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Brad A. Johnson

Food & Travel

Brad A Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
  • Writing
  • Contact

Best Travel Blog! Best Culinary Travel! Best Travel Photography! And this just in: Finalist, Food Photographer of the Year

  • April 1, 2021
  • Brad A. Johnson
The past year (and counting) has been a difficult era for the travel industry. For the hotels. For the resorts and spas. For the airlines. For the restaurants and street-food vendors alike. And for the writers like me whose livelihood and passion (this blog turns 11 years old in 2021) are intricately intertwined with all of those things.
Chinese jasmine pearl tea (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

So in a year like this, I am especially grateful for good news like this: In the fall, Brad A. Johnson, Food & Travel was named Best Travel Blog in America from the Society of American Travel Writers at the 37th annual Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards (my second Lowell Thomas win in this category). And in January, this blog also took gold for Best Travel Blog in the North American Travel Journalists Association’s 29th annual awards competition. These are the two most prestigious contests in travel journalism. I am incredibly honored to win gold in both in the same year.

Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, Best Blog 2019-2020

At those same NATJA Awards, this blog received additional honors for Best Culinary Travel Writing for my story about the Disappearing Art and Rhythm of Chinese Tea in Hong Kong and for my photo essays of Telluride and the Biblioteca Vasconcelos in Mexico City. 

Meanwhile the results haven’t yet been announced for this year’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, but the nominations are out, and I’m thrilled to say that Brad A. Johnson, Food & Travel is nominated for Best Blog for the third year in a row (spotlighting my review of Lo Sereno in Troncones, Mexico, photos below). This is on top of prizes for travel writing and restaurant criticism earlier in the year from the California Journalism Awards and the Orange County Press Club Awards. 

AND THIS JUST IN FROM LONDON: I learned today that I have been selected as a finalist in the Food Photographer of the Year Awards. This is the world’s largest food photography competition, which this year drew more than 10,000 entries from 70 countries. Two of my photographs made the shortlist. And only six photographers from the United States made it into the finalist stage, which includes my image of lunch being served at Lo Soreno in Troncones. That image will be displayed at the Royal Photographic Society in England, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious photographic galleries—whose royal patron is Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge. The exhibition opens in November and will run through mid-December. As my luck would have it, I have already booked a trip to Asia for those dates, so I’ll miss my international gallery debut. The gallery of finalists and winners is available online now. 

My sincerest thanks to all the judges for taking time to view or read my work. Having been a judge myself, I know what an arduous task it can be.

See Forever trail at Telluride Ski Resort (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico City (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Lo Sereno’s private beach in Troncones, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Lunch at Lo Sereno hotel in Troncones, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

p.s. The photo at the top of this page is from an older story about “Absinthe” in Las Vegas. When looking through my archives for an image that summed up my mood today, this one jumped out. For travel inspiration and photos, I invite you to follow me and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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Brad A. Johnson

Brad A. Johnson is a writer and photographer specializing in food and travel. His work has been honored by the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, James Beard Awards, World Food Media Awards, Food Photographer of the Year Awards, Society of Features Journalism Awards and others. Based in Southern California, Brad currently serves as Editorial Director of the new luxury consumer travel magazine of the Global Travel Collection (launching Spring 2023).

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Hey, OC. FYI in case you missed it, @ryegoods has opened a new location on Red Hill in Tustin, just down the street from Flight/Mess Hall. Same incredible breads and pastries as the original on the peninsula. No lines here, plus a huge seating area. #sourdough #pastries #coffee #orangecounty 322 9
One more post from our lovely stay at @fstokyo. Delicious lunch at @maisonmarunouchi, the casual sibling to @sezannetokyo. Excellent all around. And clearly popular with Tokyo's ladies who lunch: the clientele during our visit, almost entirely women. Quite the see-and-be-seen crowd. 57 1
I’m not sure which I liked better about the @fstokyo, the valet greeter and escort from the train station, the view of the trains from our room, or the super comfy pajamas. Excellent service all around. #Tokyo #Japan #hoteljunkie 79 3
I think @sezannetokyo ⁠has a #footfetish, and I’m ok with that. Truly fantastic lunch. Impeccable service. ⁠ 63 1
We had a really fun "Lost in Translation" moment at @meatman_roppongi. Google Translate failed hilariously. Delicious meat/fat overload anyway. Great staff, charming hospitality. Lots of sake. Thank you, @fstokyo for securing the reservation! #Tokyo #Roppongi #sake 76 1
Well, that was interesting.  A toast to 2022. And looking forward to ‘23. Cheers, and safe travels to all. 81 1
Brad A. Johnson
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Writer. Photographer. Traveler. Restaurant Critic.

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