Tom Douglas is among the Northwest finalists for James Beard awards

On Monday the James Beard Foundation announced finalists for its 2009 awards, which will be handed out at a May 4 ceremony in New York City. It's the food and beverage industry's version of the Oscars, when nominees and winners will rub elbows with food fanatics from across the nation at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.

Here's the lineup of Northwest finalists:

• Among the list of "Big Names" for Outstanding Restaurateur is our man Tom Douglas, whose competition includes nationally renowned restaurateur/ entrepreneurs Keith McNally, Richard Melman, Drew Nieporent and Stephen Starr.

• The nominees for Best Chef Northwest: Joseba Jimenez de Jimenez (Harvest Vine and Txori); Jason Wilson (Crush); Ethan Stowell (Union, Tavolata, How to Cook a Wolf, Anchovies & Olives); third-time nominee Maria Hines of Tilth; and Cathy Whims, from Nostrana in Portland.

• Rising Star Chef of the Year: Gabriel Rucker of Portland's Le Pigeon will represent the Northwest against 30-and-under contenders Nate Appleman (A16, San Francisco), Sean Brock (McCrady's, Charleston, S.C.), Johnny Monis (Komi, Washington, D.C.), Michael Solomonov (Zahav, Philadelphia) and Sue Zemanick (Gautreau's, New Orleans).

• And Rebekah Denn's nomination in the journalism awards category, for her profile of Seattle pork-producer Heath Putnam and his Wooly Pigs, is a bittersweet win for the former P.I. food writer who took home a coveted James Beard award for restaurant criticism in 2007.

Nancy Leson: 206-464-8838 or nleson@seattletimes.com. To read her blog, go to www.seattletimes.com/ allyoucaneat