Eats3 pairs over 40 of Arizona's finest chefs with the most beloved culinary talents from across the globe to create an unforgettable feast for the palate! Famed Savor Scottsdale chefs and the legendary Jacques Pépin kick-off an amazing list of participants.
Additional chefs and restaurants will be announced shortly. Join our newsletter and get the buzz!
The excitement builds as Eats3 continues to add international culinary titans to its world-class lineup! Don't miss these special guests as they celebrate the Arizona epicurean experience in a variety of Eats3 events, tastings and demonstrations!
Jacques Pépin - Culinary Legend
One of America’s best-known chefs, cookbook authors and cooking teachers, Jacques Pépin has published 26 books and numerous articles and hosted 10 acclaimed public television cooking series. His newest book and series are follow-ups to his previous PBS-TV series and companion cookbook, Jacques Pépin: Fast Food My Way. Debuting in early October of this year (2008) the new series and book are entitled Jacques Pépin: More Fast Food My Way.
Read Jacques Pépin's Full Bio>
Catch Jacques Pépin's Cooking Demonstration and Wine Seminar; both in the Arizona Grand Tasting.
Stephanie Izard - BRAVO's Season 4 Top Chef Winner
Although she didn’t know it at the time, by the age of 10, Stephanie Izard had already figured out what she wanted to be when she grew up. In her hometown of Stamford, Connecticut, her favorite activity was to play “restaurant,” offering her friends and family a menu she created from scratch and then cooking them dishes such as chicken cordon bleu. Influenced by her parent’s global cooking and the gourmet club they hosted each month, her love affair with food had already begun. As she grew older she always enjoyed cooking, but somehow thought her career should be business-related. So in pursuit of a non-food career, Stephanie attended the University of Michigan. But she couldn’t deny her interest burgeoning interest in food, so she ultimately decided that after earning her degree in Sociology she would go forward and attend culinary school.
Read Stephanie Izard's Full Bio>
Catch Stephanie Izard's cooking demonstration in the Arizona Grand Tasting.
Fritz Maytag - Industry Icon
Mr. Maytag was born December 9, 1937 in Newton, Iowa and was raised and attended school there. He graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1955, and Stanford University in 1959, and, also at Stanford, he pursued a graduate study program in Japanese.
His business activities include: Owner, York Creek Vineyards, St. Helena, California; Chairman of the Board, Maytag Dairy Farms, Inc., Newton, Iowa; President and Brewmaster, Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, California.
Michel Nischan - Celebrated Chef & Author
Award-winning chef, cookbook author, and avid proponent of sustainable farming, Michel Nischan is credited with creating a “cuisine of well-being” through his pure and simple approach to cooking. Working in collaboration with Paul Newman, Nischan co-founded Dressing Room, A Homegrown Restaurant, in Westport, CT, which unites food, family and community in a warm, updated country setting.
Read Michel Nischan's Full Bio>
Ming Tsai - Emmy Award-Winning Chef
Ming was raised in Dayton, Ohio, where he spent hours cooking alongside his mother and father at their family-owned restaurant, Mandarin Kitchen. His love of cooking (and eating!) great food was forged in these early years, while also gaining valuable experience in front and back of the house. Ming headed east to attend school at Phillips Academy Andover. From there, Ming continued to Yale University, earning his degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, Ming spent his sophomore summer at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. After graduating from Yale, Ming worked in kitchens around the globe. He trained under renowned Pastry Chef Pierre Herme in Paris and in Osaka with Sushi Master Kobayashi. Upon his return to the United States, Ming enrolled in graduate school at Cornell University, earning a Master’s degree in Hotel Administration and Hospitality Marketing.
Read Ming Tsai's Full Bio>
Catch Ming Tsai's cooking demonstration in the Arizona Grand Tasting.
Tim Love - Award-Winning Chef
As the foremost pioneer of urban Western cuisine, Love wears a cowboy hat in place of a toque, appoints nachos with kangaroo carpaccio and marries foie gras with chiles. A true Texan, the foundation of Love’s cuisine is, naturally, steak and wild game, and includes huge cuts of Texas steer, buffalo, antelope, red deer and wild boar, supplemented by lingonberries from Sweden, Manchego cheese from Spain, and Quandong sauce from Australia for global flair.
Read Tim Love's Full Bio>
Catch Tim Love's cooking demonstration in the Arizona Grand Tasting.
