“The restaurant business is my passion,” she said. “I love food, I love wine, and I love sharing my culture with people. I wanted to create a beautiful place for people to meet to enjoy great coffee, food and company.”

After working in her family’s Italian restaurant for years, Ambrosio decided to open her own restaurant close to her family’s Casa Mia restaurant in Scottsdale. She opened Zingara Market in August 2023. 

Zingara, which translates to “gypsy woman” in Italian, offers coffee, pastries, grab-and-go items, wine and all-day dining. The market sells a variety of European goods, ranging from olive oils and pasta to cutlery and candles. 

“This neighborhood needed a restaurant like this, where people could meet any time of day, from having coffee and pastries in the morning to having wine and dinner,” Ambrosio said.

Opening the restaurant was a new experience for Ambrosio, and she was involved in every aspect of the design, from the space to the menu to the plating.

Zingara’s menu was created by Ambrosio and chef Jordan Adams and features authentic dishes from Italy, France and Spain, as well as wine selections from Europe. Menu favorites include dates stuffed with Iberico pork chorizo and guanciale, meatballs made with American wagyu beef and Iberico pork, Spanish octopus with forbidden rice, and Gambas al Ajillo, a Spanish shrimp dish with garlic, lemon and chili flakes. The dessert menu offers brown butter chocolate pave and croissant pudding with a salted caramel bourbon sauce.  

Ambrosio has received positive feedback. “I have built relationships in the local community working at my family’s restaurant for many years,” she said. “People thank me for bringing this concept to the neighborhood.”

To learn more, visit zingaramarket.com.

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“The menu is an homage to my and Mark Stone’s travels across Asia with inspiration drawn from countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan,” said Sosa, who has competed on “Top Chef,” “Iron Chef America” and “Beat Bobby Flay.” 

The menu embraces the rich tapestry of Asian street food culture with highlights that include black pepper Maine lobster — a riff on a Singaporean dish with oyster sauce, garlic and ginger — and Tuna Thai Jewel, a savory twist on a Thai dessert, with tuna sashimi and turmeric tapioca-dusted jicama in a lemongrass-ginger broth.

Kembara has one of the largest collections of Asian spirits in the United States, including Japanese whiskeys and sake, as well as spirits from India and Thailand.

In addition to the food and beverages, the design is a critical element of the experience. The space was designed by Thomas Schoos, who also designed Tia Carmen and other restaurants, including Morimoto in Napa and TAO in New York and Las Vegas.

“Thomas Schoos created a modern and vibrant space inspired by Asia’s night markets,” said Sosa. “The open kitchen layout offers glimpses of the team cooking at their woks and grills, infusing the space with energy.”

For more behind this Frontdoor, go to kembaradesertridge.com.

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Each restaurant offers dishes highlighting Japan’s renowned Hokkaido scallop with a sake pairing. Restaurants participating in the series include Kaizen and Sake Haus in Phoenix; Kuka Sushi and Izakaya in Tempe; Shimogamo and Mikado Sushi in Chandler; and Roka Akor, Kay Sushi and Sushi Crush in Scottsdale. The pairing at Hana Japanese Eatery in Phoenix features flash-fried Hokkaido scallops drizzled with soy vinegar sauce with Nanbu Bijin sake. Umami BBQ and Sushi in North Phoenix is offering Hokkaido scallops carpaccio with lemon, cucumbers and ponzu sauce paired with Arizona Sake. By using #SupportSake and tagging @supportsake in social media posts, diners will be entered to win roundtrip airfare to Japan and other prizes.

“We are committed to further strengthening the relationship between Japan and Arizona in the area of food as well as economic and cultural ties,” said Kenko Sone, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles. “Japan has high-quality seafood from our rich coastal waters, and sake and seafood have a harmonious relationship that complements and enhances each other. I hope Arizonans will take this opportunity to enjoy the marriage of Japanese seafood and sake.”

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit tasteofjpn.com/supportsake.

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“We are helping businesses in underserved communities that may not have access to resources due to barriers like education and language,” said Jose Gamiz, food entrepreneurship coordinator at Local First Arizona.

