It’s no surprise that The Willamette Valley has gained prestige as a wine region for producing award-winning Pinot Noir. It is also becoming recognized for the quality of local restaurants. The James Beard Award nominations are akin to Oscar nominations for the food world.
“We are delighted that two of our local favorites were nominated alongside a slate of Portland restaurants for this award, says Sheryl Kelsh, CEO of the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce. “It validates what we have known all along, our region creates outstanding culinary experiences.”
The Painted Lady, an intimate fine-dining restaurant located in the heart of Newberg, was nominated for “Outstanding Service.”
Jory Restaurant located in the beautiful Allison Inn & Spa was nominated for “Best Wine Program.”
Similar to the Oscars, just to be nominated is prestigious in and of itself. The James Beard Foundation short-list of finalists will be announced on March 15 in Los Angeles. Winners will be named May 1 at a gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where a four-course meal will be prepared by guest chefs prior to announcing the winners during the award ceremony.
You can read more about the list of impressive Portland food and beverage nominees at Eater PDX.
The James Beard Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.
The prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards were started in 1990 to honor James Beard and to celebrate excellence in the food and beverage industries. The Awards showcase the people that are responsible for bringing culinary excellence in our community. You can read the complete list of James Beard Foundation semi-finalists on their blog.
About James Beard – James Beard was a native of Portland, a cookbook author, television personality, and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food. Beard was a champion of American cuisine and is widely considered “the dean of American cookery.” He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful, seasonal, and delicious food.
