It’s official — the Meet the Chefs preliminaries leading up to the 17th Annual Iron Chef Tucson competition are happening Sunday, May 18.
A group of Tucson’s finest restaurants and chefs will gather at the Diamond Center at Desert Diamond Casino – Sahuarita from 3 to 5 p.m. to showcase their culinary talents, sample their dishes, and compete for a spot in the 2025 Iron Chef Tucson.
Chefs from the Tucson Metro area will present signature dishes to attendees and compete for the “Meet the Chefs Winner” title. The winner will advance to the 17th Annual Iron Chef Tucson on Saturday, July 26, where they will challenge reigning champ chef Anthony Dromgoole of Obon Sushi & Ramen Bar.
Last year, chef Dromgoole came out on top, defeating the two-time champion Chef Ken Foy of Dante’s Kitchen + Cocktails, who’s back at it again this year for another jab at the title.
“The last year has been a wild one,” said chef Domgoole. “Obon Sushi and Ramen’s Tucson location has seen record numbers since the Iron Chef win. Our slow season was about a month or so, as opposed to three to four months, which most local places feel during the year. I’m excited to go through the whole process again — to see who shows up to Meet the Chefs, who wins, and mostly, to get back out there doing what I love.”
Tickets to Meet the Chefs are $25 per person and can be purchased online.
This year’s group of culinary masters includes James Beard Award Nominee Jose Contreras of Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen and chef Brian Hill, who’s best known for his appearances on Top Chef and Private Chefs of Beverly Hills, chef Brian Hill has cooked for stars like Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Eddie Murphy.
This Year’s Participating Chefs
- Chef Ken Foy of Dante’s Kitchen + Cocktails
- Chef Brian Hill of Chef Brian’s Comfort Kitchen
- Chef Logan Tessier of The Eddy and Pin+Flour
- Chef Michael York of On the Rocks
- Chef Jose Contreras of Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen
- Chef Carlos Rios of Desert Diamond Casino – Sahuarita
- Chef Bryan Benton of Dominick’s Real Italian
Arizona Lotus Corp., alongside event sponsors Blue Moon Brewing and Whiskey Del Bac, is supporting the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona through donations from both the Meet the Chefs and Iron Chef Tucson events.
Looking Ahead
The 17th Annual Iron Chef Tucson will take place on July 26 at Desert Diamond Casino – Sahuarita. Modeled after the high-energy, fast-paced TV competition, this event will feature a surprise ingredient and a live culinary showdown in front of an audience of over 700 guests.
Also, everyone in attendance gets to enjoy the Culinary Experience, showcasing local products and services for Tucson’s food community.
For more information on all things Iron Chef Tucson, please visit ironcheftucson.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
