The James Beard Foundation announced the restaurant and chef nominees for the 2023 James Beard Awards this morning, with nods to a Portland restaurant and three Oregon chefs. Gregory Gourdet’s Haitian restaurant Kann earned a nomination for best new restaurant, while Vince Nguyen, Thomas Pisha-Duffly, and Joshua Dorcak are up for best chef: Northwest and Pacific. Pisha-Duffly was nominated in the same category last year. This is the first nomination for both Nguyen and Dorcak.
The nominees were selected from a long list of semifinalists that were announced in January. Five Portland semifinalists were named: Kann for best new restaurant, OK Omens for outstanding wine and other beverages program, and Peter Cho (Han Oak), Vince Nguyen (Berlu), and Thomas Pisha-Duffly (Gado Gado) for best chef: Northwest and Pacific. Another five semifinalists from elsewhere in Oregon landed a spot on the list: Okta in McMinnville for best new restaurant, Hiyu Wine Farm in Hood River for outstanding wine and other beverages program, and Joshua Dorcak (MÄS in Ashland), Jonathan Jones (Epilogue Kitchen & Cocktails in Salem), and Crystal Platt (Lion & Owl in Eugene) for best chef: Northwest and Pacific.
