One win, mostly close-but-no-cookies for locals at Grammys of the food world, the James Beard awards.

The 25th annual James Beard award ceremony just wrapped last night in Chicago and little ol' Carmel, and more specifically Aubergine, were admirably represented, with five and three finalists, respectively.

The cellar program directed by Jeff Birkemeier and at Casanova was up for Outstanding Wine Program, which helped inspire Weekly food contributor Daniel DeCamp to attend a recent wine pairing dinner for a piece called "New menu at Carmel’s Casanova conjures Van Gogh and appreciation."

They didn't win, but Casanova can't feel too bad about finishing behind A16, a decorated wine-centric authentic Italian spot in San Francisco's Marina neighborhood.

Aubergine contended for Outstanding Service, Outstanding Pastry Chef and Outstanding Chef, West. 

Their table-side attention has proven so impressive it once inspired me to write "they don’t just remember your name, but your tastes and tendencies, all in a way that’s genuine and disarming rather than pretentious or off-putting." (Click through to read more from a column called "Aubergine elevates the art of service.") 

On this night they finished behind The Barn at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee.

Ron Mendoza had a shot at top pastry chef, but Christina Tosi of über-popular Momofuku in New York City took the honor.

The near-misses to tastemakers clear across the country served a reminder of how hard it is to win a national category, and how much of an honor it is to make the finals.

Aubergine Exec Chef Justin Cogley's own near-miss came in the finals for best chef in the western U.S., where Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of pioneering State Bird Provisions in San Francisco took the high prize.

They're fresh off a visit to anchor Big Sur Foragers Fest earlier this year; on the way there Brioza stopped to talk inspiration, dim sum and sea urchin pancakes for a spotlight called "Star S.F. chef Stuart Brioza on Big Sur Foragers Festival and the secrets to winning best new restaurant in the U.S."

In a final inspiring, Aubergine-related note, Blaire Wetzel won Best Chef Northwest for his work at Willows Inn on Lummi Island.

During his acceptance speech, he thanked a number of restaurant-related people and families, including L'Auberge (Aubergine's parent hotel), who have been super supportive in the recovery effort of his girlfriend Raquel Ruiz Diaz, who served tables at Aubergine for four years and recently moved north to Washington's Lummi Island.

She was just catastrophically injured by a car in a hit-and-run accident while visiting her native Paraguay. Local chefs rallied up a fundraiser in Carmel Valley just last month. (Get more with "An inspiring response to horrific injury suffered by beloved former Aubergine server.)

Monterey County did score a victory for Best Documentary—and oppressed farmworkers—with Food Chains, the Forest Whitaker-narrated look at how simple awareness and improvements can revolutionize how field workers work and live. That film was co-produced by the Monterey Peninsula's Eric Schlosser.

Monterey County also nearly claimed alpha in Single Subject Cookbook, as Jeffrey Weiss of jeninni kitchen + wine bar's Charcuterie: The Soul of Spain definitely carries the depth and voice to deserve it.

Bitter: A Taste of the World's Most Dangerous Flavor, with Recipes by Jennifer Mclagan won instead. 

All told, the six nominations for the area mark an unofficial first for the area, at the very least.

I can't remember Monterey County having more than one, and that was a long time ago.

Jessica Largey of nearby Manresa of Los Gatos did earn a nod for Rising Star Chef of the Year. 

Finally, a different local link gets sad and shocking in a hurry. Food writer and Esquire restaurant editor Josh Ozersky, 47, was found dead Monday morning in a River North hotel in Chicago. 

Ozerky is not only a James Beard Award winner but served on the awards committee of the 2015 James Beard Awards. 

He also just visited the area to host the Meatopia event he launched on Del Monte Beach with Pebble Beach Food & Wine.