Local First Arizona’s Community Kitchen incubation program offers low-cost access to commercial kitchens to food entrepreneurs who need a fully equipped and licensed space and resources to launch or expand their business.

Entrepreneurs in the incubation program can use Local First Arizona’s Community Kitchen space for up to two years while they build their business and receive guidance on running a food business, from finance and purchasing to marketing, staffing and operations.

“We help entrepreneurs grow their business to the point where they can open their own space, whether it’s a food truck, brick and mortar location or an online business,” said Gamiz. “We are here to help these entrepreneurs set and achieve their goals. We can also connect them to banks and credit unions for loans and help them get permits they need.”

Entrepreneurs with a food-related business can apply through Local First Arizona’s Good Food Finder website. Businesses selected for Local First’s Community Kitchen incubation program must participate in the Good Food Boot Camp, a six-week course providing information and resources from experts and industry professionals to help entrepreneurs successfully scale their businesses.

Local First Arizona holds quarterly meetings with entrepreneurs in the incubation program to review their progress. They can also connect them to professionals who can help in areas like accounting and website development. After entrepreneurs leave the incubation program, they can continue to receive support from Local First Arizona.  

Gamiz was part of the first Community Kitchen incubation program in Mesa as an entrepreneur. “I have come full circle, and now I have the opportunity to help other entrepreneurs, which is extremely rewarding,” he said.

Local First Arizona has incubated more than 200 restaurants and food businesses since 2017 through its Community Kitchen and Good Food Boot Camp programs. 

Community Kitchens have been home to a variety of businesses, from homemade jams, candied nuts and desserts to food trucks and catering companies. Success stories coming out of Local First Arizona’s program include Empanada Empire, Bagel Daddies and Chilte, which has received local and national awards. 

One of the businesses currently utilizing Local First Arizona’s Maryvale Community Kitchen, which opened in late 2023, is Chispita’s Catering, which a mother and daughter run. 

“It’s a great experience being in the Maryvale Community Kitchen,” said Carmen Perez, the chef at Chispita’s Catering. “The kitchen has good equipment and the space we need. We are learning a lot about running our business, including marketing, finance and much more. It’s reassuring to have help available to guide and advise us as we grow.” 

For information, go to goodfoodfinderaz.com.  

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Opened in 2001, Quiessence stands for a quiet, tranquil environment. “The restaurant has evolved a lot over time. It started out as a more casual restaurant, where we hosted cooking classes,” said chef and co-owner Dustin Christofolo. “Over the years and after a few remodels, it has evolved into a fine-dining establishment with specialized tasting menus. 

At the beginning of 2023, we opened our new state-of-the-art Q Kitchen, the perfect custom space for our farm-to-table restaurant.”

Christofolo describes Quiessence as farm fresh with a rustic soul. “The ambiance is very romantic and the menu is true farm-to-table with our onsite garden just steps from our kitchen,” he said. “We are inspired by the flavors and seasons of Arizona.” 

Guests can enjoy a three-, four- or five-course tasting menu with optional wine pairings featuring seasonal ingredients. Recent menu selections include butternut squash soup with goat cheese mousse, potato gnocchi with guinea hen confit and Alaskan halibut with chickpea puree and corn relish. The Quiessence chef’s spread includes local cheeses, cured meats, brick-oven baked artisan bread and seasonal jams. Additional bites like Japanese A5 Wagyu and foie gras macarons are also available. 

Beverage selections at Quiessence include several wines from Arizona, as well as cocktails featuring fresh ingredients from the farm, like a citrus margarita and a smoky Paloma.

The stunning property includes an organic pecan orchard, the Soil & Seed Garden, which provides produce for all three restaurants at The Farm at South Mountain, and a rustic farmhouse where Quiessence is housed. Dining options at Quiessence include the Chef’s Table in the heart of the new kitchen and the Brick Oven Experience, which offers a special tasting menu next to a fireplace under a private gazebo.

In addition to onsite ingredients from the farm, including herbs, microgreens, beets, radishes, citrus, eggplant and zucchini, Quiessence uses a variety of local suppliers, including Noble Bread, Two Wash Ranch, McClendon Farms and Crow’s Dairy.

