What a week: first the Oscar nominations. And today, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2024 restaurant and chef award semifinalists. These are the folks now in contention for the country’s most prestigious culinary award. The Barbies and Oppenheimers of our dining scene, if you will.

As in previous years, Seattle (and Washington) has a good number of names on this list. Renee Erickson’s eldest restaurant, the Walrus and the Carpenter, is up for Outstanding Restaurant—think of it as the Best Picture award, but for dining...and now I shall officially drop this dusty metaphor. Meanwhile, Aaron Verzosa of Archipelago in Hillman City, is a contender for Outstanding Chef. And Yenvy and Quynh Pham—of Phở Bắc, Phởcific Standard Time, and our 2023 Restaurant of the Year, the Boat—are once again semifinalists for Outstanding Restaurateur.

We’ve also got a few newcomers in the mix: Janet Becerra, chef/owner of Pancita is a semifinalist in the Emerging Chef category. Ben Campbell, of Ben’s Bread Co., is up for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker, while Eight Row, in Greenlake, is on the list in the  Outstanding Wine and Beverage Program category. And over in Waitsburg, Mike Easton’s Bar Bacetto notched a spot on the Best New Restaurant semifinalist list.

So…lots of familiar names up for national awards. The lineup of Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific semifinalist is a mix of new and returning names, including Kristi Brown (Communion), Melissa Miranda (Musang), and first-time semifinalists Grayson Corrales (MariPili Tapas Bar) and Evan Leichtling (Off Alley).

Avery Adams from Matia Kitchen on Orcas Island, and Dam Koommoo from Yakima’s Crafted are on there too. So is Derek Bray of the Table in Tacoma. Is this the first time a Tacoma chef has appeared on this list? The James Beard database indicates yes.

That said, Washington hasn’t actually won a James Beard Award in a minute. Not since 2019, actually, though the lovely Oriental Mart received an America’s Classics award in 2020. Last year, Portland brought home a few medals: Vince Nguyen of Berlu won the regional chef award; Gregory Gourdet’s buzzy spot, Kann, took Best New Restaurant.

Our region, Northwest and Pacific, includes Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington. That means Seattle vies for spots along with formidable food cities like Portland and Honolulu, not to mention chefs outside those urban areas.

In the coming weeks, James Beard judges will go forth to dine, rank, score, and vote on these fine establishments. On April 3, the foundation will announce the finalists. Winners get named June 10, in Chicago. Best of luck to everyone!

Here is the full list of today's semifinalists. Below are our local contenders, plus the other names from the Northwest and Pacific region, just for kicks. (Very curious about that distillery in Juneau.)

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Outstanding Restaurateur

Quynh and Yenvy Pham, Phở Bắc Sup Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, The Boat, Seattle

Laile Fairbairn, Locally Grown Restaurants (Snow City Cafe, South Restaurant + Coffeehouse, Spenard Roadhouse), Anchorage

Outstanding Chef

Sarah Minnick, Lovely's Fifty-Fifty, Portland

Aaron Verzosa, Archipelago, Seattle

Outstanding Restaurant

Langbaan, Portland

The Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle

Emerging Chef

Janet Becerra, Pancita, Seattle

Best New Restaurant

Bar Bacetto, Waitsburg

Hayward, McMinnville

Outstanding Bakery

JinJu Patisserie, Portland

Breadshop, Honolulu

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Ben Campbell, Ben's Bread Co.

Outstanding Hospitality

Han Oak, Portland

La Baleine Cafe, Homer

Outstanding Wine and Beverage Program

Eight Row, Seattle

OK Omens, Portland

Outstanding Bar

Amalga Distillery, Juneau

Best Chefs: Northwest and Pacific

Washington

Avery Adams, Matia Kitchen, Orcas Island

Derek Bray, the Table, Tacoma

Kristi Brown, Communion, Seattle

Grayson Corrales, MariPili Tapas Bar, Seattle

Dan Koommoo, Crafted, Yakima

Evan Leichtling, Off Alley, Seattle

Melissa Miranda, Musang, Seattle 

Oregon

Joshua Dorcak, MÄS, Ashland 

Gregory Gourdet, Kann, Portland

Matthew Lightner, Okta, McMinnville

Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland

Peter Vuong, Ha VL, Portland

Hawai‘i

Sheldon Simeon, Tiffany’s, Wailuku

Andrew Le, the Pig and the Lady, Honolulu

Nae Ogawa, NatuRe, Honolulu

Jason Peel, NamiKaze, Honolulu

Jeff Scheer, Marlow, Pukalani

Alaska

Nathan Bentley, Altura Bistro, Anchorage

Beau Schooler, In Bocca Al Lupo, Juneau

Michael Dodge, Whiskey & Ramen, Anchorage

 Awkward and highly necessary disclosure: I’m a member of the awards committee, though the names announced today are very much a group effort.