Elliot Cusher is the Culinary Director of Georgia at The Indigo Road Hospitality Group (IRHG), the award-winning hospitality and property management company. In this, he leads all culinary operational aspects of Indigo Road’s Georgia-based restaurants including Colletta, Indaco, Oak Steakhouse, O-Ku, and Sukoshi.
After getting his start in the industry as a dishwasher at 17 years old, Cusher worked at downtown Charleston establishments S.N.O.B and Charleston Grill, before taking time away to backpack across Europe during his mid-twenties. While overseas, Cusher went on to stage at Michelin-starred restaurants Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin, Le Gavroche, and Maze, both located in London. Cusher was also the Executive Sous Chef at Yardbird in Miami, a 2012 James Beard Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, and the Chef Tournant at James Beard Award-winning Cochon in New Orleans. He then returned to Charleston and worked for Indigo Road Hospitality Group, as Chef de Cuisine Indaco Charleston before taking the Executive Chef position at Atlanta’s Grana in 2019.
In a full circle moment, Cusher re-joined the Indigo Road Hospitality Group in 2024, this time as Culinary Director of Georgia. Cusher’s ethos is to “give unto others what has been given so freely to me” and he particularly enjoys working with Indigo Road team members on the often-overlooked business-side of running a kitchen. Cusher’s teaching approach is to speak with actions and lead by example, meeting people where they are and focusing on offering support. He credits his fulfillment to being around the people at the Indigo Road Hospitality Group, as he believes they are what truly makes the job special.
When he’s not in the kitchen, Cusher can be found practicing yoga, reading, traveling internationally, and playing his favorite tunes on guitar.