made to verify the origin and production methods of the ingredient. If made with ingredients that are not grown domestically on a commercial scale, a farm-direct or certified organic source is sought out and documentation of this search, including notes on calling distributors, is provided.
***Check if you are in the 2% of companies meeting the Good Food Foundation definition of large scale, and review the addition criteria on the Rules & Regulations page.
Subcategories
Additionally, pantry entries must fit within one of the following subcategories:
- Pasta/Pizza Sauce
- Hot Sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Dressing & Marinades
- Salt Cured & Oil Packed
- Pantry Sauces & Pastes (e.g., miso, sambal, curry paste)
- Salsas, Relishes & Chutneys (e.g., onion chutney, tomatillo salsa)
- Condiments (e.g., mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard)
- Flavor Bases (e.g., fish sauce, soy sauce)
- Maple Syrups
- Nut Butters
- Vinegars