This award was and still is the highlight of my career as a photographer, stylist and cookbook author.

Winning a James Beard Award for Photography, I was Shocked/thrilled, honoured, and super delighted to have won. I almost fell off my chair in shock when they called out my name. I shakily made my way up to the stage and podium to mumble out my acceptance/thank you speech which was one big blur. I thanked all the right people, including blurting out something about the 'luck of the Irish'. Still, those stage lights and the fact you can see no one in front of you (and you're shocked as hell) don't help too much in the calming stakes...

I kept it short and sweet and was then promptly whisked away down the back to get my photo taken, not before having a glass of champagne put into my hand ~ that being a hand which was trembling so much from shock and nerves that the liquid inside just slopped out of the glass onto the floor.

Overall it was a brilliant night, albeit the first 2 hours were utterly full of anxious nerves, all of which were exacerbated when I actually got to the awards venue and realised I was there as a finalist (a journey to which, by the way, incurred a huge mess up initially as I went to the wrong venue half the way up Manhattan island as opposed to being at the right one downtown! But I got there in the end and just in time ~ that is, in fairness, thanks to a fast-moving and agile taxi driver from the Dominican Republic.

The medal is now hanging in my sitting room in Sydney, and I am still mighty proud of it. Thanks again to the judges who voted for my book and work. I really am still so terribly grateful.

A FEW PICS BELOW FROM THIS TRIP TO NYC AFTER THE AWARDS..,