News & Events

Celebrating Culinary Excellence: Tyler Johnson, ACI Graduate and New Pastry Chef at Mountain Shadows Resort We are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable success of Tyler Johnson, a proud 2020 graduate of the Arizona Culinary Institute (ACI) and a formerly infantryman in the United States Marine Corps. Tyler’s journey from military service to culinary excellence exemplifies the

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Lawrence "LT" Smith III, the culinary co-owner behind Phoenix’s acclaimed restaurant Chilte, has recently earned media recognition as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs for 2024. This prestigious accolade celebrates Smith's innovative approach to modern American cuisine, highlighting his growing influence on the culinary scene both locally and nationally. Smith III, a graduate of

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Sharing recipes is a love language. It’s the way we connect with people and share a part of ourselves with others. We also use recipes to share culture and family history. So here’s a recipe from my Canadian side of the family. These bars are usually made at Christmas time, but I like to make them

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Hello from ACI! I hope you are all doing well out there and that you are safely navigating the beginning stages of Hell on Earth (also known as Summer in Arizona)! For this newsletter, I wanted to pay tribute to one of our wonderful instructors who recently decided to move on to pursue other adventures in

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Meet Steve Alvarado, a culinary virtuoso-turned-entrepreneur who is redefining the local food scene on Vancouver Island with his venture, Ixim. After a sprawling 20-year career in various culinary capacities, Steve’s pursuit of a more profound understanding led him to the Arizona Culinary Institute. Attending ACI enriched his skills and broadened his network, providing him with invaluable

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Happy Spring everybody! I hope this letter finds you well. Lately, I’ve been embracing how lucky I am to have found two intertwined careers that allow you to continue learning in nearly infinite ways: cooking and teaching. In these two disciplines, it would be truly impossible to know everything. With cooking, there is no way that

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One of my favorite cakes to make this time of year is a Lemon Chiffon Cake. It’s soft and light with an incredible lemon flavor. I fill it with zesty lemon curd and top it with Chantilly cream made with mascarpone cheese to make the perfect spring dessert. If you love lemon as much as I

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Just over a year ago, John and Kirstin Freeman took the plunge. They both had been working in the construction industry, and they decided to act on a long-held dream and go into business on their own. On Jan. 14, 2023, they opened The Sandwich Spot in the Stratford Plaza at 12th Street and Glendale Avenue.

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(Tom Leyde/Contributor for Tucson Local Media) As we share stories of inspiring success and passion in the culinary world, few glow as brightly as the journey of ACI graduate, Sergio Pinon, who has been making waves as the general manager and bar program director of Tucson's vibrant Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar. With a heartfelt philosophy

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During a recent open house at ACI, I described the Meat Fabrication and Saucier class to a group of student candidates. During a question-and-answer period, a cautiously enthusiastic prospect asked an excellent question. She asked if a culinary degree limits one to working in a kitchen for an entire career. In and of itself, a culinary degree

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