As I think about all of the great restaurants that we have in Arizona, its amazing to me that at one point resort restaurants were looked at with little more appeal than convenience. If you think about some of these spots (think KAI, Different Pointe of View, Talavera and Cress just to name a few) these are typically draws to their host properties for locals. This year will be the 5th for the AZ Wine & Dine Food Festival, presented by the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, an event specifically designed to celebrate our local resort restaurants.
Mark Skalny – Copyright 2012
According to the tourism association, tourists spend more than $2.9 billion travelling to our great state and its world class resorts. While here they enjoy our (mostly, I mean August…who wants any part of that?!) enviable weather, outdoor activities and world-class hotels and resorts. They are delighted by some of our most talented chef’s without ever having to leave their hotel grounds. This Spring, the 5th annual AZ Wine & Dine Festival is striving to remind locals just how lucky we are to have continuous access to these resort restaurants that outsiders pay thousands to visit each year.
On April 7th, from 5pm until 8pm, at the Scottsdale Quarter you can join award-winning chefs from 19 resort restaurants for this immersive culinary celebration. Each resort restaurant will have a dish expertly paired with a selected wine, providing event-goers a unique opportunity to sip and sample their way through the region’s premier restaurants without booking an overnight stay.
The participating chef’s and restaurants are, unquestionably, some of the best in the U.S., having earned numerous awards as well as recognition nationwide for their innovative resort culinary programs. KAI restaurant at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass and Casino is a recipient of a prestigious five-star ranking from Forbes magazine. Talavera Executive Chef Mel Mecinas will also be onsite demonstrating why his Four Seasons resort restaurant continues to garner international attention and praise. And that’s just two of the restaurants that will be representing at the event!
“Many years ago, resort restaurants were overlooked as spots serving ‘hotel food’, but the chefs and culinary programs of Arizona completely buck the trend, ” said Kim Sabow, president and CEO of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association. “We’re a world-class dining destination, and we’re lucky enough to have the best of the nation’s resort restaurants right here in our own backyard.”
If all of the amazing restaurants that will have their dishes on display for your enjoyment isn’t enough of a draw there will also be live music, libations from boutique wineries and microbreweries and a chance to get some face time with the state’s top culinary talent. The event is also the unofficial kick-off for a summer long campaign urging locals to visit the state’s resort restaurants. During our summer months there will be less competition for tables and a shorter wait time at the spots you have been dying to get to, making it an ideal time to get a taste for what others are traveling so far to enjoy.
What resort restaurants can you expect to see at this years AZ Wine & Dine?
- The Camby| Artizen, Crafted American Kitchen & Bar
- Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort| enFuego
- Fairmont Scottsdale Princess| Bourbon Steak
- Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North| Talavera
- Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa| Alto Ristorante
- JW Marriott Desert Ridge| Stonegrill
- Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia| Prado
- The Phoenician| Il Terrazo
- Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort| Different Pointe of View
- Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel| Icon Lounge
- Royal Palms Resort and Spa| T. Cook’s
- The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch
- Sheraton Grand Resort| District American Kitchen & Wine Bar
- The Westin La Paloma|
- The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa| Deseo
- Scottsdale Quarter| BRIO Tuscan Grille
- Scottsdale Quarter| Tanzy
- Scottsdale Quarter| Grimaldi’s
- L’Auberge de Sedona
- Arizona Grand Resort & Spa
- Wigwam Resort| Litchfield’s
AZ Wine & Die tickets are available for $65 per person up until March 31st and then tickets will increase to $75 per person. The event is specifically for those age 21 and older and it sells out every year, so don’t hesitate until its too late! Get your tickets on the AZ Wine & Dine official site.