Jun 10, 2013

Dallas Gourmet Gold Awards Judges Announced

Dallas Market Center today announced the judges for the 4th annual Dallas Gourmet Gold Awards to be held during the upcoming Dallas Total Housewares & Gourmet Market, June 19-25, 2013.

The Dallas Gourmet Gold Awards celebrates exceptional manufacturers in the gourmet products industry who exhibit in Dallas. The award categories include: Best Sweet, Best Fruit Confit, Best Snack, Best Beverage, Best Soup or Chili, Best Condiment, Best Kitchen Gadget, Best Kitchen Textile, Best Tabletop, Best Cookware or Bakeware and Best Small Appliance.

The judges are:

Bill McLoughlin
McLoughlin is the editor of Gourmet Insider Magazine, a premier business-to-business publication covering gourmet housewares retailing. He is also the executive editor of HomeWorld Business, a leading housewares trade publication in the United States. McLoughlin has been covering the U.S. retail market for nearly 25 years.

Amy Pinkerton
Pinkerton is a buyer for kitchen & dining décor and entertainment for Pier 1 Imports, traveling around the world to search for the best products. Her previous buying experience includes several positions at Michael’s Stores, Inc. spanning 13 years, serving both its retail chain and wholesale chain.

Anastacia Quiñones
Quiñones, the executive chef at Komali Restaurant in Dallas, brings contemporary Mexican cuisine to the successful menu of authentic yet modern flavors. She has held positions as a chef de partie at Jardinière where she discovered her passion for sustainable, local and seasonal product as well as a sous chef and executive chef position at Victor Tangos, both in Dallas. She trained at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Food entries are judged on originality, taste and packaging; housewares are judged on innovation, visual appeal and practicality. Dozens of product entries were received from across the country. For a complete listing of entries, visit dallasmarketcenter.com/gourmetgold. Winners in the 11 categories will be revealed during an awards ceremony and cocktail reception on Friday, June 21 at 5:30 p.m. on the World Trade Center, 1st floor. Winners receive a promotional package and are prominently featured during the remainder of the Dallas Total Housewares & Gourmet Market.