“It’s important to support the people of your region,” Christofolo said. “Fresher ingredients imply more sustainable practices. We follow the lead of the seasons and the land to guide our menu and our cooking. The flavors of the Arizona terroir shine through each dish with the unique layering of flavors and exceptional use of the local ingredients.”

For information, visit thefarmatsouthmountain.com/quiessence-restaurant.  

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“The local community has watched this project grow over the past several years and there was a lot of anticipation,” said Calvin Arnold, national sales director for Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards. “We are thrilled with the support we’ve received from both locals and visitors. People are discovering this hilltop where we are growing grapes, making wine and presenting what this area has to offer.” 

Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards are family-owned wineries based in Jerome with a strong presence in Arizona. Owner and winemaker Maynard James Keenan, lead singer for the band Tool, moved to Jerome in 1995.

In 2009, Caduceus opened a tasting room in Jerome. The Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room & Osteria opened in Cottonwood in 2016. “The focus was wine, but people started gravitating to our food and pasta programs,” Arnold said.

In addition to Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards, the family of brands has grown to include Four 8 Wineworks, which has tasting rooms in Jerome and Cottonwood, and Puscifer Queen B, a line of canned wines. A Merkin Vineyards tasting room and restaurant opened in Old Town Scottsdale in 2019.

As of 2014, all of the grapes used to produce these wines are grown in southern Arizona and northern Arizona’s Verde Valley. “We take a lot of pride in where we come from. Everything we do, from our branding to our labels, is an homage to where we live,” Arnold said.

In addition to focusing on Arizona wine, the brands have multiple greenhouses and orchards throughout the state that grow a variety of items, including basil, mushrooms, microgreens and apples.

The Trattoria menu at the hilltop facility is dominantly Italian and features produce grown in the greenhouses and orchards, as well as fresh bread and pasta. Popular menu items include gnocchi with sage and prosciutto cream sauce and the Merkin mac and cheese, prickly pear-infused pasta with pancetta and mascarpone cream sauce. The menu also offers wood-oven pizza, bruschetta and wine flights. 

“Everything on the menu is made to pair with wine, as that is our focus,” Arnold said. “We grow as much as we can and try to source locally as much as possible. We have a taste of Arizona in everything we do.”

To learn more, visit merkintrattoria.com.

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^{Photo courtesy of Shea Cheese}

“Grazing boards are a great way to celebrate getting together,” said Jenny Zink, co-owner of Shea Cheese in Phoenix, which offers boards, a wide selection of cheeses and classes. “Instead of setting out 20 different dishes, you can incorporate them all into one beautiful platter.”

Boards are versatile and can be customized for a variety of holidays and occasions. “Holiday boards can include both savory and sweet items, as well as decorations. They also make great gifts,” said Liza Noriega, owner of She Shed Chef. One of She Shed Chef’s most popular boards is the Largecuterie, a grazing table for large gatherings, which includes meats, cheeses, fruit, bread, crackers and a variety of homemade spreads. “People want to celebrate in their homes with a unique table of food. It’s super convenient because I do all the preparation, delivery and set up, and leftovers can be enjoyed later.”

Holiday boards can incorporate flavors of the season. “For our Thanksgiving boards, we like to pick cheeses that pair with classic Thanksgiving flavor profiles, such as adding Sage Derby, a cheese from England that has a flavor profile similar to a mild cheddar laced with sage. We also like to add a smoky cheese like Gouda,” said Mahfam Moeeni-Alarcon, co-owner and chef at Mingle + Graze, a cheese shop and eatery in Chandler. “For Christmas, we love using rosemary to garnish our boards and Christmas cookies for that extra pop of holiday fun. For a sweet treat, we add peppermint bark.”

Many people enjoy creating their own boards, and there are expert tips and classes to provide guidance and ideas.

“Remember, the threes — three types of meat, three kinds of cheeses, three spreads, three types of crackers and three types of snacks,” said Noriega, who teaches a charcuterie board class at LDV Winery’s tasting room in Old Town Scottsdale. 

