A Taste of AZ

In this episode, we sit down with Chef Cody Finch of Maple & Ash in Scottsdale to talk about the food, creativity, and hospitality behind one of Arizona's most distinctive dining experiences.

From steaks cooked directly over hot coals and fire-roasted seafood towers to the restaurant's signature "I Don't Give a F*@k" tasting menu, Cody takes us inside a dining experience built around making guests feel special. We get into some of his favorite dishes, the work that goes into developing new recipes, and why even the smallest details matter when creating a memorable meal.

Codie also shares his journey from growing up in Maryvale and learning to cook alongside his grandmothers to working in kitchens across San Francisco, Detroit, and Hawaii before returning to Arizona. We talk about finding his passion for cooking again, the evolution of Scottsdale's restaurant scene, and what's next for Maple & Ash as the team looks to take the guest experience to another level.

In this episode, we sit down with Scott Holmes, founder of Little Miss BBQ, at the original University Drive location in Phoenix to talk about his journey from backyard barbecue enthusiast to building one of Arizona's most celebrated barbecue restaurants.

Scott shares how a trip to Texas reignited his passion for cooking, how he and his wife Becky became obsessed with perfecting their barbecue through competitions, and how a rundown 800-square-foot building in an industrial part of Phoenix became the original Little Miss BBQ. We also get into the brisket, ribs, and other smoked meats that have earned the restaurant its reputation, along with the challenges of maintaining quality as the business grows.

Beyond the barbecue, Scott opens up about his approach to hospitality, building a strong team culture, and creating a place where people from all walks of life feel welcome. It's a conversation about passion, persistence, community, and why treating people well is just as important as the food on their plate.

In this episode, we sit down with Jen Keenan, co-owner of Queen B Sushi and Queen B Vinyl Cafe, and Chef Brett Vibber to talk about the food, creativity, and community behind their growing collection of concepts in Cottonwood and the Verde Valley.

We dig into the brand-new Queen B Sushi, from torch salmon rolls and composed sashimi to ingredients grown on their own farm and a menu designed to be approachable whether you're a sushi fanatic or don't eat raw fish at all. Jen and Brett also share how Queen B Vinyl Cafe has become a gathering place for music, coffee, live shows, and a community that welcomes everyone.

This conversation is a look at what happens when restaurants become more than places to eat. From growing ingredients and developing young chefs to creating spaces where people genuinely feel like they belong, Jen and Brett are helping build something distinctly their own in Northern Arizona.

In this episode, we're coming to you live from PeddlerCon 2026, the annual foodservice expo from Peddler's Son bringing together chefs, restaurants, food producers, vendors, and some of the best food and beverage brands in the industry.

Throughout the day, we sat down with people from across Arizona's hospitality community to talk about their businesses, their food, and what it actually takes behind the scenes to keep this industry moving. One thing that came up again and again was relationships. From longtime Peddler's Son partners to growing local brands relying on them to get products into restaurants, hotels, and resorts, these conversations offer a unique look at an important side of the restaurant industry most diners never get to see. Pasted text

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Peddler's Son. Family owned and serving Arizona for more than 30 years, Peddler's Son helps restaurants and foodservice businesses source everything from fresh produce and proteins to dairy, specialty products, grocery items, packaging, and more. A huge thank you to the Peddler's Son team for inviting us to PeddlerCon and supporting Arizona's culinary community.

In this episode, we sit down with Dana Dumas, founder and CEO of SugarJam The Southern Kitchen and Soul Fire Tacos, to talk about the 15-year journey from selling cookies at farmers markets to building multiple restaurant concepts in Scottsdale.

Dana shares the pivots that shaped her business, from learning how to market her first brick-and-mortar and growing a massive catering operation to navigating COVID and eventually realizing that brunch was the future of SugarJam. We also get into the importance of knowing your numbers, building systems, empowering your team, and why successful businesses have to continually evolve.

