Arizona’s longtime unofficial salad became a bit more official on Thursday.
In a proclamation, the state of Arizona recognized the Original Chopped Salad at The Gladly, an independent restaurant in Phoenix, as a “celebrated culinary staple.” In a historical day for the Grand Canyon State, May 1 will now be known as “Original Chopped Salad Day” across Arizona.
Chef Bernie Kantak first came up with the Original Chopped Salad in 1997 when he was at Old Town Scottsdale’s Cowboy Ciao, a restaurant that closed in 2018. It was initially called the Stetson Chopped. Kantak brought the salad to his first restaurant, Citizen Public House, and then to The Glady, which opened in central Phoenix’s Biltmore neighborhood in 2013.
Today, the dish is available for $22 on The Glady’s lunch and dinner menus, as well as the Citizen’s dinner menu. Restaurant goers can enjoy the elevated and artfully created chopped salad made with smoked salmon, pearl couscous, arugula, pepitas, asiago cheese, currants, dried super sweet corn and marinated tomatoes. Once arriving at the table, servers toss the salad tableside with a herb buttermilk dressing.
Chef Bernie Kantak's iconic salad was recognized by the state of Arizona.
The Gladly
The proclamation recognizes the dish as “a celebrated culinary staple of Arizona,” and commends the contributions of Kantak and The Glady in “its role in preserving and sharing this iconic dish.” It also “expresses its appreciation for the chefs, restaurateurs and culinary professionals who continue to enrich our city’s cultural landscape.”
The dish is so popular that it even has its own Facebook page. It’s been named one of Phoenix's most iconic dishes. And more than 75,000 of these salads are enjoyed annually at The Glady and its sister restaurants. In a single week, The Glady and Citizen Public House serve 200 to 300 chopped salads.
And while The Glady boasts an impressive whisky list of more than 350 options, as well as an expansive cocktail list, its world-famous Original Chopped Salad is at the heart of the restaurant’s menu.
According to The Gladly’s website, it’s “an iconic dish that’s been imitated far and wide but never truly replicated.”
