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Before I venture away to the warm, sandy beaches of Miami   for the 2011 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, I certainly wanted to note two big announcements that happened in the culinary universe last week.

First, the James Beard semifinalists were announced. While the national list is extensive, I wanted to recognize all of the fantastic Pacific Northwest nominees:

• Staple & Fancy Mercantile, Seattle (Best New Restaurant)
• Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland (Outstanding Chef)
• Jerry Traunfeld, Poppy, Seattle (Outstanding Chef)
• Higgins Restaurant & Bar, Portland (Outstanding Restaurant)
• Ken Forkish, Ken’s Artisan Bakery, Portland (Outstanding Pastry Chef)
• Tom Douglas, Seattle (Outstanding Restaurateur)
• Canlis, Seattle (Outstanding Service)
• Nelson Daquip, Canlis, Seattle (Outstanding Wine Service)
• Steve McCarthy, Clear Creek Distillery, Portland (Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional)
• Matt Lightner, Castagna, Portland (Rising Star Chef of the Year)
• Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland (Rising Star Chef of the Year)
• Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn, Lummi Island (Rising Star Chef of the Year)

And, of course, the long list for Best Chef: Northwest:

• Chris Ainsworth, Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, Walla Walla, WA
• Matthew Bennett, Sybaris, Albany, OR
• Andy Blanton, Cafe Kandahar, Whitefish, MT
• Dustan Bristol, Brick 29 Bistro, Nampa, ID
• Seif Chirchi and Rachel Yang, Joule, Seattle
• Matt Dillon, Sitka & Spruce, Seattle
• Jeff Drew, Snake River Grill, Jackson Hole, WY
• Mark Fuller, Spring Hill, Seattle
• John Gorham, Toro Bravo, Portland, OR
• Christopher Israel, Grüner, Portland, OR
• Jenn Louis, Lincoln, Portland, OR
• Paul O’Connor, Il Villaggio Osteria, Teton Village, WY
• Andy Ricker, Pok Pok, Portland, OR
• Daniel Roberts, Q Cuisine, Billings, MT
• Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR
• Ethan Stowell, Staple & Fancy Mercantile, Seattle
• Jason Stratton, Spinasse, Seattle
• Ian Troxler, Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, MT
• Christopher Vane, Crush, Anchorage, AK
• Cathy Whims, Nostrana, Portland, OR

Additional congrats to Stephanie Izard of Girl and the Goat in Chicago, nominated for Best New Restaurant; Ryan Hardy of Montagna at the Little Nell in Aspen for Best Chef: Southwest; Kelly Liken of Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail for Best Chef: Southwest; and Dean James Max of 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale for Best Chef: South.

You can read the full list of semifinalists over at the James Beard blog. The 2011 James Beard Foundation Award finalists will be named right here in Portland on March 21st before the New York City award ceremony on May 9th.

Check out my 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards coverage as well!

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In addition to the James Beard Award announcements, Food & Wine magazine also announced a new addition to their annual Best New Chef lineup. Taking place on CNN’s Eatocracy blog, you can now vote for your favorite chef to be named as The People’s Best New Chef 2011.

While there are a whole host of names, faces, and restaurants to choose from, props to all of the hardworking chefs the Northwest category, which includes Portland favorites Chris DiMinno of Clyde Common, Ben Bettinger of Beaker & Flask, Gregory Gourdet of Departure, Jake Martin of Fenouil, and Jenn Louis of Lincoln, with Lummi Island’s Blaine Wetzel, Depoe Bay’s Justin Wells, and Seattle’s Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, Jason Franey, and Shaun McCrain rounding out the list.

I’ll be in New York in early April to cover the announcement of the 2011 Food & Wine Best New Chefs, so get on over and vote – and stay tuned to Daily Blender for coverage of the exclusive event!

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*Photo credit: Jennifer Heigl / Daily Blender

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