Marko Karakasevic - Nationally- Acclaimed Master Distiller
Based in Napa Valley, CHARBAY is considered the top artisan family distillery in the U.S. 13th Generation Distiller Marko Karakasevic produces award-winning flavored vodkas made exclusively with REAL fruit & tea, as well as Alambic Whiskey, Rum, ports and more. The family invites you to visit the Still House on your next trip to Napa and learn how spirits are made. 2008 is Charbay\'s 25th Anniversary and 10th Anniversary of making flavored vodkas.
Tony Abou-Ganim - World-Renowned Mixologist
When world-renowned mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim creates a classic martini the phrase "shaken not stirred" takes on a whole new meaning! It is a performance that crescendos into a memorable cocktail. Tony Abou-Ganim has single-handedly revolutionized the bartending world by perfecting classic cocktails and serving them up with great flair and flawless style. Abou-Ganim has along, impressive resume of mixing up drinks for the most noted restaurants. From Harry Denton's in San Francisco to Mario Batali's P restaurant in New York City to The Bellagio in Las Vegas, where he was hand-picked by owner Steve Wynn to create and set-up the resort's twenty two bars. Tony learned the craft of bartending from a cousin in Michigan. His introduction into the business was rooted in the tradition of the classic cocktail and he soon became famous as a leader in the beverage industry creating hundreds of tantalizing sips. Tony has a new DVD out called "Modern Mixology." He lives in Las Vegas.
Chef Justin Beckett
Justin Beckett's talent exceeds his years. As one of the valleys youngest chefs, Beckett is also one of the most energetic, inspired and creative.
The origin of Beckett's talent can be credited to biology and environment. His mother is a pastry chef, his father is Italian, and both carry a deep-seated passion for food, which Beckett claims was "bred into him."
Read Justin Beckett's Full Bio>
Canal
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Canal Online
Chef Chris Bianco
Pizzeria Bianco
Phoenix, Arizona
View Pizzaria Bianco Online
Additional information coming soon.
Chef Cullen Campbell
Though in his early 30’s, Chef Cullen Campbell is already establishing a reputation as one of the most sought-after up-and-coming chefs in the Valley of the Sun. Having cut his teeth in the kitchens of acclaimed eateries throughout Metropolitan Phoenix and his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, Chef Campbell has satisfied hungry diners with everything from eclectic fusion to Southwest-inspired international to contemporary to Mediterranean to new American cuisine.
Read Cullen Campbell's Full Bio>
Fine's Cellar
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Fine's Cellar online
Chef Brandon Crouser
Atlas Bistro
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Atlas Bistro Online
Additional information coming soon.
Chef Joshua Riesner
Of Atlas Bistro
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Atlas Bistro Online
Additional information coming soon.
Chef Payton Curry
Passionate about using local products, preparing every item possible in-house and letting little go to waste, Chef Payton Curry has attracted legions of fans since Digestif's Feburary 2008 opening. Curry cooks his heart out at the latest hot spot from Spaghetti Western Productions, offering dishes with Italian inspiration and California style. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, the Minnesota native reveres old-world favorites like charcuterie and hand-rolled pasta as much as the BLT -- his elevated classic features heirloom tomatoes, just-whisked aioli, house-cured pancetta from humanely-raised local pork and fresh-pickled giardiniera....
Read Payton Curry's Full Bio>
Digestif
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Digestif Online
Chef Tracy Dempsey
Chef Tracy Dempsey provides the sweet inspiration behind the memorable desserts at Spaghetti Western Productions restaurants. While she chooses to specialize in pastry, Chef Tracy is no stranger to savory dishes and the reach of her culinary creativity will be showcased when SWP debuts Confection, a boutique dessert bar offering both savory bites and sweet delights. A graduate of the Scottsdale Community College Culinary Program, this former University-level French professor coordinates pastry production and coaches her teams at the restaurants, while remaining true to her academic past by teaching cooking classes at SCC, Sweet Basil Gourmet and Fossil Creek Creamery in Strawberry, AZ....
Read Tracy Dempsey's Full Bio>
Cowboy Ciao, Digestif, Kazimierz, Sea Saw
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Cowboy Ciao Online
View Digestif Online
Chef Patrick Fegan
As Executive Chef of Olive & Ivy, Patrick Fegan stays true to his conviction that everything tastes better when it is made fresh from scratch. At Olive & Ivy, all of the bakery items, breads, pastas, sauces, and dressings are thoughtfully hand-crafted on the premises. Prior to Olive & Ivy, Fegan worked at Fiamma Trattoria, the five-star restaurant in the once James Hotel in Scottsdale; Michaels at The Citadel, working Windows on The Green at the highly-acclaimed The Phoenician Resort and a variety of notable Las Vegas restaurants, including Fiore/Antonio’s Restaurant at Rio Suite Hotel and Casino; Caesars Palace; and Gold Coast Hotel and Casino.
