"The AZ Insider" with Kathy Shayna Shocket: Get the inside scoop on Arizona's social scene and celebrity news.

This week: Was there a famous Beatle at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain?

If you heard the rumors about a McCartney staying at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain to attend a special celebrity lunch - it’s true! That’s because it was Paul McCartney’s step-sister Ruth McCartney. The British musician and her husband Martin, (multi-media experts from Los Angeles,) flew in for the Sanctuary’s recent “Lunch & Learn” series. The heralded summer series, now in its ninth year is attracting VIPs and foodies from our own Valley of the Sun as well as those from around the country.

Ruth is pictured below-  flanked by Beau MacMillian, the executive chef of the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain; Chef Lee Hillson of T. Cook’s at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa; and Chef Mark Tarbell of Tarbell’s. This is a classic group of guys – as they are all Iron Chef alumni!

Bruce Seidel, a mover and shaker of the Food Network and now the senior vice president for programming and production for the Cooking Channel;  joined Chef Beau in an Iron Chef reunion type of afternoon.

Bruce is pictured above (on the right without glasses) at a prior event with food and wine connoisseur Ted Allen. Bruce is well respected inside and outside of the Food Network for his creativity and uncompromising integrity. The Lunch & Learn event celebrated the Food Network’s new channel – the Cooking Channel. Bruce and Beau revealed some of the new channel’s upcoming programs and recipes (including a sneak preview of its new show “Cook Like an Iron Chef”).  It was a wonderful taste of the Cooking Channel with an extra culinary treat – all three of the Iron Chef alumni cooked up one of their Iron Chef dishes for the 110 guests in attendance. Lee, for example, made his now famous Iron Chef “Pasta Carbonara” dish, Beau prepared his coveted Prime Dry Aged Rib Eye and Mark served up his much talked about grandmother’s All American Apple Pie recipe. Not to mention, the entire three–course menu was paired with Robert Mondavi wines.

Several  of the event’s local attendees stayed overnight at the resort and made it a “stay-cation.” The chefs and Bruce shared their behind the stories of the Iron Chef series and upcoming food trends. And there was plenty of networking at the power type lunch. Greg and Leslie Bruni of Queen Creek Olive Mill, Arizona’s only working olive farm and mill, were also on the guest list.

Ruth McCartney describes the ambiance of the luncheon in her wonderful show biz way. ”After lunch it was reminiscent of being backstage at a rock gig,” says the Beatle’s relative. “The Iron Chefs and executive chefs rubbing elbows with TV Exec Bruce Seidel, mixologists, sponsors, foodies and tourists in the bar at elements gawping. Just like the old Beatle
days!"

Remember, among Chef Beau’s accolades, he also flexed his culinary muscles as host of the Food Network’s series “Worst Cooks in America.”

Calling all foodies! The Sanctuary’s Lunch & Learn series runs through August.

Kathy Shayna Shocket is a Phoenix based writer. If you have a good item for The AZ Insider, you can email her at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .