Chef Showdown

Don't forget about the Great American Picnic this weekend! Saturday (noon to 10 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to 6 p.m.). Admission is $10, and tasting tickets cost $1 each.

The Scottsdale Civic Center Plaza will be swarming with foodies sampling tastes from 50 different restaurants, and imbibing in the vodka tent, the margarita tent or in the beer garden.

If you can only go one day, pick Sunday and arrive before 1 p.m. That's when the Challenge to the Chefs takes place, pitting four rockin' chefs against each other in a crazy, timed competition with a mystery basket of ingredients.

The competitors: Aaron May (Sol y Sombra, Autostrada, Over Easy); Jeff Smedstad (Elote Cafe, Sedona), Tim Fields (Sushi Roku) and Wade Moises (Pasta Bar).

The GAP is always fun, and this culinary showdown just sweetens the deal. It's going to be hot, hot, hot on Sunday, so slather on the sunscreen, wear something light and breezy and go support the festival. See you there!

Thai one on...

Normally I don't need an excuse to eat Thai food, but this just came across my desk and I'm wondering if I can do a Thai marathon next week.

Ten Phoenix area Thai restaurants are enticing diners to come celebrate the Thailand New Year, called Songkran, during national Thai Restaurant Week, April 13-19, with special dishes, discounts and Thai entertainment. Oh, and a chance to win a trip for two to Thailand.

Thai Bev, maker of Chang beer and Mekhong, a spiced sugar cane and rice spirit, is sponsoring the week long celebration.

The participating restaurants are: Swadee Thai (Chandler and Scottsdale locations) Thai Elephant (Phoenix and Tempe locations), Phoenix restaurants Wild Thaiger and Yupah's Thai Kitchen, Tempe's Tipps 88, Scottsdale's Malee's on Main and Thai Pan and Chandler's Thai Basil.

West of Western Festival...

Happy Birthday to me!

I just bought tickets to next weekend's West of Western culinary festival. Sort of my own birthday present to myself. I mean, what could be a better present for a foodie than a ticket to a food and wine festival?

We're really blessed with a variety of food festivals. There's the grand dame (Scottsdale Culinary Festival coming in April -- it's 31st year), the baby (Eats3, the second event is scheduled for October 22-24), and this 5th annual West of Western. All of them add up to a foodie fantasy bar none.

Next weekend, the West of Western returns to the Phoenix Art Museum for the second year, a much better venue than the grounds at the Arizona Center where the festival began.

In addition to top toque talent setting up booths and handing out generous samples of their fare, the festival has some chef demos and classes lined up that will give you a chance to digest your food a bit before tent hopping again.

I want to mention a handful of these demos and seminars -- all of them celebrate the diversity of our desert foods.

Pamela Hamilton, publisher of Edible Phoenix will dish on ancient chocolate elixirs, Andy Broder will make magic with mole, Candy Lesher will present packets of pleasure - green corn tamales, and Barbara Fenzl will handle hot and not, chiles. Click here to see more about these and other classes during the two day festival.

Last year, I attended both days, following Chef Jack Strong from Kai around on Sunday for an Edible Phoenix article. This year, I'm looking forward to just being a guest. Hope to see you there.