Oregon Nabs 17 James Beard Semifinalist Nominations

The James Beard Foundation released its list of 2020 James Beard Awards semifinalists Wednesday morning. Among the many nominees, Oregon nabbed 17 nods (Portland alone holds 15), ranging from Best New Restaurant (Eem, our best restaurant of 2019, and Gado Gado, our rising star of the 2019) to Outstanding Wine Program (Canard, our best restaurant of 2018). Beyond our fair city, Day Wines in Dundee and Maison Noir Wines in McMinnville saw some culinary love with their semifinalist nods in the Best Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer category.

Several familiar names are back on the board, including multi-James Beard Award winner Gabriel Rucker and Kim Boyce of Bakeshop, who again is up for Outstanding Baker.

The foundation will announce the finalists, as well as its nominees for the Media and Restaurant Design Awards, on March 25.

Here’s a full list of Oregon semifinalists for the 2020 James Beard Awards:

Best New Restaurant

• Eem, Portland
• Gado Gado, Portland

Outstanding Baker

• Kim Boyce, Bakeshop, Portland 

Outstanding Bar Program

• Expatriate, Portland

Outstanding Chef

• Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland

Outstanding Restaurant

• Hà VL, Portland

Outstanding Restaurateur

• Akkapong Earl Ninsom (Eem, Hat Yai, Langbaan)—in 2019, we named Ninsom the most influential restaurateur in Portland.

Outstanding Wine Program

• Canard, Portland

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer

• Brianne Day, Day Wines, Dundee, OR
• André Hueston Mack, Maison Noir Wines, McMinnville, OR 

Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)

• Peter Cho, Han Oak, Portland
• Gregory Gourdet, Departure, Portland
• Katy Millard, Coquine, Portland
• Sarah Minnick, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Portland
• Kristen Murray, MAURICE, Portland
• Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland
• Naoko Tamura, Shizuku, Portland