Portland Semifinalists for the James Beard Awards

City boxed out of Rising Star, Outstanding Chef, Best Pastry Chef, Best Restaurant, Best New Restaurant contention

The James Beard folks announced their semifinalists for the James Beard awards this week. And maybe they're trying to debuff our little star, but Portland was shut out of of the national food categories, including the rising star award, which Le Pigeon's Gabe Rucker walked away with in 2011. He also won Best Chef Northwest last year.

Seattle picked up seven semifinalists in the Best Chef Northwest category, compared to Portland's six. 

Some familiar faces in the Best Chef Northwest category for Portland, however: Naomi Pomeroy of Beast and especially Cathy Whims of Nostrana have pretty much set up a residency among Beard Award finalists. Justin Woodward of Castagna and Adam Sappington of The Country Cat,  and Greg Denton & Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton of Ox are also previous semi-finalists. 

But there's one newcomer to watch on the list: Trent Pierce, the chef at WW's 2013 restaurant of the year, Roe. 

Portland did get some national love where boozing's concerned. Clyde Common is a semifinalist in the Best Bar Program category, and Stephen McCarthy of Clear Creek Distillery was nominated as Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional.

We got no love for service, however. Huh.

The 2014 James Beard Awards will be held in New York City on May 2 and 5.

Portland's many new chef-penned cookbooks aren't part of this list, though it would be surprising to see the city shut out there. Those nominees will be announced March 19.

The list of locals in the running:

Best Chef: Northwest
  1. Greg Denton & Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, Ox
  2. Trent Pierce, Roe
  3. Naomi Pomeroy, Beast
  4. Adam Sappington, The Country Cat
  5. Cathy Whims, Nostrana
  6. Justin Woodward, Castagna
Outstanding Bar Program:
  • Clyde Common

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional:
  • Stephen McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery

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