Queers at the Table: An Illustrated Guide to Queer Food (with Recipes), a book co-edited by Metropolitan College Food Studies & Gastronomy Director Megan Elias, has been nominated for a 2026 Lambda Literary Award in the LGBTQ+ Anthology category. One of five finalists for the award, the blend of essays, comics, and recipes celebrates the way queer culture expresses itself through food.
“It has been such an honor to bring this book to the public, making a space for our 36 contributors to share their art, ideas and recipes with the wider community,” Professor of the Practice Elias says. “While some of our contributors are well-established and have won Lammys themselves, for others this is a first publication. To be nominated for your first publication is pretty thrilling and validating!”
Where other nominated anthologies focus on photography, sports, and pulp fiction, Queers at the Table examines the intersection of food and culture—in a manner familiar to those pursuing their Master of Arts in Gastronomy. For Elias, the increase in interest and visibility around the topic has been thoroughly beneficial. “I think there is something about the phrase ‘queer food’ that starts people thinking down very productive lines about food, social roles, and identity,” she says.
Speaking with Sighs & Whispers, Dr. Elias revealed that the book’s origins date to a 2024 conference centering queer food, which itself sprung from conversations she was having with students in her course, Food, Gender, and Sexuality (MET ML 706). “Most of the people involved with the book were part of the conference,” Dr. Elias told the newsletter, adding that next year’s Queer Food Conference will be in Montreal.
The award winners will be announced June 12.
For more, visit Lambda Literary.