Peter Kasperski

Chow Bella Named Best Feature Blog by Arizona Press Club

Chow Bella writers were honored at the Arizona Press Club's annual awards banquet, held Saturday night at the Duce in downtown Phoenix. Chow Bella was named Best Metro Feature Blog. In addition, New Times' food blog also took home second place in the feature blog category and a third-place award f ... More >>

11 Favorite Salads in Metro Phoenix

Summer is just weeks away, which means it's panic time for those of us who packed on the lbs. over the winter. Yes, of course, we should've seen this coming, and what the hell happened to that exercise regimen we felt so enthusiastic about back in January? Now there's no place to run and certainly n ... More >>

The Herb Box and Gertrude's at DBG Beta Test WineQuest Mobile, a New iPhone App For Selecting Wine

Unless you're a wine wonk like Mark Tarbell, Peter Kasperski, Amy Binkley or Dave Johnson, you probably find reading a multi-page wine list and making a smart selection intimidating. Too many wines to choose from and way too much terminology and lore to master. So you take a shot in the dark, shell ... More >>

Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic to Open FnB on Craftsman Court on Tuesday

Chef-owner Charleen Badman and her suavecito, front-of-the-house partner Pavle Milic served their last supper at the original FnB on Stetson Drive on New Year's Eve. And now they're getting everything organized and spiffed up for a Tuesday opening (that's tomorrow, January 8) at their Craftsman Cou ... More >>

Peter Kasperski Considers Using FnB Name in San Diego

FnB fans were all atwitter 10 days ago after news broke that Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic were leaving Stetson Drive to move their beloved restaurant over to Craftsman Court. See also: - FnB's Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic Leave Stetson Drive for Craftsman Court - Cowboy Ciao Files for Bankr ... More >>

10 Favorite (Restaurant) Doughnuts in Greater Phoenix

Homer Simpson sold his soul to the devil for one, 30 Rock's Liz Lemon loves putting them in the microwave, and on the first Friday of June each year, we celebrate their very existence. It's the doughnut. While readily available at bakeries and shops, snatching one up at a Valley restaurant is a bit ... More >>

16: Bernie Kantak

From now 'til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers -- Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you'll know; for others, it'll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you're here, check out our 100 Creat ... More >>

What Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Means for Cowboy Ciao, Kazimierz and Peter Kasperski

See also: Cowboy Chow files for Bankruptcy See also: Cowboy Ciao's Marianne Belardi Says Goodbye After Fifteen Years Chow Bella reported last week that Peter Kasperski of Cowboy Ciao and Kazimierz World Wine Bar filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy under Cowboy Ciao LLC on June 29th. In the comment se ... More >>

Cowboy Ciao Files for Bankruptcy

See also: Marianne Belardi Says Goodbye After 15 years See also: Cowboy Ciao Somm Throwdown On Friday, June 29, Peter Kasperski, owner of Cowboy Ciao in Old Town Scottsdale, filed Chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Arizona. According to records, he owes $1.1 million to the Arizona De ... More >>

Payton Curry Dishes on Marketing Bullshit and the Futility of Eating Kale in the Summer

This is part one of my interview with Payton Curry, chef and co-owner of Brat Haus, scheduled to open July 2. Come back on Tuesday for part two. Payton Curry Brat Haus 3622 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 602-738-1274 With his tousled curls, blue eyes, and rosy complexion, Payton Curry looks a ch ... More >>

Pavle Milic's Quest to Make Wine: A Quixotic Exploit?

Earlier this spring, we launched Vine Geeks -- in which AZ Wine Merchants' Brian Reeder and Pavle Milic share advice, news and a little levity from the world of wine. Today, we bring you Romancing the Grape. In this occasional series, Milic will spill about his current mission to learn how wine is ... More >>

Beau MacMillan, What Are You Listening To?

​Beau MacMillanFood Network star MacMillan is the executive chef of elements at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa.  When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? ESPN Sports Radio.What's the first album you bought? Led Zeppelin, ... More >>

Chartreuse: Is This What Jesus Would Drink?

