Here are the 2023 Devour Culinary Classic winners

Courtesy: Debby Wolvos

By Howard Seftel - 2023 Devour Culinary Classic judge, former Arizona Republic food critic and James Beard Award judge

The team of culinary judges knew going in that eating their way through the 2023 Devour Culinary Classic’s weekend lineup of 70 dishes would require a single-minded devotion to duty. They also knew it would take several hours of discussion and debate to hand out the medals.

What they didn’t know going in was just how varied and imaginative it was all going to be. But when you get to eat everything from vegan oyster mignonette and veal schnitzel nuggets to peanut butter and jalapeno jelly hamburger and Wagyu beef cheek empanada, it hardly could have been otherwise.

After a lamentable, Covid-induced two-year hiatus, the Valley’s premier food festival sprang back to life at its gorgeous Desert Botanical Garden home.

The 2,400 Devour-starved ticket holders – the event sold out within two weeks, the fastest time in its history – seemed especially grateful for the return to normalcy.

Even a few gusts of winds, a few minutes of rain and an are-you-kidding moment of hail on Sunday couldn’t check the good cheer and enthusiasm. The superbly organized festival fired smoothly on all cylinders.

Over the years, Devour’s participating chefs have realized they have to bring their A-game if they want to impress this crowd. This year’s group, I’m happy to report, maintained the tradition.

New this year was the Heritage Medal for the best dishes with ingredients that are indigenous, heirloom, low-water, desert-adapted or locally sourced (within a 100-mile radius of the restaurant) and thus more sustainable for Arizona.

Climate-smart foods are essential for farmers, chefs and diners to support and expand for the future of our state.

The other esteemed Devour judges had this to say about the festival:

Tim Carman, Washington Post national food reporter

“This is my first time in Phoenix, and I knew so little about the food scene, I wanted to explore it. Sure enough, Devour has been an amazing chance to survey many different restaurants in a short amount of time.

And the botanical garden is a beautiful setting. My god, the scale of some of the cacti is amazing! It’s an unforgettable experience. You're eating among some of the best restaurants, and you're doing it in a setting that says, ‘Phoenix.’ It’s beautiful, and it’s delicious.”

Nikki Miller-Ka, writer for Food & Wine, Southern Living and other publications

“The restaurants were phenomenal. I had no idea that Arizona had such a rich culinary scene. I’ve eaten so many things I didn’t even know existed, and I’m a professional! It is a very unique experience. The landscape is beautiful, the products everyone is using are beautiful, and the bar is set really high for culinary excellence.”

Lauren Saria, editor of Eater SF

“One of the best things about the festival is the sense of community. Anybody who’s been around restaurants knows it’s not an industry where we can get together very often. So it’s such a special weekend where everybody makes the time to share their food with the festivalgoers, and it’s wonderful to see the chefs interacting with each other. It’s really special.”

Devour Culinary Classic 2023 Award Winners

Best in Show

Chula Seafood- Northern Thai-Style Grilled Swordfish Sausage (Chefs Jason Fenstermaker and Kyle Kent)

Hana Japanese Eatery- Mochigome Shumai Pork, Ginger, Onion and Soy Wrapped in Sweet Glutinous Rice, Steamed and Topped with Hot Mustard (Chef Lori Hashimoto)

Double Gold Medal

(Unanimous gold rating by all four judges)

Citizen Public House/The Gladly- Iberico-Duroc Pork Steak, Chops and Porchetta (Chef Bernie Kantak)

Zuzu at Hotel Valley Ho- Wagyu Beef Cheek Empanada (Chef Russell LaCasce)

Gold Medal

Hana Japanese Eatery- Tonjiru Pork Shoulder Soup with Japanese Vegetables (Chef Lori Hashimoto)

Hana Japanese Eatery- Mochi Donut Hole (Chef Lynn Becker)

Lincoln Steakhouse & Bar at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn- Vegan Oysters Mignonette (Chefs Eric Duchene and John Fraser)

Pa’La- Honey-Saffron Glazed Grilled Octopus (Chef Jason Alford)

Rough Rider- Beer Brined Veal Schnitzel Bites (Chef Ian Herschberg) 

Valentine- Hiramasa Crudo (Chef Donald Hawk)

Belly- Thai-Spiced Grilled Hanger Steak (Chef Michael Babcock)

Dahl Restaurant Group - Three Cheese Empanada (Chef Lisa Dahl)

Dahl Restaurant Group - Kale Salad (Chef Lisa Dahl)

Chula Seafood- California Yellowtail Crudo (Chefs Moniqe Quinonez and Kyle Kent)

Courtesy: Debby Wolvos

Silver Medal

Welcome Diner- Japanese Egg Salad

Zuzu at Hotel Valley Ho- Poached Peruvian Scallop

CaraCara- Short Rib Tostada

Clever Koi- Kimchi BBQ Chicken

Hana Japanese Eatery- Gobo Miso

Hana Japanese Eatery- Daigaku Imo

Pa’La - Beef Carpaccio

Aioli Gourmet Burger- New Mexican Slider

Arizona Wilderness Brewing- Peanut Butter and Jelly Burger

Eat by Stacey Weber- Chicken Salad

Gertrude’s- Pandan and Pitaya Pudding

Poolboy Taco- Poolboy Taco

The Canal Club- Shrimp Ceviche

The Joy Bus- Boiled Egg and Caviar

Prado- Citrus Honey Olive Oil Torte

Dust Cutter- Huckleberry  Pie and Lemon Curd

The Rez an Urban Eatery- Blue Corn and 3 Sister Bites

Talavera- Ensalada Texturas de Pulpo

Gut Chefs- Goat Cheese Tartlet 

Best Dessert & Beverage

Valentine- Smoked Vanilla White Chocolate Mousse

The Rez an Urban Eatery- Blueberry Sage Agua Fresca

Heritage Medal

Gastronomic Union of Tucson (Tucson City of Gastronomy)- Grilled Picanha Taco

The Gastronomic Union of Tucson (GUT) is a collaboration of over 30 local chefs and food professionals. Following Tucson’s designation by UNESCO as a World City of Gastronomy, the chefs of GUT came together to foster a culinary community of creativity, professional development, and community engagement. The dynamic food scene of Tucson is more than its exceptional restaurants; it is the seed libraries, the food banks, the community gardens, the 4000-year agricultural history, the farmer’s markets, the breweries, wineries, distilleries, growers, ranchers, food writers, and most importantly, the Tucson community that supports them.  GUT seeks to bring these elements together both to honor our food heritage and to foster culinary innovation and creative exchange.

Courtesy: Debby Wolvos