Nominations are being sought for the 2019 honorees for the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.

The Arkansas Food Hall of Fame will soon be seeking nominations for its 2019 honorees.

The nomination period is Monday, Oct. 1, through Wednesday, Oct. 31. Organizers will also be highlighting the 2019 Food of the Year, which is catfish.

Nominations can be submitted at ArkFoodHOF.com and (for the first time ever) via the new Arkansas Food Hall of Fame app.

Nominations will be accepted in five categories:

• Arkansas Food Hall of Fame – Recognition for those long- standing restaurants that have become legendary attractions in Arkansas.
• Proprietor of the Year – This award honors a chef, cook and/or restaurant owner in Arkansas who has made significant achievements in the food industry.
• Food-Themed Event – This award honors a community food-themed event or festival that makes Arkansas a great place to live and visit.
• People’s Choice – This award is truly in the hands of Arkansans and identifies the public’s favorite. The restaurant or food truck that receives the highest number of votes wins.
• Gone But Not Forgotten – This honor recognizes the collective culinary legacy of a once-and-always influential Arkansas restaurant that has since ceased operations.

Finalists and winners will be chosen by a committee of Arkansans who are historians, chefs, foodies and food authors. Committee members include, Paul S. Austin, Evette Brady, Chip Culpepper, Cindy Grisham, Stacy Hurst, Montine McNulty, Tim Morton, Rex Nelson, Tim Nutt, Kat Robinson, Christina Shutt and Swannee Bennett. Honorees and finalists will be announced at a special ceremony on Monday, Feb. 25, at the Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock.

For more information, visit ArkFoodHOF.com.