MÄS and the James Beard Awards, putting Ashland on the culinary map

ASHLAND, Ore. — Chef Joshua Dorcak, owner of MÄS in Ashland, is one step closer to receiving a James Beard Foundation Award. He is now a one of five finalists in the “Best Chef: northwest and pacific” category. Each year the James Beard Awards endeavor to recognize the talent and achievement of exceptional culinary artists. The awards will be livestreamed on the food website Eater, on June 10th.

Tucked away near downtown Ashland, MÄS offers a diners an exploration of what Chef Dorcak calls Cascadian cuisine. The menu at the reservation-only, fine dining locale is ever changing. Chef Dorcak said this is because he prefers to source local, seasonal ingredients as often as possible, allowing the local food landscape to inspire his menu. This means in the summer you might fight lighter, more herb influenced dishes. Whereas in the winter you’re likely to find heartier menu items.

This year Chef Dorcak was nominated for the “Best Chef: northwest and pacific” category of the James Beard Awards. “This recognizes you for what you do for your profession and what absolutely love. So the validating aspect of the James Beard Award for me personally is huge.” Chef Dorcak also said receiving this kind of national recognition like this can bring pride to the community. “I think it’s just, it’s incredible. It’s like the Oscars. You know, it’s really cool.”

This is Chef Dorcak’s second time being nominated for a James Beard Foundation award, in 2023 he was among the semi-finalists for the “Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific” category. In 2022 MÄS was named one of the New York Times’ 50 best restaurants in the country. “We’re doing something that’s unique and special to people. As a chef, and as a cook, a nurturer that is the best thing ever. It means people are happy.”

As for what comes next, committee members will visit and dine at all the semi-finalist restaurants, unbeknownst to the chefs and owners. After that, finalists will be determined based off of those dining experiences.

But Chef Dorcak said that for him and his crew at MÄS, it will continue to be business as usual. “We just do what we do, and that should be either good enough, or not. At the end of the day there’s a little bit of pressure, but there’s always a lot of pressure, cause everyone’s equally that important.”