TheTASTE AWARDS, the premier global celebration of excellence in food, fashion, lifestyle, health, travel, and cultural media, is proud to honor Emmy‑award‑winning actor, author, and culinary entrepreneur Sean Kanan with “The Bold Flavor Award.”
This honorary award recognizes Sean’s fearless creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for culinary arts — qualities that embody the adventurous and innovative ethos of The TASTE AWARDS. The 17th Annual Awards Ceremony will take place Saturday March 7, 2026, bringing together the world’s leading creators, innovators, and lifestyle influencers. (thetasteawards.com)
Sean Kanan has built a remarkable, multifaceted career — from his breakout role as “Mike Barnes” in The Karate Kid Part III and his reprisal in the hit series Cobra Kai, to his longtime role as Deacon Sharpe on the daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful. Beyond the screen, Sean channels his bold creativity into the culinary world — authoring The Modern Gentleman: Cooking and Entertaining with Sean Kanan and launching his artisan condiment line, Bad Boy Hot Sauce, featuring bold flavors like “Cobra Venom,” “Mango Madness,” and “Red Pepper Punch.” For Sean, cooking is not only a passion but a way to connect people, celebrate culture, and inspire creativity in every kitchen.
“We are thrilled to present Sean Kanan with The Bold Flavor Award,” said A.K. Crump, Chair of the TASTE AWARDS. “Sean embodies the fearless creativity and love of flavor that our Awards celebrate. From Hollywood to the kitchen, he demonstrates how passion, authenticity, and boldness can inspire communities and elevate culture.”
The Bold Flavor Award joins The TASTE AWARDS’ honorary distinctions across Food & Drink, Fashion & Design, Travel, Health & Fitness, and Lifestyle categories, recognizing individuals shaping the future of taste, style, and creative influence.
Like a Michelin Star for storytelling. Like an Oscar for originality. Like an Emmy for influence. These are the ranks of celebrated creators who define what taste looks like around the world. Seen, remembered, and celebrated.
As TASTE AWARDS judge I wanted to share that the TASTE AWARDS have announced the winner of this year’s inaugural Anthony Bourdain Lifetime Achievement Award, as well of The Andrew Zimmern Discovery Award.
The winning recipient of the Anthony Bourdain Lifetime Achievement Award is José Andrés’ WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN, which has done incredible work helping to feed and nourish those in need in conflict zones and natural disasters such as in Puerto Rico, Florida, Gaza, and most recently, during the Los Angeles fires. Having served over 450 million meals, as they describe their services, “Entering our 15th year, World Central Kitchen is still first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Our meals, from day one, have been culturally appropriate and served with dignity.”
The winning recipient of this year’s Andrew Zimmern Discovery Award is none other than Ethiopian-born Swedish-American celebrity chef, television host, author, entrepreneur, food champion, and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson. Marcus has done much over the years to bring new foods, new cultures, and new talent to the forefront of his audiences, partners, and clients.
Now in its 16th year, the TASTE AWARDS are the premier awards celebrating the year’s best in Food, Fashion, Health, Travel, and Lifestyle programs in Film, Television, Online & Streaming Video, Podcasts, Radio and Photography.
Congrats to both of them.
TASTE AWARDS VIP RECEPTION Winners, Honorees and Hall of Fame Inductees will receive their honors in person at the star-studded ceremony on March 10, 2025 in Beverly Hills at the WGA Theater.
March 10, 2025Beverly Hills / Los Angeles, California The TASTE AWARDS Show & Reception includes: ✓ Celebrity Red Carpet step and repeat✓ Reception✓ Awards Show: Presentation Ceremony & Winner Announcements✓ ** RSVP and Tickets Required Event Tickets Required for All Award Attendees. No complimentary tickets are available.
