James Porter

Matt Taylor of Market Street Kitchen on John Besh, Michael Mina, and the Best Southern Restaurants in the U.S.

This is part two of my interview with Matt Taylor, executive chef at Market Street Kitchen. If you missed part one, where Taylor dished about Brad Thompson, Robert McGrath and what he likes and dislikes about the Southern Cooking trend, read it here. See also: -- New Southern-Style Cooking Spot Com ... More >>

Ehren Litzenberger of BLD in Chandler on Mario Batali and Why It's Hard to Be a Three-Squares Chef

This is part two of my interview with Ehren Litzenberger, executive chef at BLD in Chandler. If you missed part one, where Litzenberger dished about simplicity, chocolate-covered grasshoppers and his beef with "foodies," read it here. See also: -- 11 Great Cooking Supply Stores in Metro Phoenix -- ... More >>

Charleen Badman: On Lori Hashimoto, Chris Bianco's Mom, and the Kitchen Phrase That Gets Under Her Skin

Charleen Badman FnB 7125 East Fifth Avenue, Suite 31, Scottsdale 480-284-4777, www.fnbrestaurant.com See also: -- Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic to Open FnB on Craftsman Court on Tuesday -- FnB's Charleen Badman Tells Food & Wine Her Favorite Places to Eat, Shop and Sleep in the Valley -- 15 Met ... More >>

Five Things to Eat and Drink this Weekend in Metro Phoenix

Looking for something to put in your mouth this weekend? We've got you covered. Check out what's on our plate. See Also: Five Places to Eat, Drink and Celebrate for Mardi Gras in Metro Phoenix Aaron May Opens Over Easy Locations in Mesa and Gilbert Charcuterie Class and Tasting at The House Brasser ... More >>

Doug Robson Dishes On Why Tacos Are Great and What It's Like to Eat Bugs and Worms

Doug Robson Gallo Blanco Café, The Clarendon Hotel 401 W. Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix 602-274-4774 www.galloblancocafe.com See also: -- Gallo Blanco's Doug Robson to Open New (and Slightly Different) Mexican Restaurant in March -- 8 Best Neighborhood Mexican Restaurants: Best of Phoenix 2012 This ... More >>

Todd Sicolo Dishes on Grant Achatz and His Short-Lived Las Vegas Marriage

Todd Sicolo T. Cook's at Royal Palms Resort & Spa 5200 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix 602-808-0766 royalpalmshotel.com See also: -- Josh Riesner of Scottsdale's Pig & Pickle Dishes on Bartending Bullshit and What He Ate That You Never Will - Keenan Bosworth of Pig & Pickle Dishes about Chrysa Robertso ... More >>

Cowboy Ciao's Lester Gonzalez Dishes on His Kitchen Pet Peeve and His Grandmother's Tortillas

This is part two of our interview with Lester Gonzalez, comfort food enthusiast and Executive Chef at Cowboy Ciao. To catch up on Gonzalez's food truck fantasies and his take on the bacon obsession, check out part one of interview. See Also: Peter Kasperski Considers Using FnB Name in San Diego Ni ... More >>

Cowboy Ciao's Lester Gonzalez Dishes on Food Truck Fantasies and His Love/Hate Relationship With the Bacon Obsession

Lester Gonzalez Cowboy Ciao 7133 E. Stetson Drive Scottsdale See Also: MJ Coe Dishes on the One Thing He Couldn't Eat and the Death of Cupcake Wars This is part one of our interview with Lester Gonzalez, executive chef at Cowboy Ciao. Check back on Tuesday to learn more about one of Scottsdale's ... More >>

Aaron Chamberlin Dishes on (Not) Being a Celebrity Chef and the Hype Around St. Francis When It Opened

Aaron Chamberlin St. Francis 111 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix 602-200-8111 www.stfrancisaz.com See also: -- Update: Aaron Chamberlin Hopes to Open Cafe in Former Urban Grocery Space By Early Next Year This is part one of my interview with Aaron Chamberlin, chef-owner of St. Francis Restaurant. Come ... More >>