In addition to the aesthetics, consider your guests’ preferences. Boards can easily be customized for vegetarians, vegans and people who are gluten-free or have other dietary restrictions.

^{Photo courtesy of She Shed Chef}

“You can add charcuterie or keep it vegetarian. Fruit is always a must to add pops of color. Jams, mustards, honeys and olives add a nice touch. Nuts give it a great look,” Moeeni-Alarcon said.

Ask for suggestions at your local cheese shop. “We encourage people to start with the cheese,” Zink said. “Soft, hard and blue are great places to start. If you don’t like brie, you can choose another soft cheese, like a fresh chevre or a creamy burrata. For a hard cheese, choosing something in the cheddar family is an easy win. If you’re not a fan of blue, choose a flavored cheese like a fun Cajun cheddar or a truffle cheese. Once you have your cheeses, you can add other things to make your board pop. We recommend using this formula: cheese, meat, produce, pickle, dip, crunch and something sweet.”

Whatever the occasion, guests are sure to love a board.  

For information, go to sheshedchef.com, mingleandgraze.com and sheacheese.com.

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Chef Cory Oppold has worked for some of Arizona’s most acclaimed restaurants and chefs. In May 2023, he opened his own restaurant in Scottsdale called Course. “I’ve been dreaming about having my own restaurant since I was in culinary school,” he said. “It’s everything and more that I hoped for, and it’s been really fun building it.”

Like many chefs, Oppold had to pivot when the pandemic closed Atlas Bistro, where he had worked for several years.

“During the pandemic, people wanted to enjoy fine dining but didn’t want to go out, so I focused on offering multi-course tasting menus in people’s homes and thought about how I could translate the experience to a restaurant,” Oppold said.

In February 2022, Oppold met investors Brett and Christian Pezzuto at a wine dinner, and Course started to take shape. “We were looking to create an experience where diners could have fun and enjoy a high-end tasting menu in a relaxed atmosphere with great hospitality and exceptional service,” Oppold said.

Course offers three dining options with menus that change regularly, including a 10-course dinner Thursday through Saturday and a five-course dinner Tuesday and Wednesday, with wine pairings available. Morning Would, which Oppold started as a pop-up, features a multi-course Sunday brunch with upscale twists on familiar favorites like chicken and waffles, and cereal and milk.

“We like to add playful and nostalgic elements to the menu, offering some things people are familiar with and some things they may not have tried before,” Oppold said.

Oppold was raised on a farm in Illinois and moved to Arizona to study architecture. One dinner at the Arizona Biltmore resort in Phoenix changed his career path. 

“When I experienced a high-end restaurant for the first time, I fell in love with the artistic approach to food and fine dining,” Oppold said. “Growing up on a farm, food was more of a source of energy than art. I was interested in making food more of an experience.”

Oppold studied at Scottsdale Culinary Institute and started his career at the iconic Different Pointe of View restaurant in Phoenix. He worked there for several years, starting as a line cook and becoming executive sous chef. He then served as chef de cuisine at L’Auberge de Sedona before returning to Phoenix to teach at his former culinary school. “I learned so much about food by teaching classes,” he said. 

After a few years teaching, Oppold worked as sous chef at Binkley’s, one of Arizona’s most celebrated fine dining restaurants. He then became executive chef at Tarbell’s. His next career move was to Atlas Bistro, where he worked from 2014 until the pandemic hit in 2020. 

“Atlas Bistro was my first opportunity to create my own menu, incorporating what I learned from my past experiences,” said Oppold, who won Food Network’s “Chopped” in 2019.

After receiving great feedback from diners and the media, Oppold is working on new menus for Course, including a holiday menu. 

“I like to bring simplistic elements together to create complex dishes with attention to detail and a focus on presentation,” Oppold said. “People eat with their eyes first. As chefs, it’s our job to make everything taste good, but also to make it look good. That’s where everything comes together.”

To learn more, visit courserestaurantaz.com.

