Rex Chandler — How Boise Got Its Benchmark Steakhouse: Service, Jazz, and Flying Fresh Seafood to Idaho

Chandler’s didn’t happen by accident. Restaurateur Rex Chandler walks through 50+ years in fine dining—from Sun Valley ski mornings to building Chandler’s Prime Steaks & Fine Seafood inside Hotel 43—plus why service culture, nightly jazz, and direct-from-source seafood still set the standard in Boise.

Highlights
00:00 Cold open + sponsor: Old Arms of Idaho — “ambassadors to America’s heritage”
01:28 Sun Valley origins: opening in Ketchum (1994) and living the ski-town rhythm
06:03 The Boise leap (2006–07): turning a former hotel pool into a destination dining room
10:10 Kimpton-style vision: independent restaurant + boutique hotel synergy at Hotel 43
16:38 Service > everything: training, culture, and the Forbes Recommended distinction
20:09 “Don’t mess it up”: product, timing, and delivering hot plates the right way
24:58 Why staff come first: building dignity, tools, and pride into the team
26:40 Scale & standards: 9,000 sq ft, ~90 employees, and 18+ years of consistency
27:18 The wine program: ~700–800 labels, Wine Spectator accolades, monthly classes/dinners
29:38 Nightly live jazz: piano at 5, trios later—no cover, New-York-club aura in Boise
39:59 Fresh seafood to a landlocked state: flown direct from Honolulu/Anchorage; Taylor Shellfish oysters
42:02 Idaho on the menu: Hagerman white sturgeon caviar, delivered fresh weekly
44:24 Steak DNA: partnerships with Agri Beef / Snake River Farms (Wagyu Gold+), Far West prime program

Reservations, events, and where to find them: chandlersboise.com