Scottsdale Culinary Institute

Arizona's Fry Bread Brings Native American Cooking Into the Future

62: Brandon Gauthier

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 >>

Kevin Binkley on Loving In-N-Out Burger and Why Squash Blossoms Are Overrated

Kevin Binkley Binkley's Restaurant 6920 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek 480-437-1072 www.binkleysrestaurant.com Cafe Bink 36889 N. Tom Darlington Drive, Carefree 480-488-9796 www.cafebink.com This is part one of my interview with Kevin Binkley, chef-owner of Binkley's Restaurant and Café Bink. You ... More >>

Chef Brian Hulihee Celebrates His 10th Anniversary with Roaring Fork

This week we sat down with Chef Brian Hulihee of Roaring Fork. The last time we checked in with Chef Hulihee in 2010, he talked about his young family and his excitement over pink sea salt. This time, he's celebrating his tenth year anniversary working at the restaurant. Oh how time flies... Today ... More >>

Brendan McCaskey: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

  ​From now through Caramelpalooza -- March 2 at Smeeks candy shop -- Chow Bella will introduce you to the 17 chefs participating in the third annual caramel tasting. Today, meet Brendan McCaskey. Brendan McCaskey tells Chow Bella he "lives downtown, and loves downtown!" A Scottsdale C ... More >>

David Duarte: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

From now through Caramelpalooza -- March 2 at Smeeks candy shop -- Chow Bella will introduce you to the 18 chefs participating in the third annual caramel tasting. Today, meet David Duarte of the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. Duarte has been with the Hyatt for 3 ½ years where he quickly moved from serve ... More >>

Barbara Wilson: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

​From now through Caramelpalooza -- March 2 at Smeeks candy shop -- Chow Bella will introduce you to the 18 chefs participating in the third annual caramel tasting. Today, meet Barbara WIlson of Barb's Sweets and Treats.Barbara Wilson knows her way around the pastry kitchen. She's b ... More >>

New Food Truck Alert: Pizza Daux

Ando Muneno​​The business: Pizza Daux What they're packin': Pizzas cooked to perfection in a wood fired oven. Owner and chef Dan Medlen used his experience as a pastry chef to develop and perfect several type of pizza doughs including a sourdough base. What you need to know: Dan Medlen a ... More >>

New Food Truck Alert: Don Ruggiero and Lacey Higginson of Duck Duck Pig

​The business: Duck Duck Pig What they're packin': Gourmet takes on classic sandwiches all featuring either duck or pork. This means everything from a pork belly BLT to a pineapple jerk pulled pork with coleslaw. The story: Ruggiero and Higginson are both fans of duck and pork and after chec ... More >>

Stephanie Izard's Goat Tour 2011 Stops in Scottsdale October 15 and 16

​Phoenix (or Scottsdale, rather) is getting some love in Stephanie Izard's "Goat Tour" benefiting Share Our Strength. Izard's taking a trip around the country visiting with some of the chef's she's met over the years to kick it in the kitchen as well as promote her snazzy new book titled The G ... 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 >>

Top of the Rock Restaurant at The Buttes Gets New Chef

Top of the Rock​Last week, Top of the Rock, the signature restaurant at The Buttes in Tempe, announced the appointment of Akos Szabo to the position of Chef de Cuisine. Alongside Executive Chef Gregory Wiener, Szabo will be tweaking the current menu in coming weeks to incorporate more seasonal and ... More >>

Patrick Boll of Spotted Donkey Cantina ii, part two

Keyon Fareghi​For Patrick Boll of Spotted Donkey Cantina ii, a two-word response to any question simply will not suffice. We got all of the trivial stuff out of the way yesterday and today get into a more intuitive conversation with him about his future as well as that of downtown Phoenix. In a ... More >>

Travis Watson: T Cook's and The Royal Palms

Carol BlonderChef Travis Watson​ What does it take to play football at the collegiate level? Talent -- combined with skill, dedication, focus, and determination. Former University of Arizona football player Travis Watson brings the traits he developed on the field and more into the kit ... More >>

Laura Godfrey of Arcadia Farms

Carol Blonder Laura Godfrey​We met up with Laura Godfrey, the pastry chef at Arcadia Farms in mid-afternoon, a relatively calm time in the bakeshop, after a bustling morning of production. Laura moved from Flagstaff to Phoenix to attend culinary school. Her perfectionist traits define the b ... More >>