Olive and Ivy
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Olive and Ivy Online
Chef Nobuo Fukuda
Tokyo-born Chef Nobuo Fukuda thrills adventurous palates with his 8-course omakase ("trust the chef") tasting menu served nightly at the boutique dinner house Sea Saw, part of the Restaurant Row trio in downtown Scottsdale. Fukuda gained national acclaim as a Food + Wine Best New Chef mere months after Sea Saw\'s 2002 debut, and the James Beard Foundation voted him 2007 Best Chef Southwest for his ethereal creations blending global ingredients with Japanese style. A self-taught chef and oenophile, Fukuda pairs his dishes with sake, champagne and wines for a truly magical sensory experience....
Read Nobuo Fukuda's Full Bio>
Chef Nobuo Fukuda
Sea Saw
Scottsdale, Arizona
Visit Sea Saw Online
Chef Razz Kamnitzer
Razz
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Razz Online
Additional information coming soon.
Chef Bernie Kantak
A Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from SUNY Cortland helped Chef Bernie Kantak realize his passion for cooking extended from his artistic talent and might be his highest calling. Combining his classic training from Scottsdale Culinary Institute with fearless creativity, he has been Executive Chef at acclaimed, eclectic Cowboy Ciao since 1998. Kantak’s innate ability to devise uncanny yet highly successful food and wine pairings, makes him a perfect match for downtown Scottsdale’s wine-driven Restaurant Row, where he also creates global noshes for neighboring lounge and jazz venue Kazimierz world wine bar....
Read Bernie Kantak's Full Bio>
Cowboy Ciao, Kazimierz, and Mexican Standoff
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Cowboy Ciao Online
View Kazimierz Online
View Mexican Standoff Online
Chef Deborah Knight
Chef Deborah Knight is an “almost native” of Arizona, having moved to Phoenix at the age of five. Since she first began working she has been involved in the restaurant industry from the bottom up. Her passion for cuisine, experience throughout the industry and curiosity of other cultures has culminated in the award winning Scottsdale restaurant Mosaic…
Read Deborah Knight's Full Bio>
Mosaic
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Mosaic Online
Chef Gregory LaPrad
Chef Greg LaPrad began his kitchen career at 15 years of age in 1998 as a dishwasher, and he’s been in the kitchen ever since. In 2002, Greg pursued a formal culinary education at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated at the top of his class with a perfect 4.00 GPA and Summa Cum Laude distinction. Over the past 8 years Greg has worked in kitchens all over the United States, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Alaska, and Arizona. Originally from Connecticut, Greg moved to Phoenix in 2004 to work with Michael DeMaria of Michael’s at the Citadel.
Read Gregory LaPrad's Full Bio>
Quiessence & Morning Glory Cafe
Phoenix, Arizona
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Chef Beau Macmillan
As Executive Chef of Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain and its signature restaurant, elements, Beau MacMillan inspires his staff with his passion for fresh ingredients. His ingenuity in the kitchen is stimulated by his belief that food should not be overworked, but rather appreciated for its simplicity and natural perfection. This philosophy is evident in Chef MacMillan’s innovative seasonal menus that focus on fresh, local ingredients procured from a network of artisans and organic farmers.
Elements
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Elements Online
Chef Aaron May
Chef Aaron May’s began his formal culinary training at the Ecole Ritz Esscofier in Paris, France. Upon graduating Chef May began his career at the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona and moved on to work with two of the most celebrated chefs in the country; at Deseo and Ola with Douglas Rodriguez and at Casa Mono with Mario Batali. In April 2006 Chef May opened Sol y Sombra in Scottsdale, AZ and won the culinary hearts of many with the contemporary Spanish menu. This past December Chef May quietly opened the doors of a small breakfast only spot called Over Easy which has quickly become the favorite breakfast spot for the Valley.
Sol y Sombra
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Sol y Sombra Online
View Over Easy Online
Chef Peter DeRuvo
Sassi's Executive Chef Peter DeRuvo creates seasonal Southern Italian-inspired dishes that look elegant and refined yet still invoke a sense of comfort. DeRuvo has far-reaching culinary travel experience, including stints at celebrated Italian restaurant Al Forno in Providence, Rhode Island, Oliveto in Oakland, California, and Montecastelli, a well-known producer of Italian wines, olive oils, and balsamic vinegars in Tuscany. DeRuvo describes his fundamental aim at Sassi as "re-creating Italian technique for the American palate."
