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 Creatives on Jackalope Ranch.
Today: A guy whose business has some real growth potential.
Tastemaker 46: Greg Peterson
Greg Peterson is an unlikely foodie, mostly showing passion about how to grow food in our desert city. His mission is simple: to "inspire people to embrace their own greenness" - which he does daily by living what he speaks. Greg resides at the Urban Farm, an environmental showcase home in the heart of Phoenix, which he opens periodically for tours. He is also a partner at the Urban Farm Nursery (the first all edible nursery in Phoenix) at the Orchard in North Central Phoenix.
I arrived in Phoenix with... my parents in 1967, kicking and screaming - I was six. I integrated pretty quickly into the first grade AND the heat.
If I was sitting down to dinner for six, my five dream dining companions would be... Daniel Quinn, Thomas Malthus, Michael Abelman, Lester Brown, Anissa Storie, and me. We'd have to do a little time travel but it would be an incredible conversation.
One place everyone who comes to Phoenix must eat is... Tarbells - pan-roasted chicken, buttermilk mashed potatoes, organic broccolini... OMG nobody does it better, and my mouth is watering. Better yet the chicken, potatoes and broccolini came from The Urban Farm.
One menu item this city could do without is... any iceberg wedge salad. Come on, you can do better than this.
My last meal in Phoenix would be... my dining room with an entire meal made from The Urban Farm's farmyard with friends and family.
The Tastemakers so far: 100: Tracy Dempsey 99: Craig DeMarco 98: Lara Mulchay 97: M.J. Coe 96: Betty Alatorre de Hong 95: Eric Schaefer 94: Hanna Gabrielsson 93: Shinji Kurita 92: Silvana Salcido Esparza 91: Mike Pitt 90: Christina Barrueta 89: Christopher Gross 88: Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung 87: DJ Fernandes 86: Cullen Campbell 85: Chris Lee 84. Gwen Ashley Walters 83: Tony Morales 82: Lylah Ledner 81: Andrea White 80: Lori Hashimoto 79. Mrs. White 78: Eugenia Theodosopolous 77: Lou & Lovey Borenstein 76: Anthony Patafio 75: Carl Seacat 74: Sacha Levine 73: Sharon Salomon 72: Johnny Chu 71: Susie Timm 70: Jason Silberschlag 69: Gina Miller 68: Cindy Gentry 67: Amy Binkley 66: Dave Anderson 65: Mark Tarbell 64: Marianne Belardi 63: Audrey Lasalle 62: Brandon Gauthier 61: Brad and Kat Moore 60: Denise Clayton 59: Nobuo Fukuda 58: Richie Moe 57: Robin Trick 56: Alberto Della Casa and Letizia de Lucia 55: Farah Khalid 54: Dave Andrea 53: Vincent Guerithault 52: Danielle Leoni 51: Stan Zawatski 50: Maya Dailey 49: Duc Liao 48: Lisa Reinhardt 47: Isam Saed
