Chef Josh Dorcak

Josh Dorcak is the chef and owner behind some of Ashland's most celebrated dining experiences, including the nationally acclaimed tasting menu restaurant MÄS, izakaya-style NAMA, members-only lounge Kandō, and specialty wine and sake shop Good Juice. A four-time James Beard Award semifinalist and multiple-time finalist for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific, Dorcak has built a reputation for his deeply seasonal Cascadian cuisine — a Japanese-influenced approach to Pacific Northwest ingredients that earned MÄS a coveted spot on the New York Times' list of the 50 best restaurants in America. Originally from Cupertino, California, Dorcak found his way to Ashland almost by chance and has spent nearly two decades rooting himself in the region, forging relationships with local farmers and foragers and channeling the flavors of Southern Oregon into some of the most thoughtful, inventive food in the country.