Forget Candy! Five Ways to Celebrate Halloween in Metro Phoenix with Food and Alcohol

Maybe you shouldn't forget candy completely, but as a grown up, there are ways to celebrate Halloween that are far more delicious than chalky, corn syrup-filled packaged sugar. There are pumpkin beers and entrées, horror-themed cocktails, and frightening foods like headcheese (real head included). ... More >>

Aaron May Dishes About Why He Pisses People Off and Describes His Last Supper (You'll Love the Dessert)

This is part two of my interview with Aaron May, chef-partner of Praying Monk, Over Easy, The Lodge, Mabel's on Main and May's Counter in Tucson. If you missed part one, where May talks about whether he's a chef, a restaurateur or a party boy -- and what I learned (full disclosure) in a year of work ... More >>

Cullen Campbell Dishes on the Stupidity of a Certain Catch-Phrase and Shares His Feelings about Skinny Jeans

Cullen Campbell Crudo 3603 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix 602-358-8666 www.crudoaz. com See also: -- Crudo at New Location: Get. In. The. Car. -- Small-Batch Spirits Dazzle at Micah Olson's Bar Crudo This is part one of my interview with Cullen Campbell, chef-owner of Crudo. Come back on Tuesday ... More >>

Trading Places: Five Chef and Restaurant Switches We'd Like to See Happen in the Valley

After hearing that Chicago's Alinea and New York's Eleven Madison Park, two of the country's highly celebrated restaurants, will be trading chefs and staff for one week in the fall, it got us to thinking: What chef/restaurant switcheroos would we like to see in the Valley? Here are five we'd love to ... More >>

Julia Child Restaurant Week Specials at Five Metro Phoenix Restaurants

See also: Listen to Guns N' Roses, Watch Julia Child Threaten to Eat Vegetarians See also: Christopher Gross Compares Truffle Oil to Heroin and Dishes on the Foie Gras Ban Even though Julia Child stood at an impressive 6' 2", it's clear that she never looked down upon any determined cook. During Ju ... More >>

Embedded at Petite Maison: Lauren Saria Tackles the Front of the House

For most restaurateurs, it's simply about gluttony. But James and Wendy Porter of Petite Maison in Scottsdale are gluttons for punishment. There's no other explanation for why they would invite Chow Bella contributors to work both the front of the house and the kitchen on a weekend, and during Arizo ... More >>

Should a Chef Alter a Signature Menu Item If a Customer Requests It?

The implied meaning of a signature menu item is that it doesn't change. And for restaurants who offer them, the message to customers is simple: If you come here, you can have this special item. But what if the customer wants a signature dish with alterations? I asked Valley chefs and restaurateurs ... More >>

Embedded at Petite Maison: Zach Fowle in the Kitchen

For most restaurateurs, it's simply about gluttony. But James and Wendy Porter of Petite Maison in Scottsdale are gluttons for punishment. There's no other explanation for why they would invite Chow Bella contributors to work both the front of the house and the kitchen on a weekend, and during Arizo ... More >>

Are Food Festivals Worth It?

Thousands of people, lots of restaurants, and the plastic cups -- my god, the plastic cups! For many parts of the country, food festivals are in full swing this time of year. We've most likely had a taste or two at several, but what do those on the other side of the booth think? This week, Valley ... More >>

Three Ways to Eat Your Way Through Arizona Restaurant Week

Sure, it may be called Arizona Spring Restaurant Week, but this nine-day sup-fest -- from Saturday, May 19, through Sunday, May 27 -- takes place when the Valley starts heating up and the restaurant business starts slowing down. In Phoenix and beyond, about 90 eateries are offering three-course di ... More >>

What's Been Your Most Epic Fail in the Kitchen?

