This morning the James Beard Foundation announced the restaurants and chefs (and bakers and bar programs) that secured enough votes to move from semifinalist to straight-up nominee.

Seattle (and Washington) generally makes a respectable showing on the semifinalist list, and this year was no different. But an impressive number of local favorites moved on to the next round.

Quynh and Yenvy Pham of Phở Bắc, et al are, once again, finalists for Outstanding Restaurateur. Janet Becerra of Pancita is a nominee for Emerging Chef. And over in Waitsburg, Mike and Erin Easton's Bar Bacetto is a contender for Best New Restaurant.

In the regional Best Chefs: Northwest and Pacific category, big congrats go to Avery Adams of Matia Kitchen on Orcas Island, Kristi Brown of Communion, and Melissa Miranda of Musang. That last one is especially notable since Musang has been closed since January due to a burst pipe, so judging was limited to visits made in the previous months.

Our region, Northwest and Pacific, also includes Oregon, Hawaii, and Alaska. Portland also saw plenty of great spots move forward, including Langbaan for Outstanding Restaurant, Sarah Minnick of Lovely's Fifty-Fifty for Outstanding Chef, and JinJu Patisserie for Outstanding Bakery. Hayward, in McMinnville, will be up against Bar Bacetto for Best New Restaurant, the only category that fields 10 finalists rather than five.

How does this all happen? Judges across the country dine and submit scores to help winnow this list down from the semifinalists, which were announced in February.  Next, of course, the winners. Those get announced June 10 at a ceremony in Chicago.

Below is the complete list of finalists from the Northwest and Pacific region. You can read the full list of nominees from across the nation right here.

Outstanding Restaurateur

Quynh-Vy and Yenvy Pham, Phở Bắc Súp Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, and the Boat, Seattle

Outstanding Chef

Sarah Minnick, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Portland

Outstanding Restaurant

Langbaan, Portland

Emerging Chef

Janet Becerra, Pancita, Seattle

Best New Restaurant

Bar Bacetto, Waitsburg

Hayward, McMinnville 

Outstanding Bakery

JinJu Patisserie, Portland

Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific

Avery Adams, Matia Kitchen, Orcas Island

Kristi Brown, Communion, Seattle

Josh Dorcak, MÄS, Ashland

Gregory Gourdet, kann, Portland

Melissa Miranda, Musang, Seattle

Awkward but important disclaimer: The author of this post is a committee member involved in the awards process.