In case you’ve missed it, Studio Janos, located at 124 E. Broadway Blvd., is the latest venture by James Beard Award-winning Chef Janos Wilder.
Chef Wilder opened the kitchen/dining room in September 2023, offering private dinners, cooking classes, catering, and consulting services — all reflecting his extensive culinary experience and dedication to Tucson’s rich food heritage.
Now, for the first time, he’s offering two menus to choose from!
First, there’s the Heritage Foods Menu, which takes a deep dive into the flavors and foods of the region. Each dish is sprinkled with ingredients going back 5,000 years.
“This gastronomic history in large measure is why Tucson is recognized by UNESCO as one of the world’s Cities of Gastronomy,” said Wilder. “I created our multi-course meal to demonstrate how these humble ingredients can be elevated to the status of world-class dining.”
Each dinner seats up to 12 people and can be reserved online.
“These are dishes that make you proud to be a Tucsonan,” Wilder added.
Heritage Foods Menu
PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES
- Mushrooms Duxelle, Toasted Baguette, Roasted Bone Marrow, Crab, Cucumber, Lemon, Watermelon, Tomato Broth
DINNER
- Ahi Takashimi – #1 sashimi-grade ahi, pickled ginger, seaweed salad, furikake, and kobayaki sauce
- Lobster, Mango, Champagne Sauce – honey minted carrot mousse
- Porcini Mushroom Madeira Bisque – in a puff pastry dome
- Green Tea Smoked Duck – cinnamon spiced pears, baby bok choy
- 8-Hour Braised Short Ribs – candied kumquats, sauce from the braising juices, the truth about potatoes, Brussels sprouts
- Dark Chocolate Jalapeño Sundae – hot fudge, candied pecans, chantilly cream
Those of you who have been longtime guests may want to take a deep dive into a menu straight out of the vault — favorites of his from 30 years of cooking.
“These are the sumptuous dishes our reputation was built on,” said Wilder. “They are the best of the best of the thousands of dishes we’ve served over the years.”
Favorites Menu
BOCADITOS
- Fiore Di Capra Goat Cheese + Kumquat Marmalade
- Cochinita Pibil Tamalito with Achiote Citronette
DINNER
- Hamachi Tostada – midnight black bean puree, cucumber, avocado, radish, candied jalapeños and lemon-quats mango puree, passion fruit bath
- Pan-Seared Striped Bass + Green Corn Tamale Pie – Magdalena big cheese squash sauce, lemon/garlic brown butter, salsa macha, crunchy nopalitos
- Sweet Corn, Smoked Poblano, Mushroom Bisque
- Spicy Lamb’s Tongue Taco – chiles rajas, slaw, chiltepin salsa
- Pan-Roasted New York Strip + Chorizo Chilaquiles – spicy/sweet recado, ns/s mole, smoked poblano crema, cholla bud salsa verde
- Oaxacan Bread Pudding – rum raisin ice cream, mezcal hard sauce
“With either menu, you or your guests will be ensconced in the comforting beauty of our private space where I’ll cook right in front of you,” said Wilder. “At Studio Janos I am showcasing my best work from a lifetime as a Chef. It brings me great joy to share these meals with you.”
As mentioned earlier, each dinner seats up to 12 people and can be reserved online.
Studio Janos is located at 124 E. Broadway Blvd. #160. For more information and to make a reservation, visit studiojanos.com.
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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.
