Charlie Blonkenfeld

10 Favorite Spots for Pie & Coffee in Greater Phoenix

Whether its the boss on your back, your lover calling to break up (again), or the puzzling investigation of a brutal murder of a popular high school student named Laura Palmer, troubles seem to melt away with a slice of pie and a "damn fine cup of coffee" at your favorite neighborhood restaurant, di ... More >>

Pie Social 2012: The Winners

Good morning! Has your sugar hangover worn off yet??? Thanks to the hundreds of folks who came out Saturday afternoon for the third annual Chow Bella/Roosevelt Row Pie Social. From the bright sunshine to Tobie Milford's music to spontaneous swing dancing on the grass, it was a lovely day. Oh yes, ... More >>

So Charlie Blonkenfeld of Chaka Chaka Is Making Pies Now

From about October 2010 to March 2011 the best jerk chicken sandwich in Arizona was made by Charlie Blonkenfeld. Monster-size and jam-packed with chunks of chicken, shredded cabbage, scallions, fresh basil, and a flippin' fried banana slice piled high in a poppy seed bun, the only place to score on ... More >>

Chaka Chaka at Cycle This Friday and Saturday

​Charlie Blonkenfeld, owner and chef of Chaka Chaka, the downtown breakfast and lunch joint that closed its doors in March, is back this Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21, at Cycle Restaurant & Bar, the pop-up joint hidden inside the Lexington Hotel in downtown Phoenix. Lucky for us, Blonk ... More >>

The Jeff Kraus "Experience" at Cycle: You Missed Out!

​This past weekend 120 lucky boys and girls had the chance to take part in Truckin' Good Food chef Jeff Kraus' "Experience" at downtown pop-up shop Cycle. And when we say lucky, we truly mean lucky.We just so happened to be 2 of those lucky people. After fully studying the menu in ... More >>

Tracy Dempsey: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

Mari Belardi​We wind up our candymaker profiles today with Tracy Dempsey.After growing up in far-flung corners of the world, Demspey settled in Scottsdale, and migrated from a career in teaching to her first love: the culinary arts. Today she is the owner of Tracy Dempsey Originals. I ended ... More >>

Brendan McCaskey: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

​Today's caramel-maker is Brendan McCaskey. As he puts it, Brendan is an avid downtowner, candy fanatic, and part-time Smeeks employee whose style is a little Ina Garten, a lot Amy Atlas. He's conquered the traditional cupcake and an occasional tart, and says he's been scoping out th ... More >>

Tim O'Connor: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

Today we've got a sweet tooth for Tim O'Connor, co-owner of Honey Moon Sweets and our latest Caramelpalooza candymaker. Before the "Honey Moon," co-owners and bakers Tim & Joan O'Connor met while studying at the Culinary Institute of America in New York in 1983; since then, the culinary duo ... More >>

Danielle Morris: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

​Today's candymaker: Danielle Morris of Cork and the soon-to-be BLD; she is co-owner and pastry chef for both.   I ended up in the kitchen because I don't have to wear makeup! My favorite dish to make is I guess I don't really have a favorite; I like to make new things to keep from ... More >>

Slade Grove: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

The caramel sampling continues today with last year's Caramelpalooza winner in both the blind judging and peoples' choice award categories, Slade Grove. Grove is the Executive Pastry Chef for Wicked Kitchen Gourmet and Cookies From Home in Tempe. I ended up in the kitchen because I decided it ... More >>

Virginia Senior: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

Virginia Senior of Urban Beans is today's featured candymaker, in honor of Caramelpalooza -- which is just days away!Senior is an artist who quite often uses food as her medium. I ended up in the kitchen because creating is what I do best, and it doesn't matter if the medium is food, art, ... More >>

Brianne Day: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

​Our candy-coated conversation continues today with Brianne Day from The Herb Box. Day has been overseeing baked goods at The Herb Box for more than four years. I ended up in the kitchen because I've always had a passion for baking. When I was young I would spend every Sunday attempting to ba ... More >>

Veronica Arroyo: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

Arroyo's 2010 Caramelpalooza entry.​Today's candymaker: Veronica Arroyo of Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak Scottsdale. Arroyo's passion for a pastry career began in her grandmother's kitchen and took her to New York's famed Le Cirque and Atlantic city's Borgata before dropping her off at Bou ... More >>

Meghan Olesen: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

Maggie Jean Raymond   The caramel keeps on coming.... Today we serve up candymaker Meghan Olesen. We asked each chef for three one-line bios. Meghan sent three. We liked them all: 1. Meghan is a life-long Phoenician who dreams of pie and believes food is her soul. 2. Megh ... More >>

Charlie Blonkenfeld: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

​The Caramelpalooza candymaker fest continues today with Charlie Blonkenfeld of Chaka Chaka, a cool hot dog stand of a restaurant south of the ballpark. Charlie Blonkenfeld opened Chaka Chaka last year to rave reviews. His menu may be small, but apparently his heart is big. He tells us, "Th ... More >>

Caramelpalooza 2011 Candymakers Announced!

  ​ We can already tell that this competition is going to be sticky. Chow Bella and Smeeks are proud to announce the line-up of candymakers for Caramelpalooza 2011 -- a free, open-to-the-public caramel tasting to be held Friday, March 11, at 7 pm in the parking lot at Smeeks candy store ... More >>

Chaka Chaka Just Keeps Getting Better

Jonathan McNamara​A little birdie (okay, Facebook) told us that our new favorite lunch spots, Chaka Chaka, added a few more items to their already fabulous, yet small, menu. We paid our favorite chef/comedian, Charlie Blonkenfeld, a visit this week to try out the new eats. Just as ... More >>

Chaka Chaka: Lunch $10 & Under

Just around the corner from Chase Field, Chaka Chaka serves up the greasy, messy, spicy sandwiches you'd expect from a ballpark. Just five options at $5 each (except the signature Jerk Chicken, which costs $6), keep decisions simple - even for the notoriously indecisive.

Chaka Chaka: You'll Go Bananas for New Eatery's Jerk Chicken Sandwiches

Chaka Chaka Rocks a Mean Jerk Chicken Sandwich

​I'm psyched about a new restaurant called Chaka Chaka, and not just because it's five minutes away from my office. The place also happens to make a delicious jerk chicken sandwich that chef-owner Charlie Blonkenfeld says is the signature dish at his week-old eatery, located just south ... More >>