James Beard’s national food tour to kick off in Phoenix-area this month

PHOENIX — A national food tour that was inspired by an award-winning chef will kick off in Arizona later this month.
The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America tour will kick off at Mountain Shadows Resort in Paradise Valley on Sept. 20, with events continuing until Sept. 23.
Food lovers can catch a screening of “James Beard: American’s First Foodie” on Sept. 20 at Mountain Shadows Resort, before attending a welcome reception on Sept. 21 at Little Cleo’s, a benefit dinner on Sept. 22 at Mountain Shadows and two free demos with Traci Des Jardins or Chris Bianco on Sept. 23 at Sur La Table at Scottsdale Fashion Square.
Tickets for the Phoenix stop range from $25 for the movie screening to $5,000 for a VIP table at the benefit dinner. A portion of the ticket proceeds from the dinner to toward the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America Scholarship Fund, according to TheDailyMeal.com.
The Taste America tour will visit nine other cities, including Los Angeles, Seattle and Chicago, over the course of two months. The tour is called a “weekend of spectacular dining and culinary programming,” according to its website.
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