Forkish, Pomeroy, Rucker, Whims: PDX's 2013 Beard Nominees

This morning, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2013 award finalists at the Lowndes Grove Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, and a few Portlanders are celebrating right now. After several years making the semifinalist list, Ken Forkish (Ken's Artisan Bakery) gets a nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef. And once again, Portland claimed three of the five spots in the Best Chef, Northwest category: This year, chefs Naomi Pomeroy (Beast), Gabriel Rucker (Le Pigeon), and Cathy Whims (Nostrana) all represent.

This is Whims' fifth nomination in the Best Chef, Northwest category, and the third for Pomeroy. Rucker, a first-time nominees in this category, won Beard's Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2011. They're competing against Seattle's Ethan Stowell and Jason Franey.

A few locals are also up for James Beard book awards, with Forkish nabbing a second nomination in the cookbook category:
· Cookbooks: Baking and Dessert: Flour Water Salt Yeast, by Ken Forkish
· Cookbooks: Single Subject: Modern Sauces, by Martha Holmberg
· Cookbooks: Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian: Roots, by Diane Morgan

The 2013 James Beard Award winners will be announced on Monday, May 6, 2013 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. For the complete list of nominees, head to Eater National.
· Here Are the 2013 James Beard Awards Finalists [Eater National]