General Mills Announces Winners Of The Munchies: People’s Choice Food Awards

GENERAL MILLS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE MUNCHIES: PEOPLE’S CHOICE FOOD AWARDS 

TV Personality Bobby Flay, Food Network Magazine, Reality TV Show “Top Chef” Win Big with Fans 

MINNEAPOLIS – May 4, 2012 –The votes are in, and the public has spoken! After a month of close competition and thousands of votes, Tablespoon.com reveals the most delicious food experiences America has to offer. The Munchies served up 20 categories of Terrific Tastemakers, Best Bites and Delicious Destinations, and fan favorites such as Bobby Flay, Food Network Magazine and the TV show “Top Chef” bested the competition by taking home The Munchies awards in the Favorite Food TV Personality, Favorite Food Related Magazine and Favorite Food Reality TV Show categories.

In its inaugural year, The Munchies: People’s Choice Food Awards were hosted by James Beard Award-Winning TV Personality and Chef Andrew Zimmern.  Zimmern and an expert panel of celebrity chowhounds developed the list of nominees, which were then put to popular vote on tablespoon.com/TheMunchies.

“It’s been so fun to see people who are passionate about food debate and support their favorite restaurants, media, and chefs,” says The Munchies lead panelist Andrew Zimmern. “These awards are a celebration of the food experience across America, and I wish a hearty and well-deserved congratulation to each of the winners.”

Reigning food capital of the world, New York City, feasted on The Munchies by winning 7 of the 20 categories, including Best Pizza (Grimaldi’s Pizzeria), Best Cookie (Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, Levain Bakery), and Favorite Coffee Shop (Café Grumpy).

Other regions weren’t left in the cold, however, with the Best Taco award going to Torchy’s Tacos in Austin, the Best Ice Cream award going to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, and the Best Local Farmers Market award going to The Pike’s Place Market in Seattle. Fast-food joint In-N-Out Burger’s Double-Double Animal Style won for Most Iconic Burger. Other notable winners include American Public Media’s “The Splendid Table” for Best Podcast/Radio Show and The Spotted Pig’s April Bloomfield for Best Chef.

The Munchies recipients will receive their awards in the coming weeks, but they’re not the only winners: a donation was made to Feeding America on behalf of the panelists and voters who participated in selecting the Terrific Tastemakers, Best Bites and Delicious Destinations that are being honored today.

The full list of The Munchies award winners includes:

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Terrific Tastemakers

Favorite Food Reality TV Show

   “Top Chef” (Bravo)

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Favorite Food TV Personality

   Bobby Flay, “Food Network Star” (Food Network)

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Favorite Food Related Magazine

   Food Network Magazine (Hearst)

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Favorite Food Blog

   The Pioneer Woman,  Ree Drummond

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Most Newsworthy Cookbook

    Food52 Cookbook, Amanda Hesser & Merrill Stubbs (Harper Collins)

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Best Food Podcast or Radio Show

     “The Splendid Table” (American Public Media)

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Best Chef

   April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig, New York, NY

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Most Inspiring Food Visionary

   Jamie Oliver, Food Revolution

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Best Bites

Most Iconic Burger

   Double Double Animal Style, In-N-Out Burger, Irvine, CA

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Best Pizza

   Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, Brooklyn, NY

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Best Taco

   Torchy’s Tacos, Austin, TX

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Best Cookie

   Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie, Levain Bakery, New York, NY

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Best Ice Cream

   Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Columbus, OH

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Best Food Truck

   Wafels & Dinges, New York, NY

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Delicious Destinations

Best Local Farmers Market

   Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA

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Favorite Stadium Eats

    Tony Luke’s Cheesesteak, Citizen’s Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

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Coolest Coffee Shop

   Café Grumpy, New York, NY

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Best Craft Brewery

    Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton,  DE

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Most Intriguing Cocktail Bar

   Monkey Bar, New York, NY

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Favorite Gluten-Free Bakery

    BabyCakes NYC, New York, NY

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