The TASTE AWARDS have included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and platforms such as the Food Network, the Style Network, Bravo, the Cooking Channel, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, TLC, Discovery Communications, Lifetime Network, E! Entertainment Television, PBS, APT, Create TV, NBC, ABC, BBC, the CW, HGTV, the Travel Channel, HD Net, Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, Vice, LiveWell Network, Esquire Network, Bio/FYI Channel, iHeart Radio, HBO, MyxTV, Small Screen Network, StyleHaul, PTA, Zagat, Mode Media, WatchMojo, Netflix, Amazon Prime, AMC International, Lifetime Network, Buzzed, Vox Media, Gusto TV, MyCleo TV, Recipe.TV, FNL, the Africa Channel, Tastemade, BuzzFeed, Allen Media, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more.
The award is named after the late Anthony Bourdain, who was one of the first TASTE AWARDS recipients, and is best known for his cookbooks, memoirs, food and travel television series, and outlook on life.
Says a TASTE AWARDS spokesperson, “Anthony Bourdain was more than a chef or television host; he was a storyteller who opened the world’s eyes to the beauty of culture through food. He was a visionary who redefined the way the people saw food, travel, and culture. Through his groundbreaking shows like No Reservations and Parts Unknown, Anthony brought viewers into the heart of distant lands, not just to taste the food but to understand the stories, struggles, and triumphs of the people who created it. His approach was unfiltered, honest, and deeply empathetic, offering a rare glimpse into the beauty of diversity while challenging stereotypes and prejudices. Bourdain’s unique blend of curiosity, wit, and fearlessness made him an icon, and his legacy continues to inspire people to seek connection through the shared experience of food and the exploration of the unknown.”
About the TASTE AWARDS
The TASTE AWARDS are the premier awards celebrating the year’s best in Food, Fashion, Health, Travel, and Lifestyle programs on Television, in Film, Streaming and Online, in Apps, on Radio & Podcasts, and Photography.
The Annual Awards have included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and platforms such as the Food Network, the Style Network, Bravo, the Cooking Channel, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, TLC, Discovery Communications, Lifetime Network, E! Entertainment Television, PBS, APT, Create TV, NBC, ABC, BBC, the CW, HGTV, the Travel Channel, HD Net, Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, Vice, LiveWell Network, Esquire Network, Bio/FYI Channel, iHeart Radio, HBO, MyxTV, Small Screen Network, StyleHaul, PTA, Zagat, Mode Media, WatchMojo, Netflix, Amazon Prime, AMC International, Lifetime Network, Buzzed, Vox Media, Gusto TV, MyCleo TV, Recipe.TV, FNL, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more.
The TASTE AWARDS Committee, celebrating the best in food, fashion, and lifestyle programming on television, film, online and streaming video, on radio and in podcasts, are pleased to announce the inductees in the Eleventh class of the TASTE HALL OF FAME.
Eleventh year TASTE HALL OF FAME Inductees are selected based on either having received numerous TASTE AWARDS and finalist nominations over the years, or having made a significant impact in the world of taste and broadcast entertainment.
Inductees range from television and movies, to online video, radio, and real world experiences.
This year’s class includes a record number of international inductees.
Our Mission is to recognize and acknowledge outstanding excellence in video, film, mobile and interactive content focused on food, drink, fashion, design, travel and lifestyle.
The Annual Awards have included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and platforms such as the Food Network, the Style Network, Bravo, the Cooking Channel, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, TLC, Discovery Communications, Lifetime Network, E! Entertainment Television, PBS, APT, Create TV, NBC, ABC, BBC, the CW, HGTV, the Travel Channel, HD Net, Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, Vice, LiveWell Network, Esquire Network, Bio/FYI Channel, iHeart Radio, HBO, MyxTV, Small Screen Network, StyleHaul, PTA, Zagat, Mode Media, WatchMojo, Netflix, Amazon Prime, AMC International, Lifetime Network, Buzzed, Vox Media, Gusto TV, MyCleo TV, Recipe.TV, FNL, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and more.
