Stephen Jones Joins Upward Projects and Postino Is First on His List
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Stephen Jones is turning his attention to Postino and I’m curious about what that means for dinner.
Phoenix chef Stephen Jones, best known for The Larder & The Delta, has joined Upward Projects as its culinary innovation chef, a role that puts him in position to help shape menus across Postino, Federal Pizza, Joyride Taco House, Windsor, Churn and the upcoming Lado A Lado.
That caught my attention for more than one reason. I’ve known Stephen’s work for a long time, and he was actually part of my very first TV appearance many, many moons ago when he was cooking at Bootleggers. So seeing him step into a role that could shape several of the Valley’s most recognizable restaurant brands feels a little full-circle.
Postino is one of those Arizona restaurant brands that already has a very clear identity. You know the bruschetta boards. You know the wine. You probably know exactly which table you want if you have been going long enough.
So bringing in a chef known for a much more chef-driven, Southern-influenced restaurant raises an interesting question:
How much do you change a concept people already think they know?
Why Stephen Jones Is an Interesting Hire
Jones has been part of the Phoenix dining scene for years through The Larder & The Delta, which went through several versions before its most recent closure.
His work also earned national recognition, including James Beard Award semifinalist recognition in 2020, 2022 and 2025.
Now he is stepping into a very different kind of job.
This time, Stephen isn’t building one restaurant around his own point of view. He’s walking into a whole family of brands people already have opinions about and in Postino’s case, probably a favorite bruschetta order too.
In comments reported by Mouth by Southwest, Upward Projects co-founder and CEO Lauren Bailey described the hire as a step toward a more focused, chef-driven approach.
What’s Coming to Postino
According to Jess Harter’s reporting for Mouth by Southwest, Jones is initially focusing on Postino, where new dinner-oriented dishes are planned for 2027.
That wording matters.
This does not sound like Postino is suddenly throwing out its bruschetta boards and starting over.
It sounds more like the brand is looking at how to make dinner feel like more of a destination instead of somewhere you automatically default to for wine, boards and happy hour.
And honestly, that is the part I am most curious about.
Postino already owns its lane pretty well.
So what does “more dinner-friendly” actually mean?
More composed entrées?
More seasonal dishes?
More chef-driven specials?
A reason to linger after the first bottle of wine instead of ordering another board and calling it a night?
Those are the questions I would want answered before declaring this a major reinvention.
The Challenge: Changing Something People Already Like
There is a very specific risk that comes with changing an established restaurant brand.
You want to give regulars something new without making them wonder what happened to the thing they already liked.
That balancing act is especially interesting at Postino because this is a brand a lot of us have known for years. You don’t mess with somebody’s favorite bruschetta board casually.
I’m not expecting The Larder & The Delta 2.0.
Jones himself has already made clear that this is not about turning every concept into a showcase for his own cooking style.
That makes the role more interesting, not less.
Innovation here probably means figuring out what each brand needs rather than stamping the same chef personality across all of them.
And Then There Is Lado A Lado
Jones will also be involved with Lado A Lado, an upcoming restaurant in Uptown Phoenix.
According to Lado A Lado’s official website, the collaboration between Upward Projects and Chiwas Hospitality Group will pair live-fire Northern Mexican cooking with a coastal raw bar.
In an interview with The Arizona Republic’s Bahar Anooshahr, republished here, Jones said Chiwas Hospitality Group is leading Lado A Lado’s menu, while his role is to help connect the two hospitality teams.
That gives us a clearer picture of the job: helping each restaurant develop while leaving room for the people and cooking that give it its identity.
What PhoenixBites Will Be Watching
For now, the biggest thing to watch is Postino.
Mouth by Southwest reports that new dinner-focused dishes are planned for 2027. I’m curious to see what actually makes it to the table.
Because hiring Stephen is the headline. What I’m really interested in is what happens once his fingerprints start showing up on the menu and whether longtime Postino regulars notice it before they even know why.
Preferably with a bruschetta board nearby.
Disclosure
PhoenixBites received no payment for this story. Information was gathered from current public reporting and Upward Projects materials. This is an informational news post.
About the Author - Taryn Jeffries
Editor and Chief Eating Officer of PhoenixBites, 2017 Food Writer of the Year (Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame) Taryn grew up in a small town in Illinois with a doting Grandmother who taught her the way around a kitchen and that food is representative of love. Her current quest is to find the love in local dishes and the chefs behind them. In addition to running all things PhoenixBites, Taryn is also a freelance writer, sharing her insight on the best dishes and where to get them each and every month.
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