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Jhumpa Lahiri in Fray for Culinary Writing Award

Arthur J Pais

Cooking, Jhumpa Lahiri will readily admit, isn't something that excites her a lot.

But that doesn't mean this Pulitzer Prize-winning writer won't write about desi food. And when she does write on food, there could be yet another award awaiting her.

Lahiri, whose first book, Interpreter of Maladies, continues to be on the bestseller list in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston more than a year since its publication, is a nominee for the 2001 James Beard Foundation Awards.

She has been nominated for the M F K Fisher Distinguished Writing Award for her article Indian Takeover in Food & Wine Magazine's April 2000 issue.

Her two competitors: Shoba Narayan, a freelance journalist, whose article, The God of Small Feasts, ran in Gourmet magazine's June 2000 issue, and Alan Richman, for his story Oldest Living Jewish Waiters Tell All in Gentleman's Quarterly.

The James Beard Award winners are named after one of America's best-known food writers and chef. The winners in nearly a dozen categories will be announced at two events in New York City April 29 and 30.

The bigger of the two events will be held on April 30 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Actor John Ritter, currently starring on Broadway in The Dinner Party, will host for the event attended by more than 1,500 food and beverage industry leaders.

The awards were established in 1990 to recognize outstanding achievement and excellence in culinary and related professions. Award nominees are selected by more than 600 food, beverage and journalism professionals throughout the nation.

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