Wagyu Snake River Farms Striploin with Main Lobster Risotto
Phoenix Raises Minimum Pay for Employees to Provide Livable Wage New $15 minimum wage will take effect for full-time employees in May
New T. Cook’s Chef Brings California Sensibility, Fresh Approach to Mediterranean Fare Valley foodies have a whole new reason to visit the iconic T. Cook’s now that Chef Alex Robinson has taken over as executive chef, bringing with him an exciting take on Mediterranean cuisine that combines his California sensibility with French techniques. At 33, Robinson has worked in some of the country’s best five-star resort kitchens including The RitzCarlton Laguna Niguel, The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, Four Season Resort Jackson Hole, Four Seasons Chef Alex Robinson Hotel Denver, Four Seasons Hotel Boston and Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. “I want to push the boundaries at T. Cook’s and create inspired dishes where every element on the plate, even the garnish, is interesting, compelling and exceptional,” said Chef Alex. “T. Cook’s was always meant to be a neighborhood restaurant, not just for special occasions, and with every visit, I want to compel guests to come back and explore even Herbed Crusted more of the menu. For our new Sea Bass summer dishes, you’ll see more seafood options, local ingredients that support our Arizona farmers and nearly 80 percent of the menu is naturally gluten free. Expect See T. Cook’s Chef, page 15
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To provide a livable wage to all the City’s full-time employees the Phoenix City Council, under the leadership of newly-elected Mayor Kate Gallego, raised employee minimum wage to $15 an hour at its April 3 formal meeting. “I am proud that in my first City Council meeting as mayor, my colleagues and I took concrete action to show our support for employees by providing them a true living wage that will make a real difference in their day-to-day lives,” said Mayor Kate Gallego. “The City of Phoenix is proud to have incredible employees who work hard to improve our community every day, and we must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are paid what they deserve. This will benefit our working families, young employees just beginning their careers who have dedicated themselves to public service, and for every employee who works hard and deserves a livable wage.” The recommendation, passed by a unanimous vote of the City Council, positions the city to better compete for talent in a competitive job market and ensures that people who provide frontline customer support in a variety of roles in the organization are compensated fairly. “Phoenix City Council’s unanimous action yesterday to guarantee a $15 minimum wage for our employees was a huge win for working families,” said District 5 Councilwoman Vania Guevara. “It’s exciting to see our city leading by example, making sure our employees are paid a wage that allows them to provide for their families, save for the future, and invest in themselves and their community.” The change in the minimum wage grew out of a collaborative discussion between city leadership and one of the City’s employee labor groups, LiUNA Local 777. LiUNA represents city employees in Unit 1, holding unskilled and semi-skilled positions. Applied to all employees, the increase would also affect positions represented by Unit 2 (trades workers) and Unit 3 (clerical workers) across the organization. “Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour for the men and women who work at the City of Phoenix is life changing. These employees work tirelessly each day for the community and deserve to be paid a livable wage,” said Jennifer Grondahl, secretary, LiUNA Local 777 The state minimum wage in Arizona is currently set at $11 per hour and applied to Phoenix employees before the new Council action took effect. “Our vote to increase the minimum wage for our employees is more than just good business sense,” said District 8 Councilwoman Felicita Mendoza. “Each of the 150 employees who will immediately benefit from this change is going to be able to better support their families and take steps to improve their quality of life. Investing in our employees like this can truly transform our community by helping to ensure that the best candidates see Phoenix as an employer of choice.”
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