Chef Demonstration with Tarbell’s

At our Special Mother’s Day Market we were thrilled to welcome Chef Matt Fenton and his team from Tarbell’s — an upscale restaurant that serves American fare in a chic space at 32nd Street and Camelback! Chef Matt arrived ready to show Uptown-goers how to make a delectable brunch for Mom on Mother’s Day, and showcased a menu that could truly be replicated at any time of the year, fit to impress all. Hint: If you are hosting brunch, read this!

Guests were welcome with Tarbell’s house-made Lemonade, made with local citrus from Farm Club and The Community Exchange Table — the perfect combination of sweet and sour, prepping our taste buds for the rest of the mouthwatering menu. Chef also noted Lemonade is a great choice when entertaining, as it’s a kid favorite and an easy drink to make “adult-friendly” as well.

Next, Chef Matt presented a stunning platter of long-stemmed Strawberries from TJ Farms that were dipped in melted chocolate and coated in perfectly toasted coconut shreds. Chocolate Covered Strawberries can often seem like a food reserved for fancier occasions, however, they are relatively simple to make — simply wash all strawberries and let dry on a paper towel, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips over low heat, dip the strawberries in, and then let cool for a few hours in the fridge. They can also be made up to two days in advance — making them a easy dish to serve for brunch, Chef noted!

The crowd ooh’ed and ahh’ed as they finished their Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Chef served Barbacoa Tacos, similar to the tacos you’ll find on Tarbell’s The Tavern lunch and dinner menu. Served on freshly made corn tortillas with shredded cabbage and vibrant pickled onion, these tacos were packed with Arizona flavor! “Make a big batch of Barbacoa, chicken or pork, and have plenty of tacos! You can never have enough tacos!” the chefs of Tarbell’s agreed.

Up next, a breakfast favorite: pancakes! Chef whipped up a smooth batter made with local eggs from The Community Exchange Table. To keep the dish deliciously seasonal for Mom, the students from C-CAP diced fresh, local peaches from Farm Club and sprinkled the fruit in to each pancake. Tips for a perfect pancake? “Good quality maple syrup!” said Chef Matt.

Thank you to Chef Matt and the rest of the Tarbell’s crew for joining us at Uptown Saturday and sharing an inspiring menu we know Mom, or anyone, would love. We also extend our thanks to the students from C-CAP for helping slice, dice, and cook and to Farm Club, TJ Farms and The Community Exchange Table for contributing fresh, seasonal ingredients. Congratulations to all of the Moms who won gift cards to Tarbell’s (enjoy!) — it’s our favorite way to say thank you for shopping local and supporting the valley’s local chefs. We hope you also enjoyed a beautiful Mother’s Day! Stay in the know about upcoming demonstrations and events at Uptown by subscribing to our weekly e-mail newsletter and following us on social media (find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.)