The Television Food Network GP

Big Ass Burger Battle: Roaring Fork vs. The Lodge's Infamous Sasquatch

There's a reason why Food Network's Man vs. Food and our own Zack Fowle's Feasts of Fury are so popular. People love BIG food. We're amazed by dishes so large that one order could feed Bill Paxton's Big Love family or provide a starving college student with leftove ... More >>

Cooking from A to Zest: DVD Review

Responds2Communications, IncCooking from A to Zest DVD​ We know a lot of good home cooks. They clip, bookmark and try recipes, watch endless hours of food shows, love to eat out and talk about the next trend in food. Their cooking is good and they want it to be great, but something is missing. The ... More >>

Now Open: Los Taquitos

​There's a new, second location of Los Taquitos -- a brand recently acquired by JNK Concepts (Roka Akor, Bombay Spice, etc.) -- in a space at 16th Street and Glendale that previously housed San Gabriel Cafe, another South-of-the-Border spot that was owned by JNK. The original Ahwat ... More >>

Cook It Up

Foodies take to the kitchen for a tasty competition

Foodie Fight 2 Brings Out Local Luminaries This Saturday

​Several months ago, foodie-about-town and marketing/PR agency owner Ty Largo (shown at left) challenged his friend and fellow food geek/blogger Joel LaTondress (shown below, at right, he's also known as the Yelper who incited ABC Baking Co. owner Amy Bouzaglo's epic tangent, which got Chow B ... More >>

Into the Soup's Heidi Lee Heads to TV

​Local radio host Heidi Lee has welcomed me into the studio as a frequent guest on her Saturday afternoon food talk show, Into the Soup (2 to 3 p.m., 1100 AM) and it's been great fun chit-chatting about restaurants and food culture over the radio waves. And while that's not going ... More >>

Chef Talk: Tracy DeWitt of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Scottsdale (Part Two)

Competition is the name of the game for Chef Tracy DeWitt, who, along with three other regional champs, will strive for the title of American Culinary Federation's Pastry Chef of the Year today. DeWitt lets us in on her competition secrets, makes us want to go camping and volunteers to work at Charm ... More >>

The Last Supper: Beau MacMillan Dishes Up Gluttony for XII at elements

Chef Beau MacMillan laughs it up with guests at XII's raw bar. Forget the Biblical connotations of dinner for twelve hosted by a food guru -- XII, the private dining room at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain's elements restaurant would be an amazing site ... More >>

Book Week: Ratio by Michael Ruhlman

What's on your summer reading list? This week, Chow Bella contributors will answer that question with reviews of the food-related books we've read lately. If you have a recommendation for us, please leave it in the comment section. Today's selection: Ratio by Michael Ruhlman. Ratio ​ Part o ... More >>

Cat Cora Contest: Another Chance to Win

Yesterday we announced the winners in our first contest round. ​We have more aprons, front-row seats and "A" spots in the signing line to give away, but this time we're making it a little trickier. We won't be drawing from a hat. Instead, the Chow Bella team will judge your prowess on some c ... More >>

This Week In Chow Bella

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let's have one last look at the blog posts from this week Damon Brasch, What Are You Eating? New Summer Foodie TV: Four Season Openers, O ... More >>

BBQ 101: From Novice to Slightly Less Than Novice

Jonathan McNamaraBrisket in the early morning.​There is a point at which night turns to day. It's barely visible to the naked eye, but in that smallest of moments while the moon is still full and the sun casts its first fires across the sky, a transition happens. I know because last Sunday a ... More >>

Chef Talk: Kelly Fletcher of House of Tricks (part two)

Yesterday we heard from Chef Kelly Fletcher of House of Tricks. Today the conversation continues. While House of Tricks' staple dishes are sticking around, Fletcher says he would like to see a few new ingredients on the menu. "I always want to see more offal, more sweetbreads, more tongue and t ... More >>

The Hump Restaurant Closes, Limited Edition Wine and The Big Raffle in Today's Eater's Digest

An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. ​ This is the last week to get to Joe's Farm Grill to take advantage of great food specials and to be entered in The Big Raffle. Watch "Real Deal Fast Food" on the Food Network (the episode featuring the Gilbert rest ... More >>

WestSide Throwdown Draws Big Names, Small Crowd

Host Beau MacMillan was in fine spirits -- or shall we say, in the fine spirits -- last night at the inaugural WestSide Throwdown culinary challenge at Arizona Broadway Theatre in Peoria. The event was bizarre. Attendance was spotty, and everyone (even the host) seemed to have tapped into the f ... More >>

What's Cooking

Local rock-star chef hosts culinary competition

Chef Beau MacMillan Hosts WestSide Throwdown Cooking Competition

Ever notice how the best culinary events are all in the East Valley or downtown Phoenix? Scottsdale Culinary Festival, Devoured, Taste...I could go on and on. For years, foodies on the forgotten side of town have been wondering when they'll finally get their turn.  www.int ... More >>

Chef Talk: Charles Stotts of Avalon (part two)

​Yesterday we sat down with Charles Stotts of Avalon in south Scottsdale. Lucky for you, there's a part two! Want to hear about Stotts recent foodgasm? Read on ... What's the best tool in your kitchen drawer? A spoon. I am against tongs; they're something else you won't find in my kitchen. Tongs ... More >>

Chef Talk: Christopher Mayo of Metro Brasserie

​​Christopher Mayo may be a fresh face at Metro Brasserie (he was named executive chef when Matt Taylor left in November), but he's certainly no food-scene virgin.  At the tender age of 20, Mayo opened Grilled Expedition at Desert Ridge. Later he split for culinar ... More >>

