Since 1992, some of the Valley's best food-and-drink purveyors and creators have been inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame.
On Monday evening, the latest round of inductees was announced at Phoenix's historic Wrigley Mansion.
Valley restaurateur Chris Bianco, the founder of Pizzeria Bianco, Pane Bianco and Tratto, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award.
View the rest of the winners:
Food Truck of the Year
The Great Pho King Food Truck
Food Writer of the Year
Taryn Jeffries – Phoenix Bites
Brewer of the Year
Derek “Doc” Osborne - Pedal Haus Brewery
Winemaker of the Year
Sam Pillsbury – Pillsbury Wine
Mixologist of the Year
Keifer Gilbert – Counter Intuitive and Under Tow
Restaurateur of the Year
S. Barrett Rinzler - Square One Concepts, Inc
Best Upcoming Chef
Rochelle Daniel – Fat Ox
Chef of the Year
Christopher Nicosia- Sassi
Lifetime Achievement
Chris Bianco – Pizzeria Bianco
Alex Simons Lifetime Achievement*
John Fontana – Arizona Arts Alliance
This year, restaurant group Square One Concepts, opened The Funky Monk in Tempe and Tucson; continued to expand Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, and replaced Crab and Mermaid with Famous 48.
Related: 50 restaurants coming to the Valley now through 2019
Chef Christopher Nicosia of Sassi was recognized as Chef of the Year. In August it was announced that the upscale Italian restaurant andevent venue in Scottsdale would close in 2018 pending a sale of the land the property.
