Nathan Bentley, chef and owner of Altura Bistro in Anchorage, has been named a finalist for the James Beard Award. Bentley received a nod in the Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific category. This is his first time reaching the finals. The James Beard Awards were established in 1990 to recognize outstanding talent and achievement in the food industry. Bentley's focus is on elevated comfort food, not avantgarde dining, and he credits the progression of the food scene as a slow but steady progress. The award also recognises two Portland chefs and two Seattle chefs.