Valrhona Chocolate Demonstration Better Than a Trip to Wonka's Factory

Carol BlonderValrhona ​ A visit to the town of Tain L'Hermitage located in the Rhone Valley of France is on the bucket list of chocolatiers and professional pastry chefs from around the globe. Tain L'Hermitage is the home of Valrhona and the esteemed Ecole de Grand Chocolat. Carol BlonderJ ... More >>

Lon's at the Hermosa Names New Executive Chef

​Along with a $2 million remodel of the Hermosa Inn, Lon's at the Hermosa has new kitchen leadership as well. The AAA Four Diamond restaurant has just named its new executive chef, Jeremy Pacheco, who comes on board after a two-month search; the previous exec chef at Lon's was Michael Rusco ... More >>

Chef Talk: Brian Feirstein, Eddie V's Prime Seafood

For Brian Feirstein, executive chef of  Eddie V's Prime Seafood in Scottsdale, making an impact on the customers goes beyond the kitchen. The Arizona native makes it a point to get to know his customers on a first-name basis and crafts unique dishes based on dietary needs--more than w ... More >>

Scottsdale Culinary Institute Changes Its Name

​Get ready to say a mouthful as the Scottsdale Culinary Institute changes its name to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Maybe we should be excited--Julia Child, who was featured in the now-on-DVD movie Julie & Julia, attended the Le Cordon Bleu school in Paris. There are cur ... More >>

Avalon Chef Travis Watson to Teach Chocolate Class

Chocolate and wine. We can't think of two better things to spend an evening tasting. Well, we're in luck. Chef Travis Watson, of Avalon in Scottsdale, is offering one night of just that: Chocolate and wine tasting, complete with petit fours, truffles and pairings, not to mention a how-to and histor ... More >>

Julie & Julia Madness

​Who knew a movie about cooking could generate so much buzz? The Julia Child and Julie Powell biopic comes to the big screen this weekend. The hotly awaited film weaves the memoirs of both Child and Powell and it's garnered largely positive early reviews. If you want to get in on the action as ... More >>

Chef Talk: Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Cafe

Lauren Gilger Silvana Salcido Esparza behind the bar at Barrio Cafe. When she was 19, Silvana Salcido Esparza left her family's Mexican bakery in Merced, California, and moved to downtown Miami to work in international banking. "Columbians would come into my office with paper bags full of $1 ... More >>

Phoenix Phoodies: Phoenix Knife House

Sloane BurwellEythan Zias demonstrates his hand sharpening skills.Eythan Zias is a culinary samurai. After compiling an impressive resume working in famous kitchens in New York City and all over the Valley, he decided to return to an earlier love: knives. He sold off parts of his impressive collecti ... More >>

Budget Beat: Lil' Cal's

Some of the restaurants I write about in Budget Beat are old faves, some are recommendations from readers or friends, some are just sitting there on the side of the road, begging to be tried. One of the fun things about doing this weekly blog is being surprised by a restaurant, especially when i ... 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 >>

Next Week: Digestif Hosts Top Chef Stephanie Izard

The torturous thing about watching Bravo's Top Chef is that it tends to leave viewers with insatiable cravings for food that only exists in TV land. You watch the chefs hustle to create a dish, you cheer them on... and then, you go to bed very, very hungry. So here's your chance to actually eat ... More >>

Budget Beat: Downtown Phoenix Public Market

Get ready for a Food Fight

Apocalypse Chow

Stick a pitchfork in him -- he's done

Pink Slip

Um, forgettable

How to Bake a 14-Layer Cake

Assuming you can cook in the first place. . .

Wild Card

Carlos Manriquez

You Say You Wanna Resolution . . .

Well, you know, we all want to change careers

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Java House

Asian delicacies dominate the menu at Lotus Asian Cafe

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Open Borders

Mending Wall illustrates dangers of emigration

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Fly-By Right

Now that's food good enough to carry-on any flight

A Perfect Storm

Unbridled, unexpected, sometimes unsettling, but always exciting

Look Who's Cooking

Symington develops a taste for restaurateuring

Best Cheap Date

L'Academie

A Meal of Living Dangerously

The Valley of the Sun gets a heaping helping of "cuisine de sol"

Value Pact

Quantity, not quality, woos this crowd

Big Apple appeal

The ambiance at Times Square Deli is Anywhere, USA, but the food is New York all the way

Deja View

What's different about Different Pointe of View?

North Fork

Persimmon Bar & Grille

Flashes

TO STIR WITH LOVE