Air France Alicia Silverstone All in the Industry with Shari Bayer Baek Jong-won (S. Korea) Bob’s Burgers Catherine Fulvio Check, Please! Arizona Chef JJ Johnson Darius Cooks Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Fit 2 Stitch Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma Gwyneth Paltrow Harry Styles HBO/Max HULU Julia Collin Davison (America’s Test Kitchen) Julie Andrieu and Les carnets de Julie (France)
Linda Evangelista Lisa Vanderpump Living By Design with Jake and Jazz Lorna Maseko Masterchef Mexico (Mexico) MotorWeek Nailed It! Oprah Winfrey ROKU Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana (India) Sophia Roe Steven Raichlen The Grape Nation The Speakeasy Un Dîner Presque Parfait (France) Zoe Bakes / Zoe Francois
With the tagline “Honoring the Best There Is,” The TASTE AWARDS are the premier awards celebrating the year’s best in Food, Fashion, Health, Travel, and Lifestyle programs in Film, Television, Online & Streaming Video, Podcasts, Radio and Photography.
New Award Added for Tik Tok Videos
14th Annual TASTE AWARDS Committee adds Special Awards Category for TikTok Videos
In recognition of the growing influence and reach of TikTok content and creators, the Awards Committee has announced a new special awards category this year specifically for videos that are on TikTok.
The category for Best TikTok Video is for content that specifically appears on TikTok, for topics including food, drink, fashion, travel, health or lifestyle.
Regular Submissions for the 14th Annual Awards are open through September 6th for content first released between October 2021 and October 2022.
Annual Awards
The Annual Awards have included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and platforms such as the Food Network, the Style Network, Bravo, the Cooking Channel, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, TLC, Discovery, Lifetime, E! Entertainment Television, PBS, APT, Create TV, NBC, ABC, the CW, HGTV, the Travel Channel, HD Net, Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, Vice, LiveWell Network, Esquire Network, Bio/FYI Channel, iHeart Radio, HBO, MyxTV, Small Screen Network, StyleHaul, PTA, Zagat, Mode Media, WatchMojo, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Lifetime Network, Vox Media, Buzzfeed, Tastemade, and more.
For over a decade, the TASTE AWARDS have been the premier awards celebrating the year’s best in Food, Fashion, Health, Travel, and Lifestyle programs in Film, Television, Online & Streaming Video, Podcasts, Radio and Photography.
2022 Nominee, Winners, Honorees and Hall of Fame Inductees will have their honors celebrated on the star-studded televised awards show broadcast in May and June on selected public television stations across the United States.
The TASTE AWARDS have included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and platforms such as the Food Network, the Style Network, Bravo, the Cooking Channel, TLC, Discovery, Lifetime, E! Entertainment Television, PBS, Create TV, APT, NBC, ABC, the CW, HGTV, the Travel Channel, HD Net, Hulu, YouTube, Dreamworks, Esquire Network, FYI Network, The History Channel, Bio, iHeart Radio, Sony Pictures, HBO Max, Entertainment Studios’ Recipe.TV, NETA, Myx TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Tastemade, the Africa Channel, Roku, and more.
Now in its 13th year, the annual TASTE AWARDStelevision broadcastacross the United States will be in May and June 2022, and you are requested to join.
This star-studded television special will be broadcast exclusively on select public television stations nationwide. Celebrity award presenters for this broadcast include Tyler Florence, Joanne Weir, Darley Newman, Chef Jernard Wells, Michelle Harris, Kim Estes, Lorna Maseko, Nikki Dinki, Andrea Feczko, Danielle Nottingham, Kitchen Chat, Chef JJ Johnson, and more.
The 13th Annual TASTE AWARDS ceremony has been produced in a pre-recorded format for broadcast in May and June 2022 (check your local listings for May and June dates and times) and also viewable on the PBS Video app.
THE ANDREW ZIMMERN DISCOVERY AWARD honors the mission to discover new cultures, new flavors, or new talent. The inaugural winners of this new award were Andrew Zimmern and Tyler Florence. This year’s winner, based on decades of contributions to culinary, television, and film talent as well as a fierce and constant determination to find and spotlight new flavors, is celebrity chef and author Julia Child (The French Chef).