Image via This Girl Can Eat Handcrafted by French monks based upon a secret 400-year-old recipe, chartreuse was originally known as "The Elixir of Life." We're uncorking our latest column, Bottoms Up -- a weekly guide to everything brewed, bottled, blended, barrel-aged and generally booz ... More >>

Cowboy Ciao Somm Throwdown and Watermelon Krispie Treats in Today's Eater's Digest

dineanddish.net​ Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Wino ShowdownCowboy Ciao owner Peter Kasperski is at it again -- this time the self-proclaimed wino is going head-to-head with former cellarmaster and Thomas George Estates operations manager Se ... More >>

Cowboy Ciao vs. Citizen Public House in Father's Day Sommelier Showdown

Spirit of Wine​Oh yeah, it's on. From 6 to 9 p.m. on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, Cowboy Ciao owner Peter Kasperski and Citizen Public House operator and partner (and former Ciaoster) Andrew Fritz will go head to head in a sommelier showdown to take place at Cowboy Ciao in Scottsdale. Fiv ... More >>

Cowboy Ciao's Sommelier Throwdown and Beheaded Peeps in Today's Eater's Digest

Kitchen Daily ​Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?May the Biggest Wino WinTonight, Kazimierz/Cowboy Ciao Owner/resident wine master, Peter Kasperski, and Acme Wine Marking owner, Jim Kopp, battle it out during Cowboy Ciao's epic Sommelier T ... More >>

Chef Payton Curry Says Farewell to Caffe Boa

Jamie PeacheyChef Payton Curry was the talk of the town with his Christmas "reindeer menu."​After nearly a year and a half as executive chef at Tempe's Caffe Boa and Mesa's Caffe Boa Bistro, chef Payton Curry is leaving to launch his own restaurant."I want to do what Charleen Badman's doing, and w ... More >>

Payton Curry Plays Reindeer Games

Chef Joseph Gutierrez Resurrects Tapas Papa Frita at SouthBridge

The End of History Beer, Xmas Eve in July and LMAO Chocolate Milk in Today's Eater's Digest

www.nesting-project.com​ Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Xmas Eve Wine Dinner for CharitySaturday night join Kazimierz World Wine Bar in Scottsdale for their Xmas Eve Wine Dinner. Guest Chefs Bernie Kantak and Gio Osso are creating a 6 course ... More >>

Samantha Dickerson: Kazimierz World Wine Bar & Cowboy Ciao

Carol Blonder Samantha Dickerson ​Samantha Dickerson works the front of the house at Cowboy Ciao and Kazimierz, but we found her behind the bar at Kazimierz. Both popular downtown Scottsdale haunts feature well-reputed wine lists, as well as classic and craft cocktails. ... More >>

FnB Makes You Feel at Home with Chef Charleen Badman's Take on Contemporary American Cuisine

In the Former Lisa G Space, The Main Ingredient Ale House Spices Up the Coronado District with Craft Beer and Coneys

So Much for Tutto . . .

No photos to share right now, dear readers, just a little rant. The other night I ended up eating dinner at Tutto, the Italian restaurant that Joseph Gutierrez opened in the space that used to be Digestif. I didn't have an agenda, per se -- just was curious to try a few things. In short, I really mi ... More >>

FnB Updates Menu and Adds All AZ Wine List

​There was already plenty of excitement about the opening of FnB, a collaboration between Pavle Milic, Peter Kasperski, and chef Charleen Badman, since it opened in Scottsdale a little over a month ago. Now, they're keeping up the momentum with a revised menu and an attention-getting wi ... More >>

Now Open: Pavle Milic's FnB

​A few weeks ago, we reported on the upcoming opening of former Digestif GM Pavle Milic's new restaurant, FnB, in Sea Saw's old spot at 7133 E. Stetson Dr. in Scottsdale. The moment Milic was waiting for has now arrived. FnB (which stands for Food & Beverage, a hat-tip to the service indu ... More >>

More on Pavle Milic's FnB, Opening Soon

​The moment Pavle Milic has been waiting for is almost here. If all goes as planned, he'll finally be opening his own restaurant, called FnB, sometime around the 23rd of this month. That's not even two weeks away, and Milic couldn't be more excited.

