Carlotta Flores:Carlotta Flores is the owner and executive chef of El Charro Cafe, the oldest, continuously family-owned and operated Mexican restaurant in Tucson, AZ. Celebrating 100 years of excellence, she oversees several culinary ventures and is the living legacy of her great “Tia Monica Flin” who established dining icon El Charro Café in 1922. After being handed over the reins in 1972, Carlotta has continued her time-honored, award-winning recipes and the cuisine of the Tucson-Sonora region. Carlotta has educated the country with her rich culinary knowledge, love for teaching, and dedication to preserving Tucson-Mexican style, cuisine, and culture. Through books, speaking, education, and community service, Carlotta has gained national recognition as a culinary promoter of food, culture, and rich Tucson history.
Ken Foy:Chef Kenneth Foy, a native of the Washington D.C., was educated through the American Culinary Federation apprenticeship program. After completing his apprenticeship, he honed his cooking skills as executive chef at numerous prestigious restaurants and country clubs around the country. In 2013, he opened Dante’s which has been a beloved midtown favorite ever since. A two-time winner of Iron Chef Tucson, Ken has over too many awards and accolades to list.
Janos Wilder:Born and raised in California, Janos started cooking pizza as a teenager. His love for food and cooking grew from there. After college he moved to Colorado where his interest in local ingredients and his philosophy for regional cooking started to take shape. In 1983 Wilder moved to Tucson and opened “Janos” inside the Tucson Museum of Art. In 1984 Playboy Magazine rated the restaurant as one of America’s top regional restaurants. The James Beard Foundation named Wilder as the top chef in the Southwest in 2000. Wilder currently owns and runs the Carriage House, a special events/catering venue housed in a historic building downtown.