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here.Spills, the occasional fire -- wait, there's no b ... More >>

Sonoran 7 Wives Saison

​Beer: 7 Wives Saison Brewery: Sonoran Brewing Co. Style: Saison ABV: 5.2-ish   While brewers I've talked to usually sing the joys of collaborating with others in their craft, a few have confessed that the process is a pain. Attention spans are short among beer-makers, they say, and coordin ... More >>

What Chef Would You Most Want to Cook For?

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where each week Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question or topic New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here.​They're masters at thei ... More >>

Does Culinary School Matter?

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where each week Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question or topic New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. ​With the rise of celeb ... More >>

Chefs Vincent Guerithault, Beau MacMillan, Tammie Coe, and Others Join Hell's Kitchen Winner For March of Dimes Fundraiser With Kick-Ass Auction Items

​For those who like a little celebrity with their signature dishes and charitable deeds, the Arizona Chapter of the March of Dimes has all three in spades. Daniel GuerithaultChef Vincent Guerithault will be making your dinner.​From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., this Thursday, November 10, at the ... More >>

What's the Most Unusual Item That's Been Ripped Off From Your Restaurant?

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where each week Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question or topic New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. ​Salt and pepper shakers, flatware, tea light ... More >>

Should Tipping Be Mandatory?

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where each week Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question or topic New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. ​Last week, the Internet food community nearly po ... More >>

Christopher Gross' Perfect Food Day

Christopher Gross​ We've known and loved Chef Christopher Gross' French-inspired cuisine for so many years -- we guess you could say we have a "crush" on him - sorry, couldn't resist. For a little fun, Chef Gross likes to fly across the pond and jump on his bike to give it a spin. This is him at ... More >>

Chef James Fox of Big Earl's BBQ

Lauren Saria ​Chef Talk this week takes us to Old Town Scottsdale where we'll be chatting with James Fox from Big Earl's BBQ. If you don't already know, Big Earl's BBQ is Chef James Porter's way of satisfying ourneed for down-home cooking. Fox joined Big Earl's team just a few months ago af ... More >>

Egg Rolls From Wahsun

​Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing our 100 Favorite Dishes with you. Now we're back - with the 2011 edition. Have a suggestion for a dish you'd like us to try? Leave it in the comments section or email laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. 31: Egg Rolls from ... More >>

Wahsun: EaterAZ in on "Chinatown-Style Secret," Wendy Porter Gets a Scare

EaterAZ​Oh dear, it seems I may have let a big secret out of the bag. Wahsun, the tasty, no-frills, quirky Chinese restaurant I reviewed a couple of weeks ago calling it, "one of the Valley's Chinatown-style secrets," appears to also be a hidden favorite of a couple of other Chow Bella frien ... More >>

Rhonni Moffitt's Perfect Food Day

Rhonni Moffitt​Rhonni Moffitt describes her food philosophy in three words: It's all about fresh, local and creativity. She publishes Arizona Vines & Wines Magazine, an online and print mag about wine in Arizona with a special emphasis on the Arizona wine industry. She sits on Northern A ... More >>

Final Meditations on the Phoenix Food Scene from Michele Laudig

Matt Carter of The Mission and Zinc Bistro

Keyon Fareghi​For Chef Matt Carter, a trip across Scottsdale means a journey from France to Spain -- and back again. Now, that's a worldly guy. The Mission  in Old Town Scottsdale offers margaritas and twinkly lights alongside the Spanish cuisine, while Kierland Comm ... More >>

2010 Redux: Culinary Happenings

Crudo dished up beautiful plates of fish at the Devoured culinary fest.​In the spirit of tying up loose ends, we're recapping some of our favorite food-related finds of the year. We've already looked back on the Best Books, Battle of the Dishes, Just Offal, the Best R ... More >>