All of the following have been selected by the TASTE AWARDS Committee to be honored with Special Achievement Honoree Awards in the listed categories.
The TASTE AWARDS are pleased to announce that VIEWERS CHOICE Voting is now open through March 11th for the following categories:Fans, studios, hosts and more are encouraged to vote for their favorites on the TASTE AWARDS site or at www.TastingDark.com
In addition, all Finalists Nominees and selected Special Achievement Award Honorees have been announced for this 13th Anniversary Year.
Among the nominees, well known celebrity and program names include Selena Gomez, Andrew Zimmern, G. Garvin, Lidia Bastianich, Gordon Ramsay, Ming Tsai, Christopher Kimball, Tyler Florence, Chef JJ Johnson, Chef Jernard Wells, Joy Bauer, and Edward Delling-Williams. For over a decade, the TASTE AWARDS have been the premier awards celebrating the year’s best in Food, Fashion, Health, Travel, and Lifestyle programs in Film, Television, Online & Streaming Video, Podcasts, Radio and Photography.
Winners, Honorees and Hall of Fame Inductees will receive their honors at star-studded ceremony in April 2022 (format to be announced).Winners of selected award categories will be pre-announced in mid-March 2022. See the full Nominee list Below.
Viewer’s Choice Voting for selected categories is open now through March 11th here.The TASTE AWARDS have included appearances by stars, celebrities, producers and executives from networks and platforms such as the Food Network, the Style Network, Bravo, the Cooking Channel, TLC, Discovery, Lifetime, E! Entertainment Television, PBS, Create TV, APT, NBC, ABC, the CW, HGTV, the Travel Channel, HD Net, Hulu, YouTube, Dreamworks, Esquire Network, FYI Network, The History Channel, Bio, iHeart Radio, Sony Pictures, HBO Max, Entertainment Studios’ Recipe.TV, NETA, Myx TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Tastemade, the Africa Channel, Roku, and more.
The TASTE AWARDS are the highest awards for creators, producers, hosts, and directors of Lifestyle Programs, Series, Shows & Cinema.
Often called “The Oscars of Food, Fashion and Lifestyle Media,” they are the premier broadcast awards show celebrating the year’s best achievements in Food, Fashion, Health, Travel, and Lifestyle programs onTelevision, in Film, in Online and Streaming Video, on Radio and in Podcasts, and Photography.
GENERAL CATEGORY TASTE AWARDS NOMINEES
The Academy of Media Tastemakers has selected the following nominees in each awards category. Best Chef in a Series
AZ Cooks Live Bake It Up a Notch with Erin McDowell (Food52) Cooks Thyme with Chef Tobias Cooks G. Garvin Live! Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted Just Eats with Chef JJ Kevin Belton’s Cookin’ Louisiana Paris Bistro Cooking with Edward Delling-Williams Simply Ming: Season 18 The TODAY SHOW: Joy’s Superfood Friday What’s Eating Dan? — America’s Test Kitchen, Dan Souza
Best Food Program – Television
A Taste of Key West Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television Cook’s Country Eatup! New York Fast Foodies Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted Just Eats with Chef JJ Kevin Belton’s Cookin’ Louisiana New Soul Kitchen Remix Paris Bistro Cooking with Edward Delling-Williams Selena + Chef Season 2 Tastes Like Home Series Four and Five
Best Food Program – Online and Streaming
AZ Cooks Live Bake It Up a Notch with Erin McDowell (Food52) Bravo’s Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen Chef Jason Bunin Cooking Show Cutting the Curd Feast.Network Gear Heads — America’s Test Kitchen Let’s Make Dessert — America’s Test Kitchen Meat and Three Sweet Heat with Rick Martinez (Food52) The Butter Book The Extra Mile The Wild Harvest What’s Eating Dan? — America’s Test Kitchen, Dan Souza
