All Food Showcase in Phoenix

It’s a food throwdown like no other at Macayo’s Mexican Food’s Ahwatukee location! On Saturday Sept. 23 at 3:30 PM, those who have successfully completed the brand’s Chimi Challenge will face off to become Macayo’s 2023 Chimi Challenge Champion!   During Macayo’s second annual Chimi Challenge Championship, the qualifiers who completed the challenge between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 of this year will be tasked with completing the challenge again. They will compete against one another as well as the reigning champion to see who will take the title.   Qualifiers of the chimi challenge successfully took on a five-pound chimichanga filled with their choice of shredded beef, shredded chicken or ground beef mixed with Mexican rice and refried beans topped with red enchilada sauce, Macayo’s famous Baja sauce, fire-roasted tomatillo sauce, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream and mixed and jack cheeses — in 20 minutes or less!   Their successful first attempts earned them free Macayo’s for a year. At the Chimi Challenge Championship, each qualifier will receive a 2023 Chimi Challenge T-shirt, full set of Macayo’s apparel line items and a full set of Macayo’s home product line items. The third-place winner will take home $500 cash and the runner up will receive $1,000 cash. In addition to the glory of becoming Macayo’s 2023 Chimi Champion, the grand prize winner will receive $2,000 cash and free catering from Macayo’s for up to 10 guests.   Diners and spectators are invited to watch the show and cheer on their favorite chimi champ!   For complete details about Macayo’s Chimi Challenge, visit macayo.com/chimi-challenge/; for more about Macayo’s Mexican Food, visit macayo.com.

  It’s never too late for love! With the upcoming debut of “The Golden Bachelor”, on which 71-year-old Gerry Turner will be hoping to find true love reality-show style, Match Market & Bar is hosting weekly watch parties every Thursday, beginning Sept. 28.   During each viewing party, guests can watch the show, which airs on ABC, while enjoying food and drink specials (charcuterie board with golden beets and prosciutto roses paired with an Aged to Perfection Paloma, anyone?), Bingo and brackets and interactive audience participation voting and bets with prizes.   Reality show lovers are invited to come and connect with the community during this weekly event, which will continue throughout the show’s season. For more information, visit matchphx.com or contact Match Market & Bar at info@matchphx.com or 602-875-8080.

This fall, Firecreek Coffee Company announces the grand opening of its much-anticipated Roastery at 1618 E. McDowell Rd. To celebrate, The Roastery will be officially unveiled on National Coffee Day, Friday Sept. 29 from 6-9 p.m. During this reception, guests can enjoy tours, a DJ, entertainment, live latte art demonstrations, specialty sips and more.   “Firecreek was founded as a place to support the coffee industry and introduce customers to a higher quality coffee and that mission is exemplified at our new Roastery,” says Mike Funk, founder of Firecreek Coffee Company. “We have seen the industry change so much and we are proud to be a part of each stage while maintaining our dedication to doing it right.”   The Roastery is just down the road from Firecreek Founder Mike Funk’s very first coffee concept, Café Tech at 5th St. and McDowell Rd. He opened Café Tech in the mid-1990s before Starbucks even had a footprint in Arizona.   Originally starting out in Seattle, Funk helped define coffee culture in the Phoenix area. Throughout his career, he has been involved in nearly every aspect of the coffee industry including custom building espresso carts, importing machines, developing and opening coffee bars and working to supply the hospitality industry with premium coffee.   In 2008, Funk started Firecreek Coffee Company with his flagship café in the heart of downtown Flagstaff. He then began supplying AJ’s Fine Foods and Whole Foods with his specialty coffee, which is currently available for consumer purchase. Today he owns and operates the Flagstaff Roastery as well as locations in Sedona, Oak Creek and Cottonwood — all with the same passion for the coffee industry that has helped him thrive for the past three decades.   He is passionate about the quality of his coffee — and the people who source it. He often travels to locations in Southern Mexico, Columbia, Guatemala and Honduras where he works directly with the farmers to ensure a high-quality product. He proudly partners with local companies, such as the new Ambiente in Sedona, where guests can enjoy exclusive in-room Firecreek Coffee service.   And he also collaborates with other coffee connoisseurs in the valley including Press Coffee Roasters and Cartel Roasting Co. Rather than thinking of these companies as competition, Funk believes in working together for the greater good of the industry as a whole.   The Phoenix Roastery is part of that movement. In addition to allowing the company to lessen its carbon footprint with a second location, the Phoenix Roastery will be accredited by the Specialty Coffee Association and feature a training facility to educate baristas. It will also serve as an art venue and a place to encourage guests to sit back, relax and enjoy their time there. In addition to high-quality coffee beverages, The Roastery will offer a menu of high-quality light bites.   For more details about the upcoming grand opening event on Friday, Sept. 29 or more information about Firecreek Coffee Company, visit firecreekcoffee.com.

