Kitchen Doors: Let’s Eat!
CHASE’S DINER 2040 N. Alma School Road | Chandler
New Yorkers Nancy and Skip Chase opened Chase’s Diner in Chandler in 1997. “Back in New York, I’d spend time riding my motorcycle from small town to small town, and everywhere I stopped would be mom-and-pop restaurants. When we moved to Chandler we decided to open our own mom-and-pop diner,” Skip said.
Family is an essential part of the business. Skip’s sister has worked at the diner since opening day and the Chase kids literally grew up in the restaurant. “Chandler is a very family-friendly community and a huge part of our customer base is families. We still have both customers and employees that were here the first day we opened. We often get remarks from winter visitors about how amazing it is to see the same faces working at the restaurant year after year. We’ve developed some really special relationships over the years between our staff and our customers,” Skip said.
The menu features made-from-scratch American classics, from breakfast favorites and homestyle dinners to homemade desserts, served in a fun atmosphere with neon décor and a working jukebox.
The Chases support other local businesses and organizations. “We get almost all of our meat from French’s Meat Shoppe, and we recently teamed up with State Forty Eight for our new employee shirts and merchandise,” Skip said.
“It’s always a good feeling when local businesses are able to work together.”
The Chases also support local Rotary Clubs, churches, schools and events. “We’re always happy to help organizations raise money for worthy causes,” Skip said. “Our daughters are actively involved with a nonprofit called Best Buddies that assists adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Every year, we sponsor their walk and try to attend as many events as possible to do our part to create a more inclusive world.”
For more information, go to chasesdiner.com.
A PASSION FOR POTTERY: Blue Door Ceramics
Christiane Barbato turned her passion for pottery into a career at age 40. After working in finance and the hotel industry for years, she realized she needed a change and started Blue Door Ceramics, where she creates dinnerware and home décor.
A mother of three, Barbato moved from her native Brazil to Phoenix in 2006. “I always loved Phoenix since I was a teenager. I was an exchange student here at Chaparral High School,” she said.
In addition to creating dinnerware and décor for homes, Barbato has created items for local restaurants and chefs, including Christopher Gross at the Wrigley Mansion, Kevin Binkley of Binkley’s, and Samantha Sanz and Chuck Kazmer from Talavera at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale.
“I love working with chefs because it’s so rewarding to see their beautiful food on my plates and also because it keeps me creative,” Barbato said. “I see it as a collaboration. I’m always happy to make plates for chefs as they are such amazing artists. It’s very gratifying when a client says, ‘I saw your plate at this restaurant and loved it. Can you make the same for my home?’ I love my work and can’t wait to grow and spread love around the world through my plates.”
Giving back is important to Barbato. She donates a portion of her sales to Casa Brazil, No Kid Hungry and Tripura Foundation, which all focus on helping children in need. “If we have something bigger behind the business, it gives fulfillment. I feel like I can help make a difference in the world with my small contribution,” she said.
For more information, visit bluedoorceramics.com.
ART ON A PLATE: Chef Cory Oppold
Chef Cory Oppold of Atlas Bistro in South Scottsdale is known for thoughtful and flavorful high-end cuisine, as well as exquisite presentation. “As chefs, it is our job to make the food delicious, and as culinary artists, our job is to make the food beautiful as well,” he said. “Food is the only art that touches all five senses. By making the food beautiful, it heightens our guests’ experience.”
Oppold grew up on a dairy farm in Illinois and moved to Phoenix in 1998 to pursue a degree in architecture. “I had a huge fascination for both art and math and loved architecture. I visited my first fine dining restaurant in 1999 and immediately was hooked,” he said.
Oppold changed direction and graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. He worked at several iconic restaurants, including Different Pointe of View, Binkley’s and Tarbell’s, and taught culinary school. In 2014, he became the chef at Atlas Bistro. In 2020, he created Simmer Down meal kits featuring casual family meals, gourmet options and in-home dining experiences.
Oppold gets inspiration for plate presentation from a variety of sources. “My biggest inspiration is the seasonality of vegetable and fruit ingredients. The simple shapes of different vegetables can lend themselves to unique designs,” he said.
How can home chefs make their plates more attractive? “My suggestions are to keep it simple and don’t clutter the plate,” he said. “Find your own style. Find what looks good to you and then build upon it.”
Oppold, a winner of Food Network’s “Chopped” cooking competition, participates in several local charity events and volunteers for the Blue Watermelon project, which advocates for nutritious food in schools and educates students about healthy eating. “I generally involve myself in causes that benefit children through food or education,” he said. “I have a daughter that means the world to me so I understand the importance of improving our children’s futures.”
For more information, visit atlasbistrobyob.com and simmerdownmeals.com.
A CREATIVE COLLABORATION: Twist Bistro and Gallery – 32409 N. Scottsdale Road | Scottsdale
Twist Bistro and Gallery in North Scottsdale offers American dishes with Mediterranean flavors and also features art for sale.
Twist, which opened in May, is a creative collaboration between husband and wife owners Larry and Sandy Tracey Shore. Larry has decades of experience as a chef at restaurants, including The Boulders Resort in Carefree and House of Tricks in Tempe. Sandy is a juried member of the Sonoran Arts League and the Scottsdale Artists League.
The art in the restaurant has a rotating theme and includes work by Sandy, employees and other artists who can submit their work online through Twist’s website. The current theme is New Beginnings and the upcoming theme is Twisted, which will run from the end of August through mid-November. The couple had a similar restaurant and gallery concept in Colorado, where they sold more than 170 pieces of art in four years.
Larry started cooking at a young age and enjoys putting his own twist on classic dishes. Food at Twist is made from scratch featuring local ingredients. Some of the most popular items include the house-smoked lamb belly bacon gyro with feta cheese and garlic yogurt sauce; shrimp and sausage diablo with three-cheese polenta; and chicken and dumplings with house-made gnocchi and blackberry mostarda. The gluten-free mascarpone cheesecake is a favorite — it’s extremely light with a pistachio crust. Specialty cocktails include the smoked margarita with smoked bitters and a smoked paprika salt rim, and the Twistini with ginger syrup and cucumber.
Twist offers weekend brunch with crepes, benedicts, tartines and omelets. Happy hour is available at the bar Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. with 25 percent off all food items and discounts on drinks.
“We have received great feedback so far,” said Sandy. “Our customers are glad we’re here and we are filling a niche in the area. Some people will come in one night for dinner and come back for brunch the next day.”
To learn more, go to twist-bistro.com.
