You don’t have to travel abroad for a once-in-a-lifetime dining opportunity, and it’s not necessary to catch a plane to New York or Los Angeles to experience America’s most creative cuisine.
Just take a seat at the City of Gastronomy Downtown Chef’s Table at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 6, where chefs from nine downtown restaurants will showcase their culinary skills to benefit the Fox Tucson Theatre and Tu Nidito.
“This is very much a celebration of downtown chefs and downtown restaurants and downtown Tucson, which has become a dining mecca,” said Janos Wilder, owner of Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails. “Tucson is one of only 10 UNESCO Cities of Gastronomy in the world (for 2015) and the only one in the United States. We will celebrate that honor and give chefs the opportunity to come together as colleagues to raise money for these very important causes.”
Wilder founded the first Downtown Chef’s Table in 2014 and is organizing the March 6 event, which will take place at his new cooking school and event venue, The Carriage House, at 146 E. Broadway.
The City of Gastronomy theme will celebrate flavors uniquely Tucson, according to Wilder.
“These are foods that taste like Tucson ... that means we will create a dish and if you eat it with your eyes closed, you know you are in Tucson. Many ingredients date back thousands and thousands of years and resonate with the flavors of our home.”
Additionally, Wilder is excited about the collaborative opportunity the evening presents for chefs and diners alike.
“You don’t often get collaboration amongst chefs. You might go to a festival where each chef offers samples of their cooking, but you don’t often have chefs working on a meal together in the same room and the same kitchen,” he said.
Wilder said that events such as the Downtown Chef’s Table distinguish Tucson not only as a culinary inspiration, but as a community that works together to provide a “safety net” for its members.
“There is a sense of community that Tucson embodies in the way it takes care of its own and cares for the entire community through the Community Food Bank, various kitchens around town, Iskashitaa Refugee Network and other organizations. They create a network of fabric that works effectively to make sure everyone’s needs are met, and that is something we can all be proud of as a community. That is as important as any single thing that we do and it can’t be overstated,” he said.
Tu Nidito is an integral part of that network and has provided acceptance, support and understanding for local children in grief since 1994.
The nonprofit supported more than 800 children and 350 families last year through 12 programs, including age-specific grief support targeted at children, teens, young adults and family members; support for children of parents diagnosed with a serious illness; and support for children diagnosed with serious medical conditions along with their siblings and families.
“Tu Nidito and the Fox Tucson Theatre are all about building communities — Tu Nidito through its work with children and families and the Fox through all that it does downtown with the arts, entertainment and music,” Wilder said.
The Fox, which originally opened in 1930 and underwent a complete restoration before reopening as a nonprofit in 2005, offers more than 160 events annually, including film screenings, special events, concerts, community gatherings and lectures.
Executive Director Craig Sumberg said that support of events such as the Downtown Chef’s Table remain vital to the theater, which is dedicated to supporting not only the arts, but other nonprofit organizations.
Overall, Sumberg said he is thrilled about the upcoming Downtown Chef’s Table.
“We appreciate the support of Janos Wilder and his chef colleagues, and I think that support is evidence of the growing appreciation for the Fox as a leader in the downtown renaissance,” he said.
