Boise chef Kris Komori took home the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mountain Region, the first time an Idaho chef has won the prestigious award. Komori is the chef at KIN in downtown Boise.
"Who in this room thought someone from Idaho would be up here? Oh, I didn't, that's for sure," said Komori during his speech at the award ceremony in Chicago.
Komori wasone of four Treasure Valley chefs nominated to win the award: Dan Ansotegui of Ansots; Kobrom Milash of Kibrom's Ethipian and Eritrean Food and Salvador Alamilla of Amano. Other chefs in the category came from Utah, Colorado and Wyoming.
"This is for the City of Boise and the whole Treasure Valley of Idaho. This is for the farms and ranchers and purveyors. It's for our creative community who keeps us inspired. It's for our friends and loyal guests. From every molecule of my body, I thank you and I appreciate you. And we're all KIN."Kris Komori
Komori has been a semi-finalist to win the award five times. The whole KIN staff went to Chicago to help Komori accept the award.
"We are incredibly lucky to have such a group of people that pour their heart and soul into a place that others would just call a job. You know, they are genuine and thoughtful and beautifully unique. So this is for you."