Read Peter DeRuvo's Full Bio>
Sassi
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Sassi online
Chef James Porter
Chef/Owner James Porter opened Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar in the summer of 2004. After close to four years of rave reviews for his tapas style small plates and wine list, Chef Porter continues to challenge himself and his guests to share his love of food without pretension or apprehension. Porter is committed to using only the freshest ingredients such as farm fresh produce, line caught and sustainable seafood, prime meats and farmstead cheeses. He believes that multi-national traditions can be applied to all styles of cuisine, and proves it with the more than three dozen globally inspired dishes on his menu....
Read James Porter's Full Bio>
Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Tapino Online
Chef Michael Rusconi
Michael Rusconi is executive chef of LON’s, the AAA Four Diamond restaurant at the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Chef Rusconi has helmed LON’s kitchens since January 2005, directing a staff of 25 and overseeing all food operations, including in-house catering and room service.
Read Michael Rusconi's Full Bio>
LON's
Scottsdale, Arizona
View LON's Online
Chef Michael Stebner
Michael Stebner is an award-winning chef and visionary of culinary excellence. Stebner's cuisine has earned him numerous recognitions including two invitations to the renowned James Beard House in New York. Prior to becoming a part of the culinary team at The Greene House, Stebner owned and operated a restaurant, Region, in San Diego, Calif.
The Greene House
Scottsdale, Arizona
View The Greene House Online
Chef Charles Wiley
Charles Wiley is Executive Chef of the newly renovated Hotel Valley Ho and Café ZuZu in Scottsdale, Arizona. Wiley has earned national acclaim for his innovative cuisine and natural presentations. In addition to being named one of “The Ten Best New Chefs in America” by Food & Wine Magazine, Wiley was recognized as one of “Americas Best Hotel Chefs” by the James Beard Foundation. His signature cooking style takes advantage of local, seasonal ingredients and time honored flavor marriages.
Hotel Valley Ho and Café ZuZu
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Hotel Valley Ho Online
View Hotel Café ZuZu Online.
Chef Gio Osso
A native of New Jersey, his Italian-born family spent every summer on the southwest coast of Italy, where fresh seafood was always available. At an early age, Osso keenly watched his mother cook and which ultimately inspired him to study at the New York Restaurant School, where he graduated at the top of his class. He landed cooking positions at small New Jersey restaurants such as Il Cortile in “Little Italy,” the Park Ave. Café and at the Algonquin Hotel, where he worked in all facets of the industry including line cook, sous chef and even pastry assistant. Later, he learned about “Nouvelle Cuisine” at New Jersey’s Sonoma Grill where he served as Sous Chef under the expert tutelage of John Foy. He later helped opened two 3-star restaurants, 44 E. Madison and Seasons at the Inn, also in New Jersey.
Estate House
Scottsdale, Arizona
View Estate House Online
Chef Matthew Taylor
At Metro Brassiere, Taylor will draw from his New Orleans cooking experience, combining French Country techniques and flavors of the Deep South. According to Taylor, “Metro Brassiere will be a restaurant where diners want to eat weekly and even twice weekly.” Some of Taylor’s specialties at Metro will include Steak Frites, Braised Ham Hocks with Pickled Beets, Beignets with Nutella, Fried Bacon with Bourbon,Maple Syrup and Grits, Tahini Scented Vichysoisse, Oyster Po’ Boy, Salt Cod Fritters with Piquillo Peppers, Duck Confit on Rye Toast with Homemade Sauerkraut and Duck-fat Mayonnaise, Brasserie Burger with Sauce Gribiche and Endive Salad with Pork Shop Bacon and Poached Egg.
