Portland’s own husband-and-wife chef team, Taylor and Siobhan Manning of Cafe Olli, just snagged a spot in the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America series.

This annual selection of “ones to watch” — the TasteTwenty chefs — will participate and represent their cities throughout the national Taste America series, which spans 20 cities.

Cafe Olli, 3925 N.E. Martin Luther King Blvd., serves simple food from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, according to its website.

It opened in December 2021, offering pizza, pasta, pastries and more. Cafe Olli was named one of the three best Oregon restaurants in the country by the New York Times in 2023.

“These chefs represent the future of American dining—combining culinary excellence with positive leadership that drives our industry forward. Their dedication to craft and community inspires us, and we’re honored to showcase their talents on a national stage, beginning with our exciting Los Angeles kickoff event,” Clare Reichenbach, chief executive officer of the James Beard Foundation, said in a news release announcing the lineup on Monday.

The cohort is comprised of chefs who display exceptional culinary talent and meaningful contributions beyond the kitchen.

These chefs are described as “champions of positive change,” who invest in their teams, support sustainable agriculture and advocate for more resilient food systems, according to a news release.

The series launches Tuesday, July 29, in Los Angeles, and continues across the country through March 2026. A kickoff event will feature bites from the entire cohort.

Events include chef-led dinners with curated menus and wine pairings to expansive walk-around tasting events featuring exciting creations from local guest chefs, hosted by the TasteTwenty cohort representing their respective cities.

In its 13th year, the Taste America series aims to celebrate the richness and diversity of American food cultures and the independent restaurants within local communities, according to a news release. Proceeds from all Taste America events directly benefit the foundation’s national impact programming.

Tickets for the first Taste America events are on sale now, which includes locations in Denver, Detroit and New Orleans.

Tickets are not yet available for the Manning’s Portland event in November, as final dates and guest chefs are yet to be announced.

More information about the Taste America series and the TasteTwenty chefs can be found at jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica.