Imagine indulging in an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of dishes prepared by 50 of the Valley’s top chefs, accompanied by wines from nearly 100 winemakers. This foodie fantasy becomes reality this weekend at Western of Western, one of the Valley’s premier culinary festivals, at Phoenix Art Museum.
The highlights include:
• A Grand Tasting, held outdoors in the museum’s sculpture garden, featuring signature dishes prepared by acclaimed chefs and master bakers — 25 each day — who will be on hand to answer questions about ingredients and techniques.
• A Wine Table, held inside the museum’s Great Hall, with samples of wines and spirits from around the world. Wines can be paired with confections made by some of the Valley’s best chocolatiers.
• Classes and seminars from food and wine experts, such as hand-pulling mozzarella with Digestif chef Payton Curry or learning about chiles from cookbook author and TV host Barbara Fenzl.
Festival admission is $85 for one day or $150 for two days, which includes all the food and wine, seminars and live entertainment. Food-only passes are available for $77 and $134.
Participation in West of Western, now in its fifth year, is limited to independent or chef-driven restaurants, which must be invited by the festival’s chefs council.
“This is all about promoting restaurants and Arizona food and discovering we have distinct culture,” says festival director Scott Andrews. “It’s not all western. Arizona is a very contemporary place.
“Even though restaurants like Kai (at the Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Chandler) use traditional ingredients, it’s done with contemporary style and techniques.”
New invitees this year include Chandler small-plates restaurant Cork; Scottsdale’s Roka Akor, just named one of the top 10 sushi spots in the country by Esquire; and Prado, the centerpiece of the new Montelucia Resort in Paradise Valley.
Chefs are asked to prepare one or two dishes for the tasting, but many are going beyond that. Cork’s Brian Peterson says he will offer five, and Quiessence’s Greg LaPrad is planning 10 courses.
“I’d have to say restaurants are getting much more extravagant than previously,” Andrews says. “Over the years, restaurants also have gotten more interactive with the crowds.”
About 1,500 people attended each day of last year’s festival, and Andrews says this year’s attendance will be limited to no more than 2,000.
Festival tickets also include admission to the museum and a first look at “In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein,” the first-ever Arizona exhibition of the influential Taos painter’s work.
West of Western
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave.
How much: Food and wine $85 (one day) or $150 (two days), food-only $77 and $134, youth $22, children under 9 free.
Info: (602) 262-5652 or westofwestern.com.
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