About Us
The opportunity to own a restaurant was realized for Hiro Izumi and Meg Albers during a visit to Colorado’s western slope and the quaint town of Palisade to experience the orchards, farms and wineries of Mesa County’s Grand Valley.
Hiro’s knowledge as a small business owner acquired over the past 30 years, as well as construction skills acquired in remodeling and building previous homes, were put to good use in creating a neighborhood bistro in the building at 336 Main Street, originally built as Young’s Market in the 1940’s.
Meg’s culinary training at The Cooking School of The Rockies in Boulder, Colorado, which included a month in Provence, France, inspired the eclectic, seasonal cuisine offered on the menu.
Together they hope to encompass the spirit of hospitality that epitomizes the town of Palisade and its residents.
A successful business owes much to the talent of its employees. Here are some of the key people who help make Inari's a success.
Chef Aaron James began his cooking career at the young age of 16 at Vencinzo's Restaurant in Stockton, California. He attended Western Culinary Academy in Portland, Oregon and then moved to the coast and opened A & R World Café in Bandon where he had the opportunity to cook with fresh seafood minutes out of the ocean. Aaron's love of cooking and food is evident in all the dishes he prepares. Some bistro favorites are his Cioppino, Thai Yellow Curry and Carolina Slow Cooked Pulled Pork with Succotash.
Chef Chad Thompson started cooking in high school and has spent the last 11 years working in professional kitchens where 70% of the product is made in house. He attended CMCI in Keystone where he was trained in Classic French Cuisine. He then went on to work at Keystone Lodge. Chad's contemporary style of cooking is reflected in dishes like his Seafood Bouilla in a light saffron cream sauce and a Chimichanga of rabbit confit with Spanish rice, black bean ragout, Manchego cheese and salsa verde and smoke tomato salsa.
Beth Washington has been baking since she was a little girl, having observed her mom baking lots of bread, cakes and pies. Beth’s heritage is from the Amish tradition so she picked up baking and quilting (her other passion) readily. She first baked for a restaurant while in college, co-owned a catering business in the 1990s and is now happy to be baking for Inari’s. Beth loves working with yeast dough and is always ready to try almost anything!