Coming Soon: The Main Ingredient Ale House & Cafe

​You probably saw my post about Lisa G closing over the weekend -- where I mentioned new owner Matt Diamond -- but now that I've had a chance to chat with Diamond, I have more details for you. So he's got a serious wine background. He's traveled to various wine regions, worked for such loca ... More >>

CRAVE Arizona is Perfectly Balanced Gluttony

​Celebrity chefs. Blind wine tasting contests. Food samples from dozens of Valley restaurants. Only two weeks after Scottsdale's Dine Out With the Chefs event, culinary afficianados from across the Valley loosened their belts for another huge epicurean event: CRAVE Arizona ... More >>

Digestif Closes in Wake of Payton Curry's Departure

​Chef Payton Curry had planned on staying with Digestif through this coming weekend (for the Crave culinary festival), but last night was his final turn in the kitchen there. Curry recently gave notice at the Old Town restaurant to make a move to Tempe's Caffe Boa. Spaghetti Western "buzz a ... More >>

Chef Payton Curry to Leave Digestif for Expanding Caffe Boa

Chef Payton Curry (left) with former Digestif GM Pavle Milic at last year's Eats3​The imminent departure of chef Payton Curry from Digestif is the big news from this weekend.After cooking at the restaurant through the Crave Arizona weekend (October 22 to 24), he'll join Caffe Boa, r ... More >>

New in Scottsdale: Acua

​Just a month after we said R.I.P. to Canal, chef Joseph Gutierrez is already up and running in that space with his second of three restaurants at Scottsdale's turnover-prone SouthBridge development. Acua opened for dinner service last Thursday, serving an Asian-French fusion menu comprised ... More >>

Digestif Moving; Kasperski Selling Restaurant Spaces

Digestif is downsizing. Later this month, chef Payton Curry will be working the display kitchen at the former Sea Saw location on Stetson Drive, pending the sale of restaurateur Peter Kasperski's two SouthBridge restaurant spaces, the current Digestif and the half-finished space that would hav ... More >>

Chef Bernie Kantak Planning Five Restaurants Downtown

Former Cowboy Ciao chef Bernie Kantak and his business partners have finalized a deal to open not one, not two, but five new restaurants downtown, reports the Republic today. The concepts will be Southwestern, Southern, steakhouse, Latin, and wine bar, and will be located at 1st Stree ... More >>

Summer Guide: Shaking it Up with Valley Mixologists

Digestif: Pavle Departs, Payton Gets on Camera

Digestif's chef Payton Curry (left) and GM Pavle Milic hug it out over some fresh mozz at last year's Eats3 Pavle Milic, general manager at Scottsdale's groovy Digestif, was a man with a plan. But in the words of John Lennon, "Life is what happens while you're busy making plans." So al ... More >>

Eight AZ Names Among James Beard Nominees

Creme brulee at Vincent's In a press release this morning, the James Beard Foundation announced its preliminary lists of nominees for various categories in the prestigious James Beard Awards. There are 20 nominees in each category, and eight Arizona individuals and restaurants are among t ... More >>

Sea Saw: End of an Era?

In a thriving economy, we'd call Scottsdale restaurateur Peter Kasperski's grand plans to expand one of his eateries (Sea Saw) and open three brand-new ones (Mexican Standoff, Shell Shock, Confection) "ambitious." Reeeally ambitious. These days, as the SouthBridge spaces for his unopened busine ... More >>

Waiter Confidential: Waterfront Woes

My food handler's Card reads "Food Service Worker," not "Industry Analyst." But on the flip side, those are credentials enough to see the kind of economic Love Canal the Scottsdale Waterfront's becoming for a number of its restaurant tenants. Second helpings of Scottsdale Galleria anyone? Sniffing ... More >>

Digestif in Scottsdale serves up absinthe and "Cal-ital food for the soul"

Walking on Water

Fred Unger's idea of gondolas on Scottsdale's canal went under. Now he's back with a bridge and $250 million

To Go . . . Or Not To Go

Baroque and The Tavern close their doors

Star Struck

Bunny versus duck

Best Seller

No doubt about, Sea Saw is unequivocally good sushi

Ciao, Fella

It's "So long Hapa, hello Cowboy" for Scottsdale sushi chef

Bar Trek

Plot a course for a nip and a nosh