Whether you're a restaurant owner, entrepreneur, or someone with an idea you've been thinking about pursuing, Dana's story is packed with lessons learned from actually doing the work. It's a great reminder that scaling isn't always about opening more locations. Sometimes it's simply about taking the next step, learning, adapting, and building something that lasts.

A taco board with 65,339 possible combinations might tell you everything you need to know about Wayward.

We sat down with cocktail aficionado Kyla Hein and Executive Chef CJ Kahley to talk about the food, drinks, and stories behind their Old Town Scottsdale restaurant. From massive short rib and kan-kan pork taco boards to cocktails inspired by travel, cultures, and unexpected flavors, Wayward is all about taking something familiar and sending it in a completely different direction.

We also get into CJ and Kyla's paths through the Arizona hospitality scene, the idea of "redefined familiarity," creating experiences people actually remember, and why they believe Wayward should be a place for everyone.

In this episode, we sit down with chef and restaurateur TJ Culp of Restaurant Progress, Sottise, and Sidewinder to talk about the journey from a young cook figuring it out to building some of Phoenix's most recognizable independent restaurants.

TJ shares how years of working in kitchens, opening restaurants, and even helping fix a struggling concept gave him the education he needed to eventually bet on himself. We get into the early Restaurant Progress pop-up dinners in his apartment, building the original 700-square-foot restaurant with limited resources, and the lessons that came from nearly a decade of ownership.

Whether you're in the restaurant industry, building a business, or simply interested in what goes into creating a restaurant that lasts, TJ's story is a reminder that experience comes from doing the work, making mistakes, and continuing to evolve.

In this episode, we sit down with Michela Ricci and Koral Casillas, co-founders of Monsoon Market and Strip Mall, to talk about building businesses rooted in creativity, community, and supporting local.

What started as an idea for a neighborhood market where people could discover local products has grown into something much bigger. We talk about the evolution of Monsoon Market, their return to the coffee world with Strip Mall, their unconventional approach to branding, natural wine, and why showing up for other local businesses has been such an important part of their growth.

This conversation is a great reminder that you don't need a perfect plan, a huge budget, or even a perfectly polished space to build something people connect with. Sometimes you start with what you have, stay true to what matters to you, and let the business evolve from there.

In this episode, we sit down with Valentina Huerta and Chef Gian Franco Brugaletta of Mixela to talk about the experiences, cultures, and relationships that shaped one of Phoenix's most unique restaurants. Their journey stretches from Mexico and Venezuela to Italy, France, Monaco, and eventually Arizona, and those influences come together throughout Mixela's constantly evolving menu.

We talk about their original restaurant, Nona, the transition to Mixela, and why they don't feel the need to put their food into one specific box. From ceviche and sashimi to pasta, seasonal ingredients, mezcal, and dishes inspired by whatever is available at the moment, the menu is essentially Gian Franco's culinary résumé.

Mixela is a restaurant built around curiosity, creativity, and a lifetime of experiences. Tune in to hear how Valentina and Gian Franco turned their travels, memories, and love of hospitality into something completely their own.

In this episode, we sit down with Tandy Peterson, chef and founder of Tandy's Cafe and Embers Chocolate, to talk about her journey from growing up around agriculture in Wyoming to working in some of Arizona's best kitchens and eventually building a restaurant and chocolate company of her own.

Tandy takes us inside the surprisingly complex world of chocolate, from cacao fermentation and different origins to making drinking chocolate from scratch. We also talk about her years working with Kevin Binkley, what she learned in the resort world at The Phoenician, and how those experiences shaped Tandy's into a place built around approachable food, great ingredients, chocolate, coffee and community.

Whether you're fascinated by chocolate, love discovering great local restaurants, or simply appreciate hearing how a chef turns years of experience into something uniquely their own, Tandy's story has a little bit of everything. Tune in to hear how a lifelong love of cooking, a fascination with cacao and an unexpected opportunity came together to create one of Phoenix's most interesting new dining experiences.