Best Food Travel Series
A Parisian Food Affair with Julie Neis A Queen In The Kitchen-Estate Italiana A Taste of Key West Australia’s Food Bowl with Stefano de Pieri Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television French Country Cooking with Edward Delling-Williams Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted Lidia Celebrates America: A Salute to First Responders Maria’s Portuguese Table , 8 part Series Tastes Like Home Series Four And Five The Extra Mile To Dine For with Kate Sullivan Weekends with Yankee
Best Reality Series
Backyard Bar Wars Culture Kitchen Fast Foodies G. Garvin Live! Just Eats with Chef JJ New Soul Kitchen Remix Selena + Chef Season 2 Simply Ming: Season 18 The Event
Best Drink or Beverage Program
Back Bar Backyard Bar Wars Dads Drinking Bourbon Feast.Network Muddled Up! Proof The 3 Julias on 30A Television The Grape Nation The Speakeasy Wine First Wine Soundtrack
Best Branded Program, Native Content, Video, or Advertisement Presented by R&B Cellars
Clovia – Women’s Day Get Away for a Day with Allyshia Renay! Nadia Mejia’s (2016 Miss USA Runner-Up) AI Driven Interactive Food Film Non So Dove, Ma Insieme The Superiore of Prosecco in Venice
Best Green or Organic Program, Series or Film
Building Tomorrow French Country Cooking with Edward Delling-Williams New Day New Chef : LIVE Paris Bistro Cooking with Edward Delling-Williams The Green Wave – Tahiti The Soul of A Farmer
Best New Series
Backyard Bar Wars Counterjam Culture Kitchen Fast Foodies Let’s Make Dessert — America’s Test Kitchen The Sandwich Universe
Best Single Topic Series Presented by Gowan’s Cider
All in the Industry Back Bar Cutting the Curd Dads Drinking Bourbon Extreme Cuisine – Sea Urchin Fields Let’s Make Dessert — America’s Test Kitchen Pizza Quest Sip Sip Hooray! wine podcast The Event The Sandwich Universe The Speakeasy The Wild Harvest
Best Series Pilot
Backyard Bar Wars Cooking in Mexican from A To Z Dear Mama Fast Foodies Fields Muddled Up! One BIG Recipe Pizza Quest The SloFunkPump Show
Best Home Chef in a Series
Eat, Drink, and Handle Your Business Let’s Make Food From Food with Michelle Ullmann Living By Design Selena + Chef Season 2 The 3 Julias on 30A Television The Trailer Park Cooking Show With Jolene Sugarbaker Valcooks Kitchen
Best Food or Drink Podcast
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio Counterjam Item 13: An African Foods Podcast The Black Kitchen Initiative by Heinz The Sandwich Universe The Speakeasy
Best Travel Program
A Parisian Food Affair with Julie Neis A Pilgrimage to Tibet Dear Mama Get Away for a Day with Allyshia Renay! Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted Great Getaways: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Passion Italy SOS Tastes Like Home Travels with Darley
Best City or Regional Program
Amah Knows Best Australia’s Food Bowl with Stefano de Pieri Back At The Table Eatup! New York Get Away for a Day with Allyshia Renay! Persimmons, Prosciutto & Friends Wine Road Podcast
Best Ethnic Lifestyle Series, Program or Film
54 Years Late A Queen In The Kitchen-Estate Italiana CombiNation Plates Culture Kitchen Friday Night Vibes G. Garvin Live! Just Eats with Chef JJ New Soul Kitchen Remix The Black Kitchen Initiative by Heinz Valcooks Kitchen
Best International Program
Amah Knows Best Australia’s Food Bowl with Stefano de Pieri Extreme Cuisine – Sea Urchin French Country Cooking with Edward Delling-Williams Nordic by Nature – Michelin Stars Passion Italy Sopitas de mi Ecuador Tastes Like Home The Green Wave – Tahiti
Best Multi Camera Production
Backyard Bar Wars Fast Foodies French Country Cooking with Edward Delling-Williams: Foraging By The Sea Kevin Belton’s Cookin’ Louisiana Persimmons, Prosciutto & Friends Tastes Like Home
