Instead, at the Oct. 19 festival that takes over roughly four blocks in downtown Phoenix, attendees can try dishes prepared onsite by some of the Valley's top chefs.
Rene Andrade, the chef and co-owner of Bacanora earned his James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in June. At the festival, he will also feature a menu from his taqueria Huarachi’s.
He’ll stack a trompo with chuck instead of traditional pork to make Huarachi’s famous tacos. Andrade will also serve elote, bone marrow, a ceviche-inspired dish with red sauce and avocado to be scooped with tostadas and a tomahawk steak that, if all goes to plan, will be smoked onsite.
“It’s going to be super exciting for me and super exciting for the people,” Andrade says. “It’s going to be amazing with everyone hanging out and having fun.”
Andrade calls himself “lucky” to have won the coveted culinary award this summer. He's come a long way from his days as a 13-year-old cooking for Nogales eateries with grill and stove set-ups on the street. He expressed excitement at revisiting those early years at the festival.
“That’s where I come from,” Andrade says. “People haven’t seen that side of me and I’m going to show who I am in a different setting.”
A wide range of food vendors comes to VIVA
In addition to Bacanora, this year’s VIVA PHX culinary lineup features Phoenix establishments, such as Progress and Pretty Penny, known for crafting dishes with a more haute-cuisine vibe that’s best suited in sit-down settings, rather than handhelds meant to be scarfed down in a few bites while strolling. Bad Jimmy’s, Mi Catering, Otro Pizzeria, Cornish Pasty Co., Cocina 10, The REZ an Urban Eatery and Cartel Roasting Co. round out the roster.
For Progress chef and co-owner TJ Culp, the laid-back event allows him to apply his sophisticated dining to a new format. He plans to feature a hot chicken sandwich with housemade pickles. The sandwich will be centered around a version of Progress’ popular fried chicken that’s served with shaved fennel, grapefruit, hot honey and Calabrian chile.
The chef, who also owns upscale French restaurant Sottise and casual spot Sidewinder, sees the festival as an opportunity to reach potential customers who don’t think his places or plates like the beef carpaccio and coffee-rubbed venison are for them.
“It’s about getting to a clientele that hasn’t been able to reach us,” Culp says. “We’re a place where you can come in to have the chef’s tasting menu and wine pairings. But if you want to head to the bar and have a drink and deviled eggs, you can do that.”
Culp grew up in Tucson and went to VIVA PHX, which ran from 2014 to 2017, when he was younger. This is another reason he was excited to join the talent-filled culinary team.
“It’s the next generation of restaurants in town and we’re going to be part of this group of amazing places known for serving more refined offerings,” Culp says. “I know what these guys bring and we’re going to compliment each other a little more.”
The gathering of these establishments happened naturally, with strong community and industry connections leading the way, festival organizer Matt Baquet says.
Baquet knew the owners of Mi Catering, brothers Manuel and Pablo Oeste. They helped him reach out to restaurateurs and chefs. The brothers also grew up with Culp.
It didn’t take long to connect with Andrade and soon, others came calling. This included the owners of Pretty Penny — a luxe Roosevelt Row spot that greets guests with a pour of bubbles — who happened to walk in on a lunch meeting with Baquet and chefs who had signed on.
Mi Catering owners, brothers Manuel and Pablo Oeste, were key in organizing the VIVA PHX culinary lineup with festival organizer Matt Baquet.
VIVA PHX
VIVA PHX returns with new life
This year marks the return of VIVA PHX after a seven-year hiatus, bringing more than 70 artists to play across 10 stages. Baquet wanted the provisions to make a splash and reflect the best the city has to offer. “We wanted it to be a Phoenix festival, not just a music festival," he says. “Putting all of these pieces together, we can show that Phoenix is one of the top food markets in the country, if not the world."
Andrade has done signature outdoor food events in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago and Austin. He can't wait to participate in a similar event in Phoenix.
“Arizona is my favorite place on earth and it’s a way to pay homage to our people and who we are,” Andrade says. “This will be the first of many and hopefully it turns into the food event for our city.”
VIVA PHX
Oct. 19Multiple locations throughout downtown Phoenix
