Talent Lineups Announced for Devour Week Events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Erica Fetherston, Local First Arizona: erica@localfirstaz.com, 602-956-0909 ext. 7

Talent Lineups Announced for Devour Week Events

Phoenix, Arizona (February 9, 2018) - The Devour Culinary Classic, the culminating event of Devour Week, has been sold out since December, but that doesn’t mean that Arizonans have to miss out on the annual culinary celebration of local talent. Devour Week now encompasses four unique events ending with the Devour Culinary Classic: The Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition, the Seven Chefs Dinner, and the newly added Devour the World. Each of the three pre-events to the Classic still have tickets available for purchase.

Talent Announced for Bartending Competition and Seven Chefs Dinner

Participating bartenders, restaurants, chefs, and more have been finalized for some of the Devour Week events.

Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition

Devour Week kicks off with the Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the DeSoto Central Market (915 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004). This event celebrates the best of local cocktail culture at the Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition. Attendees can root for their favorite bartenders from the Devour Phoenix Coalition of restaurants as they sip on their competition creations. Facing a celebrity lineup of judges and armed with a selection of Arizona’s best locally distilled spirits, local bartenders will be up on stage shaking it up to take the title as Arizona's Star Bartender.

The lineup of local bartenders who will be competing includes the following:

  • Lauren Johnson, The Gladly

  • Shawn Campbell, Genuine Concepts

  • Ryan Shinn, The Breadfruit & Rum Bar

  • Matt Minsky, Hulasmoderntiki

  • Manny Pena, The Windsor

  • Kapono Rowe, Welcome Diner

  • Daniel Friedman, DeSoto Central Market

  • Brien Corwin, Tempe Public Market Cafe

  • JT Taber, Gallo Blanco Cafe y Bar

Tickets to attend the Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition are $40 and include a cocktail sample from each of the participating bartenders as well as neat spirits from each of the sponsoring distilleries and access to viewing the competition. Registration and more information is available at https://classic.devourphoenix.com/events/bartending-competition.

New this year, Devour Phoenix is launching the #DevourAZSpirit Challenge at the Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition. Local spirits fans can continue to enjoy their favorite cocktails through Sunday, March 11, and post selfies of themselves visiting the participating bars and restaurants for chances to win a Devour Phoenix prize pack containing $150 worth of gift cards plus four tickets to the 10th anniversary Bartending Competition in 2019 courtesy of Quench Fine Wines.

Instructions for the contest are as follows:

  • STEP 1: Visit the restaurant and post a selfie with the Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition drink. Bonus points for getting the bartender and/or local spirit in the picture. Those attending the Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition can get a head start by posting selfies with the bartender’s booths at the competition.

  • STEP 2: Post photos to Instagram and tag #DevourAZSpirit and @DevourPhoenix.

  • STEP 3: The more restaurants you post from, the higher the chances you have to win!

  • The winner will be selected and announced on Monday, March 12, on the @DevourPhoenix Instagram.

Participating bars and restaurants include those who are participating in the competition: The Gladly, The Vig, The Breadfruit & Rum Bar, Hulasmoderntiki, The Windsor, Welcome Diner, DeSoto Central Market, Tempe Public Market Cafe, and Gallo Blanco Cafe y Bar.

The Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition is sponsored by Hensley Beverage Company, Downtown Phoenix Inc., Quench Fine Wines, OHSO Brewery + Distillery, Iconic Cocktail Co., 99.9 KEZ, DeSoto Central Market, Bite Magazine, Mr. PHX, Lyft, Phoenix New Times, Fiji Water, Pride Group, Phoenix Public Market, and Hey Bartender!

Seven Chefs Dinner

The Seven Chefs Dinner has become an annual Devour Week event that features the “Arizona Seven,” a collection of local chefs and friends dedicated to raising awareness of Arizona’s world-class culinary scene and who were last seen cooking together at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City. The dinner will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018, 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Singh Meadows (1490 E Weber Dr, Tempe, Arizona 85281). However, instead of just seven chefs, this year’s event will feature sixteen local chefs and artisans who will be teaming up for a multi-course dinner that will be paired with hand selected Arizona wines.  

The lineup of talent and collaborations includes the following:

  • Passed Hors d'Oeuvres

    • Bob Tam, Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour

    • Donald Hawk, The Gladly & KoSo Phoenix pop up

    • Brent Kille, KoSo Phoenix pop up

  • Course 1

    • Kelly Fletcher, Dasha Private Catering

    • Doug Robson, Otro Cafe & Gallo Blanco Cafe y Bar

  • Course 2

    • Stephen Jones, The larder + the delta

    • Danielle Leoni, The Breadfruit & Rum Bar & Leoni's Focaccia

  • Course 3

    • Josh Hebert, Chef's Lounge, Frites Street, & Hot Noodles Cold Sake

    • Keenan Bosworth, Pig & Pickle & P&P Provisions

  • Course 4

    • Justin Beckett, Southern Rail & Beckett's Table

    • Cullen Campbell, Crudo

  • Dessert

    • Gio Osso, Nico & Virtù

    • Samantha Sanz, Talavera Restaurant

  • Gift Bags

    • Bernie Kantak, The Gladly & Citizen Public House

    • Scott Holmes, Little Miss BBQ

    • Jacob Cutino, Cutino Sauce Co.

A full menu will be available closer to the event date. Tickets to the dinner are $160 and includes a multi-course meal with wine pairings, tax, and gratuity. Tickets are available at https://classic.devourphoenix.com/events/seven-chefs-singh-along

Devour the World

East meets west, north, and south with this new Devour Phoenix event that celebrates the international flavors of Phoenix. Unwind in the serene Japanese Friendship Garden on Thursday March 1, 2018, from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Attendees will taste the multicultural cuisines from the regions of your favorite countries. Devour the World is presented in partnership with Phoenix Magazine, Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, and Local First Arizona.

Participating restaurants include:

  • Satay Hut
  • Flavors of Louisiana
  • El Chullo Peruvian Restaurant & Bar
  • Hana Japanese Eatery
  • Helio Basin Brewing Co.
  • Sonata's Restaurant
  • The REZ an urban eatery LLC
  • Palaphx
  • Andreoli Italian Grocer
  • Soup and Sausage Bistro
  • Rice Paper
  • Chula Seafood

Tickets are $60 and include food and beverage samples from participating restaurants. Tickets are available at https://classic.devourphoenix.com/events/devour-the-world.

The Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition, Seven Chefs Dinner, Devour the World, and the Devour Culinary Classic are official events of Devour Week presented by Local First Arizona and Devour Phoenix running February 25 - March 4, 2018. Information, tickets, and more are available at http://www.classic.devourphoenix.com.

About Local First Arizona

Founded in 2003 by Director Kimber Lanning, Local First Arizona (LFA) is a statewide non-profit organization working to strengthen communities and local economies through growing, supporting, and celebrating locally owned businesses throughout the state of Arizona. LFA seeks to promote, support, and celebrate a vibrant and sustainable Arizona economy by educating consumers, stakeholders, business leaders, and policymakers about local business ownership, social equity, cultural diversity, environmental kinship, and collaboration. Visit www.localfirstaz.com for more information and a directory of more than 3,000 locally owned businesses.

Bartending Competition, Seven Chefs DinnerGuest User