Portland had to settle for the fact that the very first regional winner, Caprial Pence, a then-28-year-old chef from Fullers restaurant at the Seattle Sheraton, promptly moved back to the place where she — and James Beard himself — were raised,

Peninsula's Jake Howell won the prestigious James Beard Award on Monday for best chef in the Southeast. Why it matters: The national accolade is validation for the cozy neighborhood restaurant in East Nashville.

James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards were held Monday in Chicago. Half a dozen New York finalists were in the running for top honors, along with five chefs who battled it out for best in the state.