An award for "The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations Behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong," co-authored by Wong and Arnold Hiura, puts the cookbook in lofty company.

It is the winner of the "Chefs & Restaurants" category award in the 26th annual International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards.

The IACP awards are among the most prestigious in the industry, with past winners that include Julia Child, Mark Bittman, Thomas Keller and Rick Bayless.

The award was announced Monday in New York at the 26th annual awards event.

Other nominees included "Home Cooking with Jean Georges" by chef Jean-George Vongerichten and "The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts" by Chefs Frederic Morin and David McMillan, and Meredith Erickson.

The book also won the Ka Palapala Po‘okela Award of Excellence in Cookbooks.

"The Blue Tomato" (Watermark Publishing, $40) is available at bookstores, other retail outlets and at www.thebluetomato.net.