A behind-the-scenes look at what the culinary elite ate at the annual restaurant and chef awards known as the Oscars of food in America.

An Oregon restaurant and chef won awards for outstanding bakery and best chef in the Northwest and Pacific June 16 at the 2025 James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony in Chicago.

Naiker is new to the James Beard Awards, as this is his first nomination, and it landed him in the finals for the Emerging Chef category. He was born in Fiji and raised in California's Bay Area. He has his residency at 51 Courtland St. within the speakeasy, The Courtland Club. His kitchen is barely larger than a closet, but he makes magic there.