UCLA Housing & Hospitality’s forthcoming “Plateia: The Cookbook,” which contains recipes from the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in the campus’s Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center, has been honored by the International Association of Conference Centers with its 2020 Global Innovation Award. The award, which recognizes creativity, innovation and impact, was announced recently during the organization’s annual conference, which was held virtually.

“We’re so thrilled to win this award on behalf of all the teams involved as this has truly been a collaborative effort — from the entire team at Plateia and the Luskin Conference Center, to the photographers, writers and designers who made it all happen,” said Magyn Kydd, creative director for UCLA Housing & Hospitality marketing and communications.

Kydd led creative direction and management of the project. Kydd has produced other books, including UCLA’s 220-page “Bruin Plate Cookbook,” which was published in 2018.

“It is pretty magical to capture and share the stories of Plateia and the Luskin Conference Center, and to package them in a beautiful book that is timeless and can be shared with others around the globe,” she said, noting that the book’s release date is yet to be determined in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The “Plateia: The Cookbook,” which was written by chefs Jason Tingley and Jeromy Sung, as well as Rebecca Kendall, editorial and communications manager, and designed by senior designer Michael Ries, features more than 70 recipes and tells the story of how Plateia and the Luskin Conference Center have become an integral part of UCLA since opening their doors in 2016.  

“The use of the cookbook format to communicate the venue’s personality is a valuable lesson in our tech-saturated world that the tangible and tactile — when done skillfully and authentically — is very powerful,” said Laura Bickle, editor of Canada’s Ignite Magazine and one of three judges who assessed the nominees.

Added judge Richard Luna, director of publishing for Meeting Planners International, based in Dallas: “I also love the simplicity of it. It captures the expertise of the team and gives them a stage to shine. Plus, the take-away is meaningful and will serve as a reminder of the experience people had.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated Oct. 29 to include Jeromy Sung as additional author and correct the number of recipes.