Scottsdale Chefs Cook for Tailgate Party at the Bud Light Fiesta Next Week

Oregon or Auburn? We're still on the fence about which team we hope wins the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) next week. What we're really excited about is the Bud Light Fiesta going on at Scottsdale's SouthBridge January 3-7. As the name of the festival implies, there will be plenty of beer. To comp ... More >>

The Cupcake Love-In Cupcake Eating Contest

​The average person's stomach can hold about a liter of food, or close to two pounds' worth. But who wants to be average? All over town, restaurants are offering up contests of confection, defying brave eaters to ingest more food than they should eat in a week -- daily recommended values be d ... More >>

Petite Maison Welcomes Dairy Farm Club

​Buying local and eating farm-fresh food gets a little bit easier this week with the introduction of a Scottsdale pick-up point for Superstition Farm's Dairy Farm Club. Starting Thursday, cozy French joint Petite Maison will be the bi-monthly spot where members of this dairy CSA (that is, c ... More >>

Mother's Day Dining Guide: East Valley

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracyhunter/ / CC BY 2.0​Being a mom is one tough job -- some say it's the toughest job there is -- and Mother's Day is the one day a year most moms truly feel appreciated. It's also the busiest restaurant holiday of the year, so now's not the ti ... More >>

A Sweet Ending for the Devoured Culinary Festival

FnB's butterscotch pudding. ​Maybe it was the calming influence of arts maven turned Devour Phoenix spokesperson Kimber Lanning, or some new Zen-like mojo brought on by the event's name change, but today's installment of the Devoured Culinary Classic went on without a hitch ... More >>

Voting Ends Today for Local Hero Awards

​Seems like every year I tell Chow Bella readers when to get their vote on with local food mag Edible Phoenix's Local Hero Awards, where readers are invited to participate in recognizing the area's hardest-working food producers by simply submitting write-in nominations on the mag's website.This y ... More >>

Sunday: Dine Out With the Chefs at Scottsdale Center

J&G Steakhouse​Start saving your appetite now.This Sunday will be a splurge worth blowing your diet for, courtesy of more than 20 high-profile chefs from across the Valley who'll be dishing up mouthwatering tastings at Scottsdale's fourth annual Dine Out With the Chefs event.The festiviti ... More >>

Lots of New Local Eateries in the Works

AZCentral's list of 20 new restaurants scheduled to open by the end of the year has suddenly been changed to 15 since the story was posted yesterday. Not hard to figure out which five are now missing -- it's the restaurants on Jackson that Bernie Kantak is planning. Should we rea ... More >>

Arty Girl: NU at the Heard Museum

Courtesy of Heard Museum.Your Friday night looks like this...Looking for something to do tonight? Okay, listen to me...I've got it all planned out.And I promise I won't just tell you to hit Third Friday.Not that you shouldn't! Yes, go to Third Friday. This is just something to do in addition to Roos ... More >>

Saturday: Locavore AZ Dinner at Superstition Farm

Tapino's Locavore dinners started off as special events at the restaurant, always featuring locally grown produce, ingredients from local purveyors, and Arizona wines. Inevitably, the events would sell out, and they'd have to add new dates. Lately, Tapino has taken things to the next level by going ... More >>

Saturday: Lunch for a Buck at AZ Ag Day

One dollar for a full lunch? Consider it food for thought. A mere buck is the farmers' and ranchers' share of the cost of the ingredients that go into the meal served at the annual Arizona Agricultural Day, which takes place this Saturday, March 7, at Superstition Farm in Mesa. Get a look at t ... More >>

Edible Phoenix Announces Local Hero Award Winners

I just got the word from Edible Phoenix publisher Pamela Hamilton that the quarterly mag has its official winners list for the annual Local Hero Awards, which recognizes people in the culinary community. Nominees and votes were collected online through mid-December. So congrats to the followi ... More >>

Tapino celebrates local food producers with Locavore 2

Get ready for West of Western

West of Western Feeds Downtown

Letters

From the week of January 4, 2001