Audio By Carbonatix
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 man with the perfect name for his gig.
Tastemaker 91: Mike Pitt
If you don’t like BBQ now, we can almost promise you will after tasting the slowly roasted, dry rubbed ‘cue turned out by backyard pit master turned restaurateur Mike Pitt. Pitt grew up in South Texas and worked for a barbecue restaurant through high school, when he realized he wanted a place of his own. After doing some catering and backyard events, he moved to Arizona to pursue his dream and with the help of fellow Texan Doug Dieckmann opened Texas BBQ House.
I arrived in Phoenix with… out a house and job.
If I was sitting down to dinner for six, my five dream dining companions would be… my dad who is deceased, Tony Stewart, Guy Fieri, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood.
One place everyone who comes to Phoenix must eat is… Texas BBQ House.
One menu item this city could do without is… greens.
My last meal in Phoenix would be… Pappadeaux Seafood.
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
