Portland received significant recognition at the 36th annual James Beard Awards held in Chicago, with local culinary and literary figures winning three prestigious honors.

Ryan Roadhouse, chef and owner of Nodoguro, won the Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific award after years of recognition from the James Beard Foundation.

Roadhouse had previously been nominated multiple times and used his acceptance speech to reflect on his career path, beginning with his first restaurant job as a teenager.He also acknowledged the mentors who helped shape his professional development, including Vitaly Paley and Toshi Kizaki.Roadhouse was one of two Portland-based finalists in the regional category, alongside Thomas Pisha-Duffly of Gado Gado.Portland also celebrated a national victory for Scotch Lodge, which received the Outstanding Bar award.The whiskey-focused cocktail bar, founded by Tommy Klaus in 2019, was recognized after being nominated for the second consecutive year.

Klaus is a longtime figure in Portland’s beverage industry and previously worked at several influential restaurants and bars while helping develop beverage programs across the city.In addition to the restaurant and bar awards, Portland author Erica Berry won a James Beard Media Award in the Personal Essay category.

Her essay, titled “Intuitive Eating: On poison, pleasure, and trust,” was published in Orion Magazine and was recognized for excellence in food and drink journalism.Together, the awards highlight Portland’s continued influence in culinary arts, hospitality, and food-related media.