On Friday, Oct. 6, Phoenix City Grille hosts an exclusive four-course wine dinner featuring pairings from Pillsbury Wine Company. Menu and complementary pours of Pillsbury wines are as follows:   Course One — New England Clam Chowder featuring ocean clams, smoked bacon, Yukon potatoes, fresh herbs and chive tartlet served with Wild Child White 2022   Course Two — Citrus Roasted Local Beets with Crow’s Dairy goat cheese, spiced Arizona pecans, fennel apple salad and elderflower and tarragon vinaigrette with McClendon’s Farms citrus and balsamic reduction paired with Mourvedre Reserve 2021   Course Three — Chula Seafood Alaskan Halibut with huitlacoche and Oaxacan cheese quesadilla, calabacitas, avocado salsa verde and micro cilantro served with Inappropriate 2022   Course Four — Dark Chocolate Pot Dr Crème with Queen Creek Olive Mill Meyer lemon oil, Arizona pistachio crumble and gooseberry paired with Petite Sirah Reserve 2019   Cost is $110 per person, plus tax and gratuity. To reserve seating, contact Brittnee Reed via email at brittnee.reed@outlook.com or phone at 602-510-7174.   For more about Phoenix City Grille, visit phoenixcitygrille.com.

There’s nothing like a Friday the 13th to kick off spooky season! On Friday, Oct. 13, FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel and Match Market & Bar present a spooktacular horror movie-themed dinner with a frighteningly delicious five-course menu crafted just for the occasion. Menu is as follows:   Course One: Train to Busan — Korean Beef Bulgogi Taco, Kimchi and Sriracha Crema   Course Two: The Evil Dead — Blood Sausage, Roasted Bell Pepper Coulis, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Puff Pastry   Course Three: Carrie — Tomato and Ginger Gazpacho   Course Four: Friday the 13th — Camp Crystal Lake Chicken with Bacon, New Potatoes and Roasted Tomato Jus   Course Five: Shaun of the Dead — Vanilla Panna Cotta Cornetto, Raspberry Glaze and Roasted Peanuts   Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $89 per person plus tax and gratuity. To reserve seating, call 602-875-8080. For more, visit foundrehotels.com or matchphx.com.

The stars are aligning for a celestial dinner series like no other at FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel and Match Market & Bar. Beginning Saturday, Sept. 9 and taking place monthly through Saturday, July 7, 2024, FOUND:RE presents a multi-course dinner series dedicated to the astrological signs and themed with each sign’s traits and attributes.   Each event will feature tarot card and palm readers as well as other metaphysical entertainment. Attendees will receive a gift bag curated by Isabella Schorr, the Shop at FOUND:RE Phoenix’ onsite retail buyer, featuring items that represent the sign of the month. Guests will also have a chance to win an original museum-quality print by local artist Shachi Kale that represents their sign.   Cost is $99 plus tax per person, per event. Each event includes four-course dinner, gratuity, sign-specific custom-curated gift bag and one raffle entry for a change to win the art print. Drinks are available for purchase.   Dinner begins at 7 p.m. in the gallery space at FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel. Schedule is as follows:   Virgo — Saturday, Sept. 9 Libra — Saturday, Oct. 14 Scorpio — Saturday, Nov. 11 Sagittarius — Friday, Dec. 1 Capricorn — Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 Aquarius — Saturday, February 3, 2024 Pisces — Saturday, March 2, 2024 Aries — Saturday, March 30, 2024 Taurus — Saturday, April 27, 2024 Gemini — Saturday, June 1, 2024 Cancer — Saturday, June 29, 2024 Leo — Saturday, July 27, 2024   Complete dinner and drink menus will soon be released. Seating is limited; to secure a reservation, visit https://bit.ly/3CC6wWl.   For more, visit foundrehotels.com or matchphx.com

Rusconi’s American Kitchen Owner and Chef Michael Rusconi has a decades-long career in the food and beverage industry. And he is teaming up with Certified Master Sommelier Katherine Janowiak to present the exploratory and educational Wine Bite culinary seminar. Taking place at the restaurant on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. guests will receive a “food and wine 101” course as they enjoy excellent dishes and wine. Pairings are as follows:   Course One — Gulf Shrimp and Avocado with watermelon radish and Noble bread paired with Lange Estates Winery and Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Course Two – Roasted Pork with grilled peach relish paired with Niner Pinot Noir, Edna Valley Jespersen Ranch Course Three — 5-Spice Duck Taco with preserved fruit paired with Stag’s Leap Hands of Time Red Blend, Napa Valley   As guests dine and sip, Rusconi and Janowiak will guide their tasting with tips and notes to elevate the culinary experience. Cost is $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity.   Seating is limited and tickets are required. To purchase tickets, visit rusconis.hrpos.heartland.us/menu. For more about Rusconi’s American Kitchen, visit rusconiskitchen.com.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” lives on at FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel and Match Market & Bar on Friday, Oct. 27! In honor of this kooky cult flick (and Halloween just days after), the hotel presents a Rocky Horror Picture Show themed dinner, during which the film will be aired for guests to enjoy as they dine. A special four-course themed menu has been curated just for the event with the following dishes:   Course One: Dr. Frank N Furter Wedding Rice — Red Beans and Rice and a Fripper’s All Beef Hot Dog   Course Two: “Come Up to the Lab and See What’s On The Slab” — Cobb Salad with Slab Bacon, Blue Cheese, Cherry Tomato, House Ranch and Iceberg Lettuce   Course Three: EDDIE!!!!! — BBQ Glazed Meatloaf, Bacon Fat Mash Potatoes and Citrus Roasted Carrots   Course Four: Rose Tint My World — Rose and Raspberry Tiramisu   Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; dinner and the movie begin at 8 p.m. Cost is $89 per person plus tax and gratuity. To reserve seating, call 602-875-8080. For more, visit foundrehotels.com or matchphx.com.