For the first time since 2019, the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is bringing back the Salsa, Tequila, & Taco Challenge. This is the 10^th annual competition, as a matter of fact, and will take place from 5 – 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton El Conquistador on Saturday, August 26.

The event will feature more than 30 participants including some of Tucson’s finest chefs, mixologists, and culinary businesses. On the day of, they’ll all be contending for the title of best salsa, tequila, and taco in Southern Arizona as attendees and local celebrity judges vote for their favorites, such as Tucson Foodie’s Mark Whittaker. 

We recently chatted with chef Vinny Magaña of Red Light Lounge at the Downtown Clifton Hotel and chef Eric Rees of Noble Hops —picked their brains a little bit on what they’re bringing to the table during the competition.

Rees, who’s working on a new taco for the challenge, describes the recipe as “definitely vibrant, delicious, and unexpecting.” He’s also taking a healthier approach at the Salsa, Tequila, & Taco Challenge.

“I like to use clean food and not something heavy — something that everybody can have,” said Rees. “My sous chef, Reyes Verdugo, and I have been working on the salsa and the tacos, and we are keeping it pretty simple. We’re just going to rock the competition with a newer item on our menu — the Cauliflower Taco. It’s marinated in chili and lime and we’re going to serve it with onions, cilantro, avocado crema, and corn. I’d just like to show how I can make a vegetable taste delicious, too!”

That avocado crema Rees mentioned is actually just one ingredient: avocado. Plus, the taco is on the regular, everyday menu at Noble Hops, so feel free to try it before or after the big competition.

For Magaña of Red Light Lounge, he and the team got pretty creative when it came to putting their own spin on traditional salsa — a type of fusion that’s pushing them to not play it safe during the competition.

“I could bring the regular roasted tomato salsa or something along those lines, but we’d like to get weird,” said Magaña. “For this one, we were inspired by Indian restaurants, which led to our decision to do a Mango Curry Salsa. Kababeque and Sher E Punjab are the places that inspired us as far as spices and heat go. We’re trying not to blow everyone’s palate out with heat, which can be an issue, and I know that just because I like it doesn’t mean that everyone does. People are expecting salsas, they’re expecting heat, but they’ve also got 19 to 20 other salsas to get through.”

General Admission Tickets are $80 per person and include libation, menu samplings from more than 30 restaurants and chefs, and custom salsa and tequila cocktails in more than 15 categories. Your ticket also includes access to live entertainment all night.

“Honestly, it’s bringing the infusion to the public,” said Magaña when asked what has the team most excited about the event. “We love it, and we’re hoping that we can get some other people to like it, too. My family is very Hispanic so the first time I ever made curry for them, they were like, ‘What’s curry?’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is curry.’ They loved it with all of the coriander and other spices. That’s what we’re really excited for — to bring that out and to hopefully open minds to new things.”

“Just being present and feeding people, getting their feedback, having good conversations, showing our support,” said Rees, reflecting on what they’re looking forward to at the Salsa, Tequila, & Taco Challenge. “We’re excited to have the chance to get Noble Hops’ name out there to people who haven’t yet been through our doors yet.”

Proceeds from the event help support the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance’s (SAACA) creative arts programs throughout Arizona. SAACA is a not-for-profit organization that exists to promote engagement in arts and culture, helping our communities produce strong, inspired citizens. SAACA enlists artists, businesses, governments, and individuals to expand artistic and cultural opportunities in their respective communities.  

Again, the Salsa, Tequila & Taco Challenge is happening from 5 – 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton El Conquistador on Saturday, August 26. VIP Tickets have already sold out but there are still a few General Admission Tickets left — buy ’em sooner than later!

The Salsa, Tequila, & Taco Challenge  is taking place at the Hilton El Conquistador, 10000 N. Oracle Rd. For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit saaca.org.

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