Hemlock at the Inn at 500 Capitol: Meet the Chef
We sat down with Co-Founder and Executive Chef Scott Slater of Hemlock at the Inn at 500 Capitol in Boise, Idaho. Hemlock aims to reinvent the steakhouse—honoring classic techniques while embracing inventive approaches. With outstanding food, a lively ambiance, and warm hospitality, the restaurant celebrates Boise’s culinary roots while raising the bar for fine dining.
Hemlock at the Inn at 500 Capitol in Boise, Idaho
Tell us about what your morning routine looks like, and how you like to end your day?
Mornings start with my son Daniel, who’s four and insists on making my coffee. He presses the button. That’s his contribution. We drive to school blasting The Offspring or Beastie Boys at full volume and he headbangs in the backseat like it’s his tour bus. Nights end with a bottle of red, a bowl, or a micro dose if I’m being honest. It’s how I shut my brain off after thinking about food, answering publication’s questions, people, and pressure all day.
Do you have any awards or achievements you’d like to mention?
Spitfire Tacos + Tequila won a chili cook-off, which is ironic for a taco restaurant, and the award came from the City of Eagle, Idaho. S&M Sausage & Meat was “awarded” a PETA protest every Friday night, and we responded by “awarding” our guests free bacon. In the early 2000s, I ran hot dog stands outside Home Depot that won a few fire stations’ favorite hot dog eating contests. Understory, my cocktail bar in San Diego, is a perennial Best Cocktail winner for good reason. Slater’s 50/50 earned national recognition including the NRA’s Hot Concept Award, along with 30 Under 30 and 40 Under 40 honors. Hemlock opened in May 2025 and is my first real fine dining restaurant. No awards yet, but I’ve never been interested in playing it safe.
Do you have a favorite chef that you look up to and what advice would you give to aspiring chefs?
Samin Nosrat. I didn’t realize how much I already believed in Salt, Fat, Heat, and Acid until I read her book and saw it spelled out. In a steakhouse, the steak already covers fat and salt. That part’s easy. The difference is everything around it.
Hemlock at the Inn at 500 Capitol in Boise, Idaho
The starters, the sides, the balance, the contrast. That structure is intentional and it’s what keeps Hemlock from being predictable. My advice is to obsess over hospitality. People forget dishes. They remember how a place made them feel.
What do you typically cook at home?
I don’t cook much at home outside of very simple food. But once a year, my wife Thai and I have a tradition where we exchange a bottle during the holidays and then take turns cooking a full coursed meal inspired by our travels. Basque country. An over-the-top Indian feast. New York–style home-cured pastrami. Exact replica of Jenny’s street quesadillas in CDMX. It’s competitive. She wins every year.
What’s a food trend that you’re loving right now and why?
Meat on a spit. We serve it at Spitfire Tacos + Tequila and it’s primal, dramatic, and a little excessive in the best way.
Hemlock at the Inn at 500 Capitol in Boise, Idaho
What’s the strangest food combination you’ve ever tried? And, did you like it?
The first thing that comes to mind is cotton candy with foie gras. It's a José Andrés dish. It sounded wrong. It tasted right. That kind of contrast sticks with me. If something looks weird on a menu, I order it. Safe food is boring food.
Hemlock at the Inn at 500 Capitol in Boise, Idaho
What drink do you enjoy most?
A bold Napa Cabernet or a structured gin cocktail. At Hemlock, it’s the Sagebrush made with Tanqueray 10 gin, matcha, spiced pear, and a Cointreau soufflé.
Have you ever cooked for a celebrity? Do you have a story to tell?
Every guest is a celebrity. That’s not marketing. That’s the rule. If you walked through the door, you mattered. …I’m feeling a little compelled to also mention I served Ron Jeremy hot dogs on the regular at a Long Island Home Depot.
What’s your Instagram so readers can follow you?
It is @sdslater.
Why should readers visit Hemlock in Boise, Idaho?
Hemlock is come-as-you-are fine dining. Gym clothes, a suit, or a belt buckle… whatever. Big steaks, strong cocktails, and a room filled with energy. We take the food seriously, not ourselves. If you want a quiet, predictable steakhouse, there are plenty of those. If you want something with confidence, contrast, and a pulse, this is it.