“For me, food is really about the environment,” Routman says. “I wanted to go full head over heels in Arizona and learn about the produce and seasons, so FnB was one of my favorite places to go.”
So when FnB co-owner Pavle Milic contacted Routman to gauge his interest in helming the food program for Los Milics Vineyards, it felt like destiny.
In May, Routman was named Los Milics’ executive chef and director of culinary operations, putting him in charge of developing menus for the entire operation. This includes the southern Arizona winery’s onsite restaurant called The Biscuit in Elgin, two upcoming tasting rooms slated to open in Tucson and its current Old Town Scottsdale tasting room on Marshall Way.
Currently, the Scottsdale tasting room offers a petite selection of nibbles, including a charcuterie box, bruschetta and a couple of desserts. But the Old Town location is about to get a new home, and with it, expanded offerings.
Slated to open across the street from its current spot this fall, the new, larger spot boasts a full kitchen and additional seating, all of which are primed to feature Routman’s expanded menu.
“The menu will have shared plates, salads and sandwiches that will complement the space as a gathering place and also showcase the wines,” Routman says.
The Los Milics winelist currently includes 13 wines in white, rose and red shades. All are made at the Elgin winery with fruit sourced from the 20-acre estate vineyard. The fields are home to 17 varieties, spanning well-known grapes like cabernet franc, grenache and syrah to lesser-known grapes such as carignan, malvasia bianca and teroldego.
The 2023 Ita’s — a grenache blend rose named for Milic’s wife, winemaker and business partner — is among Los Milics’ recent award-winners. Routman looks forward to the challenge of creating bites that will pair ideally with the nuances of each wine.
Trevor Routman is the new executive chef and director of culinary operations for Los Milics Vineyards.
Los Milics Vineyards
Routman worked with chef Claudio Urciuoli, first at his former restaurant Pa’La and then at Urciuoli’s Source, where Routman was the head chef.
A collaboration with the Blue Watermelon Project, a nonprofit founded by Badman that facilitates schools’ access to fresh foods through hands-on programs, placed Routman further on Milic’s radar.
When the winemaker was seeking a new chef, Badman recommended Routman. The rest is history.
The grilled shrimp, watermelon, pickled fennel and herb salad is one of the dishes created by chef Trevor Routman.
Trevor Routman
Dishes featuring mozzarella that is freshly-pulled onsite are in the works. He also likes fun desserts and recently created upscale ice cream sandwiches.
“I want to make food that’s approachable but also a little unique,” Routman says. “I like having fun with my food.”
Routman spends much of his time in southern Arizona wine country, walking through the vineyard, tasting the wines and getting to know the local purveyors and ranchers. This, he says, will be key to his locally focused fare and showcasing the wines.
“When you mix all these things together, what happens is amazing,” Routman says. “The wine is always going to be center stage. I’m lucky to be making and serving food alongside Los Milics wines.”
