Tucson City of Gastronomy (TCOG) and three Southern Arizona wineries are teaming up on two exclusive food and wine experiences in the scenic grasslands southeast of Tucson on Memorial Day weekend.
Both the dinner and brunch are fundraisers for the non-profit Tucson City of Gastronomy and the Arizona Wine Growers Association.
From 6 – 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, at the historic Babocomari Ranch near Elgin, there will be an evening of outdoor fine dining in a grove of towering cottonwood trees as the sun sets and the stars come out. Bus transportation to the dinner location is available, too.
Three of Tucson’s top chefs from the Gastronomic Union of Tucson will be cooking over a live fire to prepare a multi-course dinner highlighting southern Arizona’s seasonal flavors and featuring local, grass-fed, and aged Vera Earl Premium Beef.
The dinner will be prepared by Devon Sanner (chef and co-owner at Zio Peppe), Travis Peters (executive chef and co-owner of The Parish), and Obadiah Hindman (executive chef at Mountain Oyster Club).
The three chefs involved are also important figures in the local culinary scene. They are official Chef Ambassadors for Tucson’s UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation and have represented Tucson in other Cities of Gastronomy in China, Spain, and Mexico. They are also key members of the Gastronomic Union of Tucson, which Sanner and Hindman co-founded with Mat Cable, who will oversee the outdoor kitchens at the two events.
“When the owners of the three wineries approached us with the idea of an outdoor dinner in this beautiful setting, we knew we could bring some amazing chefs to create a truly memorable evening with a menu expressing southern Arizona’s food and wine terroir,” said Jonathan Mabry, Executive Director of Tucson City of Gastronomy. “Then the team thought of adding the vineyard brunch since the chefs and some dinner guests are staying overnight in the area; a late morning brunch also gives plenty of time for people to drive down from Tucson and elsewhere.”
Each course will be paired with wines from Callaghan Vineyards, Dos Cabezas Wineworks, and AZ Hops & Vines.
Kent Callaghan, Founder of Callaghan Vineyards and current president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association, noted the special significance of the dinner and its location. “This dinner highlights the connection between southern Arizona wine and southern Arizona cuisine,” he said. “The beautiful location for this dinner is also symbolic, as the Babocomari Ranch is the birthplace of the Arizona wine industry.”
Tickets are $175 per person and can be purchased online.
If you’re a Tucson Foodie Insider, you can get $25 off! Open the Tucson Foodie App to score the deal.
Nearby from 10 a.m. – noon on Sunday, May 26, under expansive shade and looking out Callaghan Vineyards, the same chefs will serve a creative brunch buffet with summertime wines from the three wineries.
Soak up the beautiful scenery and relax in the shade with friends and family in this charming vineyard setting!
Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased online.
If you’re a Tucson Foodie Insider, you can get $10 off! Open the Tucson Foodie App to score the deal.
Get your dinner tickets here! Get your brunch tickets here! Bus transportation from Tucson or Sonoita is available as an add-on. Learn more about Tucson City of Gastronomy at tucson.cityofgastronomy.org.
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