Antica Terra Chef wins James Beard Award

It’s not every day that a winery’s chef wines a regional best chef award from James Beard. Has anyone tried the lunch at Antica terra? The best non-paywall article on this 2025 award I found was from the Portland Monthly."

From the website: "A Very Nice Lunch: Thoughtful, bright, delicious cuisine from the hands of Antica Terra Chef, Timothy Wastell, wholeheartedly embraces and emphasizes the natural beauty of plants and animals and honors the hard work, heritage and seasons of agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. While the menu is as changeable as the season, the generosity and beauty of Timothy’s cooking is constant. Join us for a multi-course lunch with a six-wine flight — sourced from both our cellar and library.

Sample recent menu from the website (6/21/25):
2015 Yves Ruffin | Cuvée Jardin | Champagne –This afternoon’s snacks

2005 Patrick Baudouin | les Saulaies | Anjou –Crudités of June fruits & vegetables, Walla Walla onion & shiro miso

2022 Antica Terra | chardonnay | Aequorin | Willamette Valley> –Slow roasted Alaskan halibut, fig leaf & kohlrabi

2023 Antica Terra | rosé | Angelicall | Willamette Valley
–Chinook salmon, leek scapes, bamboo & miso

2019 Antica Terra | pinot noir | Ceras | Willamette Valley
–Dreamfields Farm hen, spring alliums & porcini confit

2018 Barta | Furmint Tokaji | Öreg Király
–Baked Amity

4 Likes

I thought the food was outstanding on my visit. A simple dish of fresh vegetables and Japanese inspired dip blew me away and the AT team kindly shared the recipe with me. I make it every so often now and it always impresses the guests.

Congrats to the chef and the team.

3 Likes

I went to Antica Terra earlier this month and also went 2x last year. Between this most recent visit and last year, the chef absolutely leveled up (and I thought last year’s food was outstanding!). The food was incredible (the spring lamb I got to try was a knockout) and they do such a great job with service. I feel like a kid in a candy store what with the excellent pairings, the high bar options - somehow got to try pours of Petrus and Bizot last year - and the amazing bottles surrounding you while you dine. It’s absolutely worth the pilgrimage and I’d spring for the Very Nice Lunch option every time. It’s also an incredible value for the quality of the food and wines you get to try.












7 Likes

If you feel comfortable sharing that recipe I’d love to make it. My partner and I looooove that dish

3 Likes

Looks like the Napa-style tasting-visit-as-experience to a new level.

2 Likes

My hero. Thank you!

1 Like

nice. thanks for the great pics

1 Like

Their wine cellar is listed on CellarTracker. Pretty impressive collection of wines!

2 Likes

Just had the “tasting” last week as lunch was booked and the pairings were still exceptional. Many more side dishes than expected. We actually cancelled dinner plans after and just snacked before bed. Really special place to taste—even if Maggie’s wines aren’t exactly my jam.

clears throat
Here is your yearly reminder that James Beard plagiarized ‘Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic’ from Richard Olney.

1 Like

Antica Terra Chef is highly skilled, even his vegan versions are excellent. In fact, the food is so good at Antica Terra I sometimes forget about the wine so this award makes perfect sense.

3 Likes