Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

“Thank a Nurse” with Tea of A Kind in November

Tempe based Vessl and its Tea of a Kind ready-to drink tea have partnered with Nightingale 2030 Resilience Fund and American Cancer Society for their #ThankANurse campaign starting November 1st. 5% of all tea and product sales will be donated to local nurses.

GuacStar Kitchen & Cantina opens November 5th

New plant-based Mexican food eatery opens its first location at the Cornerstone Mall at University & Rural in Tempe.

AZ Paint Night returns to Padre Murphy’s

Glendale’s oldest bar and restaurant welcomes artist Lexie Swan every Tuesday for an evening of socially distanced painting on the patio. Canvas and paint are $20 and you get to take home what your art. Food and drink are sold separately and AZ Paint Night goes from 6:30 – 8:30.

Chef Danielle Leoni partners with World Central Kitchen Phoenix for meal kits.

The owner of the Breadfruit & Rum Bar has been keeping busy preparing farm to table meal kits for local organizations. Last week she delivered 400 meal kits to those in need at A New Leaf and Roosevelt Community Church. Another 400 meal kits will be prepared this Sunday November 1st with some going to those standing in line to vote on Election Day.

Highway 12 Vineyards & Winery featured at Sunday Supper Club

Hearth ’61, the signature restaurant at Mountain Shadows Resort hosts its monthly 5-course dinner. The unique menu is created by executive chef Charles Wiley to be paired with wines from California. This month’s dinner is on November 15th and cost $109 ++per person. To view the pairing menu and make a reservation visit their website.

Kids eat free on Halloween at Angry Crab Shack

No tricks are needed but costumes are at all 11 locations on Saturday October 31st. Until 6 p.m. all kids under 12 years old get a free kid’s meal. Choose from chicken tenders, mac n cheese, fried shrimp, kid’s cheeseburger or min corn dogs. All meals come with a fountain drink and choice of side.

 

 

 

Brie and Nikki Bella pair their wines at Hearth ’61 cuisine

Since their not body slamming their opponents in the wrestling ring anymore, twin sisters Brie and Nikki Bella are stomping grapes at their Napa Valley winery, Belle Radici. They launched the winery with partner Ryan Hill in 2017 and is Italian for “beautiful roots”. Belle Radici wines along with wines from Hill’s Hill Family Estate Winery will be poured on Sunday September 15th at Hearth ’61.

The dinner is part of the Mountain Shadows Resort’s Sunday Supper Club with food prepared by Chef Charles Wiley. Chef Wiley will be joined in the kitchen by Elements at Sanctuary executive chef Beau MacMillan. The pair worked together at Element’s when Wiley was executive chef and mentored MacMillan.

They’re collaborating on a four-course menu that includes Black Garlic Braised Beef Cheek and Honey Crisp Apple and Daikon Radish Salad.

The monthly Sunday Supper Club pairs wines or spirits with Chef Wiley’s modern cuisine. Upcoming dinners include Rombauer Vineyards on October 20th and Champagne Henriot on December 8th.

Dinner starts at 6 p.m. and each seat is 474 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 480-624-5400.

Mountain Shadows Resort is at 5445 E. Lincoln Dr. Paradise Valley 85253.

Hotel Valley Ho has a new executive chef in the kitchen

Scottsdale’s iconic Hotel Valley Ho recently has made a change in its culinary operations and has named Russell LaCasce as executive chef effective January 2nd, 2017. LaCasce comes from Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa where he was the executive sous chef where he worked closely with executive chef Beau Macmillan  since 2010.

Zuzu restaurant
Hotel Valley Ho’s Zuzu restaurant

LaCasce found his passion for food and cooking 20 years ago while working in Charleston, South Carolina before moving to Park City, Utah to learn the service side of the restaurant industry.

After moving to Scottsdale in 2006 he attended the Arizona Culinary Institute and went to work at T. Cook’s at The Royal Palms Resort before heading to the other side of Camelback Mountain to Sanctuary on Camelback. While at T.Cook’s he worked with executive chef Lee Hillson and rose the p.m. sous chef position.

At Hotel Valley Ho LaCasce will oversee all aspects of the hotels culinary operations including the hotel’s restaurant Zuzu, in-room dining, catering and banquets.

“We are delighted to have Russell as our new executive chef. His reputation for delivering creative and flavorful cuisine coupled with his ability to lead his culinary colleagues made him the perfect fit for this key position. We are very much looking forward to seeing how he influences ZuZu and all of our culinary operations,” said Ronen Aviram, the hotel’s general manager.

LaCasce replaces executive chef Charles Wiley who has moved to the soon to open Mountain Shadows Resort in Paradise Valley where he will be the executive chef. Wiley will continue to be director of food and beverage for Westroc Hospitality which has developed and manages Hotel Valley Ho, Sanctuary on Camelback and Mountain Shadows.