Metro
Scottsdale, Arizona
Chef Douglas Rodriguez
Educated at Johnson & Wales University, and though his culinary career began in Miami, it was the opening of New York’s Patria in 1994 that set his culinary ascent in motion. Patria went on to garner three stars from The New York Times in 1996. One of America’s most honored chefs, Douglas Rodriquez has owned some of the hottest restaurants in the country including: OLA Miami, Ola Steak in Miami and Alma de Cuba in Philadelphia. Most recently, Rodriguez expanded his presence in the Midwest with the opening of De La Costa in Chicago. Rodriguez’ westward culinary venture landed him in Scottsdale at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in 2002. Regarded as the “godfather” of Nuevo Latino cuisine, Chef Rodriguez is behind deseo’s concept and menu development. At deseo – which means “desire” in Spanish – Rodriguez brings an eclectic, fervent approach to Latin cooking. Cuban-born Rodriguez proudly presents the unique flavors of his heritage at deseo with uncompromised texture, passion and emotion.
deseo
Scottsdale, Arizona
View deseo online
Chef Eric Howson
Eric Howson Executive Chef, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch Eric Howson, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa’s Executive Chef, is responsible for a kitchen staff of 80. This comprehensive operation spans the resort’s three restaurants- SWB, a southwest bistro; Alto ristorante e bar, serving eclectic Italian cuisine and the Watergarden, offering poolside fare, as well as the extensive banquet facilities, off-property catering and room service. Chef Howson is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has extensive experience in French cooking. He has worked in some of the finest kitchens in the country including L’Ermitage Restaurant in Los Angeles, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, and many more. In 1987, Eric helped open the Maui Westin Hotel, where he fell in love with Hawaiian regional cuisine. In 1990, he joined the team at Hyatt Regency Maui as Executive Sous Chef. He became an executive chef with Hyatt at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge in 1992. Since then, he has served as an Executive Chef for Hyatt at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort in Nevada, Hyatt Regency Monterey in California and Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas Resort prior to joining the team at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa in 2006.
Alto ristorante e bar
Scottsdale, Arizona
Visit Alto ristorante e bar online
Chef Todd Berry
Leading the imaginative culinary experience at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is, Executive Chef Todd Berry. Known for his inventive regional cuisine, Berry leads a team of nearly 100 members charged with servicing Nellie Cashman's Monday Club Café, J. Swilling's Pool Bar & Grill, The Rim, Waltz & Weizer Saloon, Coffee Flats and Snowbowls, Brittlebush Bar & Grill, and deseo, a specialty restaurant inspired by Nuevo Latino inventor Douglas Rodriguez. Berry also oversees all banquet events for the Resort, which offers more than 175,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting space. He is known for his creative execution, forward-thinking approach to cooking and strong desire to teach and mentor his staff. Berry joined The Westin Kierland team in April of 2006 as head of the resort’s banquet department. He was quickly noticed for his ability to keep cool under pressure and for possessing a natural talent and pure passion for cooking. He also gained a reputation for having a genuine interest in the happiness and success of all his team members. Prior to joining The Westin Kierland Resort, Berry served as Executive Chef at both the Sheraton Grand Sacramento and Hidden Meadow Ranch in Greer, Ariz. Other previous experience includes the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch, where he worked for 11 years, the Hotel Westcourt in Scottsdale and the French Corner, also in Scottsdale.
deseo
Scottsdale, Arizona
View deseo online
Chef Roberto Madrid
Born in Northern Mexico, Chef Roberto Madrid specializes in Southwest cooking with an emphasis on using locally-grown produce and indigenous recipes. Madrid was part of the opening culinary team and is Chef de Cuisine of the resort’s signature restaurant, deseo. Madrid began his culinary career in Scottsdale in 1982, studying under Chef Tony Fogo at The White Truffle, a French fine-dining restaurant in Scottsdale. He then moved to Jean Carlo to master fine Italian cuisine and spent six years with well-known Chef Michael Salvagio at Steven’s, helping to build the foundation of modern Southwestern cuisine. After opening The Terrace restaurant at The Phoenician Resort & Spa, Madrid joined the newly opened Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch in 1986. He helped develop The Golden Swan into one of the Southwest’s powerhouses of Mediterranean cuisine.
deseo
Scottsdale, Arizona
View deseo online
Chef Amy Ahrensdorf
Owner of personal chef and restaurant consultancy for more than seven years, Amy Ahrensdorf is the resident Chef for SunWest Appliance Distributing, the exclusive local Viking distributor. Chef Amy cooks and instructs at a variety of showroom events and field demonstrations for SunWest. At SunWest, Amy has created and implemented Cooking with Viking: Ignite Your Culinary Passion, a hobbyist cooking and self-development school located in the state-of-the-art Viking Range Studio Kitchen. The school offers a variety of on-going cooking classes, the next to launch is a three-part course called Kitchen Philosophy 101 (KP 101). More than a cooking class, KP101 is a transformative life coaching workshop addressing attitudes, motivations and behaviors pertaining to planning, preparing and enjoying family dinners – and family values.
SunWest Appliance Distributing
