Giving Thanks to Those Who Came Before: Recognizing Two Decades of Local Food Game Changers and Influencers
It was roughly eight years ago that I contacted the general email account that belongs to Slow Food Phoenix at the encouragement of then Quiessence Restaurant chef Greg LaPrad. After a few weeks of annoying pestering from me about finding our food’s sources, he had steered me in the direction of what would later become my tribe.
I remember feeling a sense of anticipation as I composed what I would say. “Could this be it?” I wondered. “Might I have stumbled upon a group of people who would feel the same pride in building a local food culture that I do?”
Unbeknownst to me at the time, there were already many pioneers who had laid the groundwork for our Valley local food scene. Our food community is rooted in the collaborative efforts put forth by these passionate, steadfast people who paved the way. These are the players who have shifted the Phoenix food paradigm and changed our food culture (and continue to do so).
The following honor roll is a little dedication to them in recognition of Edible Phoenix’s 10th anniversary. Some are household names; others prefer to avoid the limelight. Most are located in the Valley and/or have strong ties. All are deserving of our thanks.
Note: Given the limited space, we had to make many difficult decisions on who to include and it’s inevitable that we’ve missed someone. Let us know who else you think should be added.
The Pioneers: 1980-1999
1983: Gary Paul Nabhan
author, food activist, chair in sustainable agriculture Co-founds Native Seeds/SEARCH, later writes Coming Home to Eat
1988: Chris Bianco, Pizzeria Bianco and Pane Bianco
Establishes original location at Town and Country Shopping Center
1990: Dee Logan
Arizona Community Farmers Markets Launches first of over 15 markets at Roadrunner Park
1991: Kent Callaghan
Callaghan Vineyards Produces first vintage; wines served at the White House in following years
1993: Chrysa Robertson
Rancho Pinot Serves local food long before it’s trendy, goes on to found Slow Food Phoenix
1995: David Vose
Blue Sky Organic Farms Establishes an organic farm in Litchfield Park
1999: Barbara Fenzl
Les Gourmettes Cooking School Hosts PBS series “Savor the Southwest”
1999: Frank Martin
Crooked Sky Farms Starts a farm and sells at a market in Northern AZ; later offers CSA
1999: Howard Seftel
now retired Becomes the food critic for the Arizona Republic
1999: RoxSand Scocos McCreary
former chef-owner of RoxSand’s Wins James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest
The Settlers: 2000-2005
2000: Joe Johnston
Agritopia Launches a neighborhood built around a farm in Gilbert
2001: Robert McGrath
Roaring Fork Restaurant Wins James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest
2002: Cindy Gentry
founder of Community Food Connections Establishes Phoenix Public Market, one of the first in downtown Phoenix
2002: Deborah Knight
former chef/owner of Mosaic Restaurant Wins Food and Wine’s Best New Chef the same year the restaurant opens
2002: Silvana Salcido
Barrio Café Opens regional Mexican cuisine restaurant
2003: Eric Glomski
Page Springs Cellars Founds winery, supports other producers and later partners in Arizona Stronghold
2004: Mark Tarbell
Tarbell’s Restaurant Begins writing wine column for the Arizona Republic
2004: Kevin and Amy Binkley
Binkley’s Restaurant Group Opens flagship restaurant in Cave Creek, a four-time James Beard Award nominee
2005: Perry Rea
Queen Creek Olive Mill Expands the “shed” into a full agritourism operation
2005: Greg LaPrad
former chef at Quiessence and Overland Trout Assumes the helm at the Farm at South Mountain’s farm-to-table restaurant
The Catalysts: 2006-2009
2006: Pamela Hamilton
Edible Phoenix Debuts first local Farmer+Chef Connection event
2006: Todd and Kelly Bostock
Dos Cabezas Wineworks Purchases the winery from AZ wine pioneer Al Buhl
2007: Barbara Colleary
C-CAP Arizona Retires after 15 years of dedicated service
2007: Sam Pillsbury
Pillsbury Wine Company Starts the winery after transitioning from Dos Cabezas Wineworks
2007: James and Wendy Porter
formerly chef/owners of Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar Holds first Locavore dinners in greater Phoenix
2008: Maya Dailey
Maya’s Farm Receives Edible Phoenix Local Hero Award for first time, now in Hall of Fame
2008: Rhonni and Josh Moffitt
former owners AZ Vines and Wines Start magazine targeted to the Arizona wine industry
2009: Helen Yung and Jan Wichayanuparp
Sweet Republic Recognized among Bon Appétit’s Top 10 Best Ice Cream Shops
2009: Ray DelMuro
Refresh Glass Receives AZ Republic Top 35 Male Entrepreneurs Under 35 in AZ award
2009: Tracy Dempsey
Tracy Dempsey Originals Starts consulting with local chefs on inspiring dessert menus
The Architects: 2010-2015
2010: Dave Jordan
Two Wash Ranch Dave “The Egg Man” goes full-time raising eggs and chickens
2011: Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic
FnB Restaurant Expands and moves to current location at Kiva Center
2011: Emma and Jeff Zimmerman
Hayden Flour Mills Ignite heritage grain enthusiasm through family business Hayden Flour Mills
2011: Kenny Barrett
Roosevelt Growhouse Initiates Valley of the Sunflowers with BioScience High School students
2012: Dominic Armato
Phoenix Food Nerds (now Arizona Republic) Pitches at Ignite Food and launches food forum Phoenix Food Nerds
2012: Jason Raducha and Claudio Urciuoli
Noble Bread Debuts artisan bread made from heritage grains with a mobile wood-fired oven
2014: Jonathan Buford and partners
AZ Wilderness Brewing Co. Named Best Microbrewery in the World by Esquire
2014: Rodney Hu and partners
AZ Distilling Co. Desert Durum Wheat Whiskey wins Silver Medal at Great American Distillers Festival
2014: Kimber Lanning and Rachel Morningstar
Local First Arizona Foundation Adopt statewide local foods directory Good Food Finder AZ
2014: Greg Peterson
Urban Farm U Partners to create the latest incarnation of the Urban Farm permaculture movement
A Dozen to Watch: 2016 and Beyond
These are the up-and-comers we’ll be talking about on our 20th anniversary.
Andrew Gooi, Food Talkies
Bo Mostow, Uptown Farmers Market
Erich and Yvonne Schultz, Steadfast Farm at Agritopia
Jeff Kraus, Crepe Bar
Jill Smith, C-CAP Arizona
Maynard Keenan, Four Eight Wineworks
Rob and Sarah Hammelman, Sand Reckoner Vineyards
Robbie Tutlewski and Tony Andiario, The Bianco Group
Sasha Levine, Ocotillo Restaurant
Stephen Jones, DeSoto Central Market
Steve McFate, Fate Brewing Co.
Timothy Olorunfemi and colleagues, New Roots Program at IRC
An American child raised on Dutch-Indonesian food, Natalie Rachel Morris is now a classically trained culinarian with a masters of arts in food culture and communications. As a W.K. Kellogg Foundation–endowed fellow, she founded the award-winning initiative Good Food Finder and is now the local foods coordinator at Local First Arizona.