More Indie Breakfast Spots, Convenient Banh Mi, and Other Culinary Wishes for 2010

Food Network Star Guy Fieri Heats up Mesa Arts Center

This past Friday evening, hundreds of Food Network fans crammed into the Mesa Arts Center for an evening of fast paced, rockin' fun at the Guy Fieri Road Show. This was the show's second to last performance on the 24-city tour (the last being Vegas, baby), so Guy pulled out all of the stop ... More >>

Lady Gaga, Alice Cooper, Guy Fieri and Santarchy Over the Weekend

​Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding Friday night was the ninth installment of Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding, though speaking in Christmas/culinary terms, it was really more of a fruitcake, with ingredients both numerous and diverse mingling to create a final product I would definitely try to ... More >>

The 12 Foods for Xmas I Wish My True Love Gave to Me (Part Deux)

To get you in the holiday spirit, we created a holiday tune based around local foods we'd love to get for Christmas -- sung to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Could be some good gift ideas for food lovers, or places to treat your sweetie to a pre-holiday dinner. ... More >>

Guy Talk

Culinary star chats in Mesa

Local Chefs to Join Guy Fieri Roadshow

Photo by Sherrie Blondin.​ ​A few weeks ago, we interviewed Guy Fieri of Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives about his upcoming Road Show at Mesa Arts Center on Friday, December 18. We also speculated about why Guy had chosen Flagstaff chef John Conley to participate in t ... More >>

Scenester Eats: Xchel Manuel Hernandez-Zendejas

Pan searing is the secret to making your tongue bend to its knees and accept the healthiness of chicken breast. The best part is you can put it on anything. Salad, pasta, me, and it still tastes good.

Your Meal Ticket to Combat Cookery & Destination Dining

​Love Food Network's combat cookery shows? In this week's Meal Ticket dining newsletter, find out which upcoming competition will be hosted by Iron Chef America winner Mark Tarbell of Tarbell's Restaurant, and which two local chefs will battle it out in the kitchen. We've also got the wo ... More >>

Monday Night Martha: Foil Baked Salmon

​Not sure how you feel about Food Network stars but we're big fans of Giada De Laurentiis. We received two cookbooks when we got married, Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything and Giada's Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes. The Bittman bible is dog-eared and beet-stained and we dip ... More >>

Pork on a Fork: Nebraska Hog-Farmers in Phoenix

​If you've been at a farmers market in the Valley lately, you've probably run into a booth with a rather odd name and a Nebraska Huskers bumper sticker on the cooler: Pork on a Fork. The name, we're not sure about, but the Huskers sticker is there because the company's two owners, Wes Hansen ... More >>

Epicurious.com Hits Phoenix Public Market Today

CenPho's very own Phoenix Public Market can officially call itself a foodie destination. Epicurious.com, the Web site, information hub and social forum "for people who love to eat," has made the Phoenix Public Market it's first stop on their second annual summer Farmers' Market tour. Our very own S ... More >>

Phoenix Symphony Plays the Blues, Arizona Department of Corrections Honcho Charles Ryan Attends Marcia Powell’s Memorial Service, and a Democratic Loser Writes a Book on How to Win

Scottsdale Culinary Fest Comprises 12 Events This Week

The Scottsdale Culinary Festival sounds monolithic, but the granddaddy among the Valley's culinary festivals is surprisingly multifaceted -- a dozen different events at 16 different restaurants and venues around town, ranging from casual tastings to semi-formal sit-down occasions.

Phoenix Phoodies: Chef Beau McMillan Took Out an Iron Chef, Now He's Headed Back to TV

Chef Beau MacMillan, Beau Mac to his friends, is down to earth. Which is actually no small feat, since as of late, he's had his share of face time on TV. Best known for his stint on the Food Network's Iron Chef America, Battle Kobe Beef, where he made quick work of Iron Chef Bobby Flay, he's sti ... More >>

Mesa Gal's Recipe Lands Her on The Food Network

That Guy Fieri is one busy dude. It seems like he has a lot on his plate hosting Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives (a Chow Bella fave for all the local indie restaurants it's featured), which takes him all around the country, and Guy's Big Bite. But he's also hosting Ultimate Recipe Showdown, now in i ... More >>

Jan. 13 In Blogs: American Idol, Chlamydia, Food Network and More

We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Valley Fever: CPS Took Sick Child From Home Unfairly, Says Mom; Takes Fight to Inter ... More >>

Closed for Business: Aunt Lena's Creamery

Was it the economy that did them in? Stephanie Case, a representative for Chandler's Fulton Towne Center, confirmed that popular gelato shop Aunt Lena's Creamery closed at the end of November, although she couldn't comment on the cause. Co-owner Ray D'Ottavio, pictured above, appea ... More >>

Hot Links: McCain's Arizona Lead Withers, Feds Collar Mongols, Food Network's Fieri Feasts in Flagstaff.

Up next on TV: Aunt Lena's Creamery

The Skinny: Chino Bandido Takee Outee

Girl Uninterrupted

Cutie-pie epicurean can’t turn off the charm

Robin Miller

Chafing dishes

Every Valley neighborhood should be so lucky as to have an eatery like Aiello's Fine Italian Dining

In Honor of Thanksgiving: The Top Music Turkeys of 2007

Crescent Fresh

The cafe that foot traffic forgot

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

BEST CAJUN/CREOLE RESTAURANT

Baby Kay's Cajun Kitchen

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Todo en la Familia

Tortilla Soup adds Latino flavor to a warmed-over family drama

Nibbles 'n' Bits