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A NIGHT OF CULINARY STARS
The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America – and its exclusive benefit dinner – returns to the Valley BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
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ow in its fifth year, the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America Culinary Tour – a cross-country program set each fall in 10 culinary destinations including Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Seattle – has again chosen the Valley as one of its stops. According to Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, the Taste America program was developed as a result of feedback from food lovers across the country, including right here in Arizona, that wished the famous James Beard House dining experience in New York would be available in their cities. This year, the event will take place over a long weekend, with the kick-off reception hosted by Sam Fox on Thursday, Sept. 21, at Little Cleo’s Seafood Legend. “The weekend continues on Friday, Sept. 22 at Mountain Shadows with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The evening will begin with a reception of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from local chefs and restaurateurs as well as a silent auction,” says Ungaro, noting CBS 5 news anchor Sean McLaughlin will serve as the evening’s emcee. Local chefs signed on for this signature event reception include: Aaron Chamberlin of St. Francis, Dustin Christofolo of Quiessence, Lori Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery, Branden Levine of Sel Restaurant, and Beau MacMillan of elements at Sanctuary After the locally focused reception, guests will be seated for an extraordinary one-night-only dinner prepared by Taste America All-Star Traci Des Jardins, who is owner and chef at the award-winning Jardinière in San Francisco; Nobuo Fukuda,
If You Go… What: James Beard Taste America Night of Culinary Stars Benefit Dinner When: Sept. 22; reception, 7 p.m.; dinner, 8 p.m. Where: Mountain Shadows, 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley Tickets: General admission, $275; VIP, $500; table, $2,500 Information: www.jamesbeard.org
the local superstar chef behind Nobuo at Teeter House; and host chef Charles Wiley, of Hearth ’61 at Mountain Shadows. A dessert reception will conclude the evening with sweets from local pastry chefs Tammie Coe of Tammie Coe Cakes, Country Velador of Super Chunk, and Cassie Weisz of Churn. For those looking for an elevated experience, the benefit will offer limited VIP tickets, which will include early access to the silent auction and cocktail reception as well as preferred dinner seating, a meet and greet with the chefs,
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a listing in the event program, and a special gift to take home. Additionally, Mountain Shadows will offer a special overnight package, which will include drinks, an arrival amenity, an upgraded room type upon arrival (based on availability), and admittance to the dinner. The package begins at $449 for single occupancy and $699 for double occupancy for the night of the event only. The festivities continue on Saturday, when Taste America will also offer free instore events at Sur La Table at Scottsdale Fashion Square.