Events: Arizona - Phoenix - Scottsdale

The James Beard Foundation (JBF) just announced former Iron Chef challenger and celebrity  Chopped judge Chef Maneet Chauhan, will be the Taste America Visiting All-Star in Phoenix when the ten-city tour of Taste America kicks on September 27-29.

Chef Chauhan is the founding partner and president of Morph Hospitality Group in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a recipient of the 2012 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award for her role as a judge on Food Network’s Chopped and has also written her own cookbook, Flavors of My World.

Chef Chauhan will serve as a James Beard Foundation ambassador, traveling to Phoenix to collaborate with a Local All-Star and Host Chef. The Phoenix Local All-Star that will be working with Chef Chauhan is Chef Charleen Badman from FnB in Scottsdale. The Host Chef will be Chef Charles Wiley of Mountain Shadows in Paradise Valley.  Together they will create a one-of-a-kind, three-course dinner that benefits the Foundation on Friday, September 28th at Mountain Shadows.

The Welcome Reception, where guests will meet and greet the participating chefs, will be held on Thursday, September 27th at Dominick’s Steakhouse. The “Night of Culinary Stars” benefit dinner will be held at Mountain Shadows Resort on Friday, September 28th.

Following the events, Chef Chauhan and Chef Badman will be guests at Sur La Table Scottsdale Fashion Square on Saturday, September 29th. Fans have an opportunity to enjoy a free cooking demonstration by each chef and partake in a book signing starting at 10:00 a.m. There will also be samplings by artisanal vendors Cucino Sauce Co. and Sweet Dee’s and national sponsors.

Other local chefs participating in the collaborative benefit dinner on Friday night include: Scott Holmes (Little Miss BBQ, Phoenix), Chrysa Robertson (Rancho Pinot, Scottsdale), Doug Robson (Gallo Blanco, Otro Café, Phoenix), Samantha Sanz (Talavera at The Four Seasons Resort, Scottsdale), Martin Nakatsu (Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale), Sarah Chisholm (Tempe Public Market, Tempe), and Helen Yung (Sweet Republic, Phoenix and Scottsdale).

For more information about Taste America events in Phoenix visit jamesbeard.org/taste-america-phoenix for more details and ticket sales. Official hashtags for the event are #JBFTasteAmerica, #JBFTasteAmericaPHX and #JamesBeardFoundation.