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“People don’t realize how close Arizona is to the ocean. Fresh seafood can be here in five hours,” said Mandy Heflin, one of the owners and co-founder of Chula’s Arizona operations. The Heflin family has had a commercial fishing boat in San Diego for 25 years. In 2015, the family recognized the need for fresh seafood in the desert and began delivering straight from the boat to Arizona. This led to the opening of Chula’s first seafood market and restaurant in South Scottsdale in 2016, followed by locations in Central Phoenix in 2019 and North Scottsdale in 2022. These locations offer markets with fresh seafood that consumers can take home, as well as a variety of meals that can be enjoyed in the restaurant.  

Chula is especially proud of its culinary team’s creativity. “Our chefs have a blank canvas of beautiful fresh fish to work with and have come up with unique dishes like swordfish Bolognese and Thai swordfish sausage, which won the 2023 Devour Culinary Classic,” Heflin said. “Our daily features in our restaurants give our chefs the freedom to create.” 

Bestsellers on Chula’s menu include fish and chips, green chile tuna melt, and poke bowls. Popular items in their markets include salmon, swordfish, scallops and halibut. 

With three restaurants, a warehouse and drivers, Chula Seafood employs more than 100 people in Arizona. “We want to make sure our team is happy and we are all focused on the same goal to provide the best seafood, the best customer service and best dining experience,” Heflin said. 

Sustainability is another key to Chula’s success. “Sustainability is ingrained in our business in so many ways, starting with sustainable fishing, which correlates to ocean preservation for future generations,” Heflin said. “We repurpose all parts from the animal to create dishes. We also practice sustainability in our restaurant operations.”

Chula continues to build its local presence. “We built our business by providing fresh seafood to the desert and filling a market need,” Heflin said. “We want to give our customers the quality they deserve and make sure our seafood is as fresh as possible. We pride ourselves on educating retail and wholesale customers on different species and what’s available. The collaboration between our wholesale and retail presence has helped us grow and become a trusted seafood purveyor.”

To learn more, visit chulaseafood.com.

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Anhelo is Spanish for desire. To chef Ivan Jacobo, desire applies to the guests, the staff and the experience.

Jacobo was born in Mexico and grew up in the West Valley. “I didn’t cook growing up because I had a traditional Mexican mother who cooked everything,” he said. “I was thinking about being a mechanic but in high school I was inspired by ‘Iron Chef.’ I had never seen food that looked like art like that.” 

Jacobo studied culinary arts at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale. The first in his family to go to college, he didn’t know about scholarships and worked his way through school with his parents’ help. A few classes shy of graduating, he left school to take his first job at Verrado in Buckeye, which was a great learning experience. 

After spending time working in California, Jacobo moved back to the Phoenix area. He worked long hours at a few restaurants, then opened a food truck. Volunteering at a charity event inspired him to start doing pop-up dinners. “I saw strangers coming together to enjoy a meal while supporting a cause, and I fell in love with hospitality,” he said.

His pop-ups started small but soon became so popular that they regularly sold out, which led to the opening of Anhelo in Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix in 2019. 

“It started out as a more casual concept but grew into fine dining as we got more business clientele,” Jacobo said. “With so many bars and casual restaurants, there was a need for a fine dining restaurant in downtown Phoenix.”  

In 2022, Anhelo moved to the historic Orpheum Lofts building and the restaurant has flourished due to its excellent service, expansive wine list and beautiful dishes featuring high-quality ingredients. 

Anhelo offers a three-course or seven-course menu with a la carte items available on request. Some items on the menu change based on seasonality. Popular items on the recent menu include foie gras torchon with papaya and pomegranate, duck with honey glaze and lavender crust, and Australian lamb with whipped potatoes. Menu favorites include roasted cauliflower, scallops with sweet potato puree and beef wellington with wild mushroom duxelles and prosciutto.

A Wine Spectator Award winner, Anhelo offers expert wine pairings with its menus. Anhelo also hosts wine dinners with some of the world’s best winemakers.

Giving back has always been important to Jacobo. A portion of sales from the restaurant’s house wines benefit LoveIAM, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families and children with congenital heart defects. He recently started a scholarship fund for culinary students at Estrella Mountain Community College, inspired by his own challenges paying for school.   

“Our staff is like a family, and we love coming together to support worthy causes,” Jacobo said. 

For more information, visit anhelorestaurant.com.

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