The Society of Editors has joined with The Sunday Times to launch an award in memory of journalist and critic AA Gill.

The award seeks to recognise emerging talent in the world of food writers.

The award, which carries a £5,000 top prize, makes a point of ignoring spelling and grammar in submissions in recognition of AA Gill’s own dyslexia.

Gill’s daughter Flora announced the award by recollecting her memories of her father’s ability to critique most aspects of life, including her choice of boyfriends.

“Criticism, he said, was an underrated skill. Lots of people called themselves a critic, but very few were any good at it,” she added.

The award is open for entries from any unpublished writer for an article between 1,000 and 1,200 words.

The winning entry will be published in The Sunday Times.

The judges are Flora Gill, Jeremy Clarkson, restaurateur Jeremy King, Sunday Times restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin, food editor Lisa Markwell and Ian Murray, Executive Director of the Society of Editors.

“It is a great honour for the Society to be assisting in the award. Gill was a towering figure in UK journalism, winning many honours at the Society-organised Press Awards. To acknowledge that dyslexia should not be a barrier to creating good journalism is very important,” said Murray.

Entries close on April 17, 2019.

Details at: aagill.award@sunday-times.co.uk. T&Cs at thesundaytimes.co.uk/aagillaward