The 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards are slowly approaching, set to be held in mid-June at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. At the end of January, semifinalists for the awards were announced—five of which are in Boise, Idaho, including three chefs, a restaurant, and a bar.
In the Best Chef: Mountain category, semifinalists include Alex Cardoza, chef and co-owner at Susina; Cal Elliott, owner and executive chef at The Avery Hotel; and Nathan Whitley, chef at Terroir Bistro. Susina operates as a prix-fixe supper club with a three-course menu that rotates seasonally, highlighting Idaho ingredients. It also features the Cottage Greenhouse, a dedicated private dining space for up to 16 people.
The Avery Hotel’s Cal Elliott is a Boise native and leads the property’s Avery Brasserie + Bar, an elevated-casual French dining outlet. The restaurant accommodates groups of up to 90 attendees for a seated dinner, and groups might also book The Chef’s Table at Avery Brasserie, available for up to 20 people. Another food and beverage outlet at the hotel is Tiner’s Alley, an English pub-style space with handcrafted cocktails and small bites. Tiner’s accommodates 60 people seated or up to 80 for a mingling event.
At Terroir Bistro, Nathan Whitley co-leads operations with business partner Rémi Courcenet, serving up seasonal and sustainable cuisine with farm-sourced ingredients. The company has the bistro in downtown Boise, plus a food truck parked at Telaya Wine Co. in nearby Garden City. The bistro menu features items like fried Castelvetrano olives, Alaskan sablefish, and butterscotch pudding, among others. Both private dinners and full restaurant buyouts at the bistro are available.
Featured in the Outstanding Hospitality category is Ansots Chorizos & Catering, also in Boise. The company is owned and operated by the Ansotegui Inchausti family—namely Dan, Tamara, and Ellie Ansotegui— and has been part of Idaho’s large Basque community for several decades. Serving up cultural classics like Basque bacon and ciders, plus chorizo and marinated solomo, Ansots provides both on-site gathering space and catering services. The former accommodates up to 24 attendees, and the latter works for off-site gatherings.
And in the Best New Bar category is Bar Please! in Boise, a neighborhood bar in the city’s downtown specializing in highballs, spritzes, and seasonal cocktails, plus snacks and hot dogs. There also are beer, wine, and nonalcoholic options. Attendees can convene here postmeeting to unwind, sip a beverage, and play any of several available board games Bar Please! keeps on hand—including Scrabble, Candyland, and Yahtzee, among several others.
