A brand-new series from Co-Media, in collaboration with AZ Foothills, goes behind-the-scenes of some of the most desirable culinary destinations in Arizona.
Through Co-Media’s channel “Phoenicians Getting Food”, the new series “Behind The Food” premiered August 25 and takes an in-depth look at the culture and people who make these Valley restaurants so great.
The first episode of “Behind The Food” covers Fox Restaurant Concepts, one of the biggest restaurant groups in Phoenix, founded by Sam Fox in 1998. Some of Fox’s most well-known restaurants include Flower Child, Culinary Dropout, Olive & Ivy, Zinburger and Fox’s first venture, Wildflower.
In the episode, Fox discusses his teams at the company and within the restaurants. “I get a lot of credit for the success that we have here, but we couldn’t grow without great people and the culture and the hospitality that they provide,” says Fox.
The second episode features The Spaghetti Shack, a to-go pasta restaurant in Tempe. Opening their first location in 2022, Spaghetti Shack now has four locations across the Valley and in Pinetop. The owners focus on engaging with and supporting the community, which they achieve through their Community Partnership program. Spaghetti Shack has collaborated with other businesses and built relationships to help nonprofit organizations.
“We just want to be a focal point, a cornerstone of the community and provide information on what’s going on and really just drive people to other people doing good work in the community,” says Joey Palomarez, owner of Spaghetti Shack.
The third episode tells the story of a Nigerian-American food truck, Lasgidi Cafe. Owner Patience Titcombe was disappointed with Phoenix’s lack of diverse food options when she moved to the Valley from Philadelphia in 2016. This drove her to start making and selling her own Nigerian sauce and other food later on.
“It started being a little therapeutic, that just cultivated like a love, a passion,” says Titcombe. “The better that I got, the more intrigued I became around the science of food.”
Co-Media’s debut series “Phoenicians Getting Food” featured Phoenix changemakers speaking to hosts while enjoying local cuisine. Getting local residents together for the series promotes community and shows support for local businesses and individuals. The series has a total of eight episodes with two seasons of four episodes each. Co-Media is an Arizona-based media company focused on telling diverse stories.
Season One was hosted by radio host Lady La, and Season Two was led by local food and travel influencer AZ Foodie. The hosts dine and chat with a variety of guests including former Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, Executive Director of Phoenix Fashion Week Brian Hill, artist Antoinette Cauley and radio host and entrepreneur Natasha Castles.
Learn more about “Behind The Food” and watch full episodes at www.phoeniciansgettingfood.com.
