Chef
took home the Best Chef Northwest award at Monday night's
in New York City, beating two fellow Portland chefs, as well as two chefs from Seattle.
Monday's win is the second Beard award in recent years for the
chef and owner.
, an honor for culinary talent under the age of 30. This was his first nomination in the Best Chef Northwest category.
The Best Chef Northwest category has become
in the Beard Foundation awards. Rucker beat out five-time nominee
(
), three-time nominee
(
), along with Seattle chefs Ethan Stowell (
) and Jason Franey (
).
In accepting the award, Rucker said he hadn't prepared anything to say and wasn't wearing a tuxedo because he didn't expect to win. He then thanked his fellow nominees, his business partners, his parents, and his wife.
Monday’s awards were held at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York. The foundations journalism and media awards were held on Friday, and two local authors took home awards.
’s
was named the year’s best vegetable-focused book; and
(
) won in the Baking and Dessert category for his
--
