Devoured Culinary Classic 2016

Devoured Phoenix is, in my opinion, the premiere culinary event in Arizona.  What sets it apart from the multitude of other culinary opportunities?  Maybe it’s the modern setting within the Phoenix Art Museum that makes it extra special, or the talented folks from Local First Arizona who are behind it.  What I do know, this event fuels a competitive nature in the participating chefs that causes them to bring their best.  This was my sixth year attending and I was delighted to see that the organizers have continued to refine the event machine and improve the experience. Additionally, chefs continue to turn out some impressive bites despite restrictive cooking space and the outdoor elements.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive review of the full event and all dishes, this isn’t it.  I was highly distracted by all of the friendly faces from the local food scene (AZ Foodie, Food Talkies Film, Fork It Over, BITE, EaterAZ, Where Should We Eat, and many more!).  If you do want the full play-by-play, hit up the Arizona Republic’s review.  But, despite distractions, I did get a chance to capture some fun images that give you a taste of Saturday’s best bites.  I’m sad to be missing out on Sunday’s smorgasbord, but I’m currently writing this from the air on the way to Chicago for a special dinner (details on that coming soon!).  Here’s Devoured Saturday from my perspective:

Many thanks to Devoured Culinary Classic for providing me media passes to capture all of the tasty fun.  It was an honor to attend and to see the hard work of so many people.  Like I always say, the food is great, but what really matters at the end of the day are the people behind it.

Did you attend Devoured?  Did you have a favorite dish?  I would love to hear your perspectives. Leave a comment below!

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