The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance is presenting two events in the coming weeks that give Tucson’s culinary scene a chance to shine.
First up is this weekend’s inaugural Savor — Southern Arizona Food & Wine Festival. If it unfolds in real life as it’s presented on paper, expect Savor to become Tucson’s gold standard for future food events.
The event lets you sample food, desserts, cocktails, wine and craft beer from as many as 40 chefs, breweries, vintners and food purveyors gathered at Tucson Botanical Gardens. Local First Arizona is also one of the organizers.
With a focus on local talent, there will also be demonstrations by chefs who include Albert Hall of Acacia Real Food + Cocktails; Maria Mazon of Boca Tacos y Tequila; Angel Fabian of Vero Amore and Noble Hops; and Scott Rackliff, Gringo Grill + Cantina at La Posada Lodge.
The festival is a bit of a culinary road trip.
While most of the restaurants are spread throughout Tucson, the lineup does include Café Roka in Bisbee, which recently opened a wine bar.
Liz Stern, one of SAACA’s event organizers, said she was very excited that the Southern Arizona landmark was taking part.
Roka Chef/Owner Rod Kass said that he always tries to support Local First Arizona and was also looking forward to meeting some of the new faces in Tucson’s restaurant scene along with the winemakers who will attend the festival. “It’s exciting for us,” he said.
Participating vineyards span the state, with Arizona Stronghold, Aridus Wine Co., Coronado Vineyards, Keeling Schaefer Vineyards, Dos Cabezas Wine Works, Grand Canyon Winery, Golden Rule Vineyards, Pillsbury Wine, Callaghan Vineyards and Sand-Reckoner Vineyards.
The brews on tap will come from Four Peaks Brewing Co. in the Phoenix area, along with Humboldt Brewing and Historic Brewing Co. from Flagstaff, with Speakeasy Ales & Lagers from San Francisco and Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery.
Stern said organizers would love to grow that area of the festival and bring local breweries on board in coming years.
More than 600 guests are expected to attend, and as of Tuesday afternoon the event was close to being sold out.
In March, as part of the Tucson Festival of Books, nine top chefs, including Tucson’s own Ryan Clark (Agustín Kitchen at Mercado San Agustín) and James Beard winner Jeff Michaud of Philadelphia’s Osteria, will showcase their prowess in the 2014 Celebrity Chef Showcase at Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa.
The chefs — all published cookbook authors who will also appear at the book festival — will prepare signature dishes for guests to sample alongside craft cocktails, wine and beer.
They will also sign copies of their books at the showcase; cookbooks may be available for sale.
The notable chefs and foodies expected to participate include Sam Fox of Fox Restaurant Concepts, whose Phoenix-based restaurant empire was born in Tucson; celebrated Houston chef and restaurateur Ricardo Muñoz Zurita; and LA farm-to-table advocate and chef Suzanne Goin.
This will be a more intimate affair, with about 300 guests expected.
MORE ON the CHEFS
Read more about some of the featured chef authors in the Star’s Food section starting Feb. 12 and continuing each Wednesday leading up to the Tucson Festival of Books, which is March 15-16 at the University of Arizona.
