He holds the title of Iron Chef America, he recently opened two restaurants in Scottsdale and now he is set to release his second cookbook.

Jose Garces has teamed up with Lake Isle Press for the October release of The Latin Road Home: Savoring the Foods of Ecuador, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru.

The cookbook has been described as “a travelogue and a memoir, offering a fascinating and personal look back at the food traditions that have shaped the life and cooking of Chef Garces, from his family’s ancestral home in Ecuador to his ongoing work as an award-winning chef and restaurateur across the US.”

The Latin Road Home chronologically tells the story of Garces’ food journey and each destination comes to life through more than 100 recipes, food and travel photos and his personal narration.

“This book is a deeply personal project for me: it allows me to trace the cultures and cuisines that have shaped me, both personally and professionally,” Garces said. “Throughout my career, I have built upon what I know and used it to explore new and different places, and this book traces that journey – and with it, my life to this point.”

Garces’ Scottsdale restaurants, Distrito and Old Town Whiskey, are located at The Saguaro Hotel. Pre-order The Latin Road Home here.

The Scottsdale Culinary Festival began this week, and while we already named what we believe are the festival’s top five coolest things and events, there is tons more to see, do and taste this weekend. From an exclusive SKYY Bar, to the Southwest Festival of Beers from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday – to a $5 Tequila Experience serving margaritas and an Epicurean Expo with the latest in kitchen gadgets– the list is endlessly fun. Click past the jump to preview the happenings.

»READ MORE

Scottsdale’s new establishment The Saguaro Hotel may be Arizona’s freshest and most vibrant place for a weekend respite. More destination than staycation, the hotel, which was designed by New York-based architectures Stamberg Aferiat, is a vivid tribute to the colorful sights and animated settings of the Southwest, with a color palette of tangerine, buttery yellow, magenta and bright, rich green. If the atmosphere and welcoming spa isn’t enough to bring you out, however, perhaps the restaurants will – most notably, modern Mexican eatery Distrito, the sibling of Iron Chef’s Jose Garces’ celebrated Philadelphia dig of the same name.

Stemming from the hotel’s southwestern shades, the delicious interior design of Distrito is energetic and contemporary, based upon the brilliant, spirited hues of Mexican culture. Designer Jun Aizaki, who hailed from Brooklyn, New York’s Crème Design Collective, was inspired by the landscapes of the region and created the restaurant’s interior to feel both traditional and fresh. A colorful skull feature by the lobby entrance, for example, is celebratory of Mexico’s Day of the Dead; a backlit resin bar counter with butterfly embeds, a mosaic felt ball feature wall resembling bright gumballs and a woven flat elastic screen wall at the banquettes are novel, modern and invigorating. Clothespin chandeliers and table tops sprinkled with pink and gold glitter add a further funky edge to the restaurant’s style. Guests can order Hamachi tacos fresh off the skillet, a variety of Barbacoa, margaritas from over 100 varieties of tequila at the margarita bar and the tortilla and guacamole station, where tortillas are made-to-order on a quilted stainless steel food-vendor-style post, are authentically delicious by chef’s design.

Distrito at The Saguaro | 4000 Drinkwater Boulevard | Scottsdale, AZ | 480-970-4444