Two of the judges are previous Galliova Award winners. This includes former True Love food editor and cookbook author, Dorah Sitole, who received the Galliova Certificate of Merit in 1992 for outstanding achievement in food writing.
The second previous Galliova Award winner on the judging panel is Anna Montali, the former food and deputy editor of Food & Home Entertaining. Montali received the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award in 2007 and has been further recognised for her efforts in the South African industry through several Caxton media awards, and the LG Home Chef in Dubai award.
Also on the panel is KwaZulu-Natal-based chef, tutor, writer and cookbook author, Jackie Cameron. Born and raised in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Cameron is passionate about local, seasonal cuisine from the province. She is best known for her 12-year tenure as executive chef at the five-star boutique hotel, Hartford House. She has since opened her own chef school, writes monthly columns for The Witness newspaper and Chef! magazine.
Representing heritage food from the Cape is Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche, culinary manager at the well-known Pierneef a La Motte Restaurant on the La Motte Estate in Franschhoek. Van Deventer-Terblanche, who is also a judge on kykNET's cooking and baking show open to both amateurs and professional chefs, Kokkedoor, is author of Cape Winelands Cuisine.
Judging the health writers' awards will once again be Professor Marthinette Stretch (CPT), a registered dietician and professor at the University of Pretoria, and Madeleine de Villiers (CPT), a nutritional consultant and dietitian in private practice.
The Galliova Food and Health Writers' Awards enters its 26th year this year. It features two main awards categories, Galliova Food Writer of the Year (magazines) and Galliova Food Writer of the Year (newspapers and weekly titles). There are four affiliate awards, namely Health Writer of the Year; Up and Coming Food Writer of the Year; Up and Coming Health Writer of the Year (new category in 2015); and the Galliova Egg Champion.
Entries must be received by 4pm on Wednesday 9 September 2015. For more information, go to www.sapoultry.co.za.
