Check, Please! Arizona Festival explores independent restaurant scene at CityScape

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PHOENIX- (Feb. 27, 2013) – The most popular locally produced TV show on Eight, Arizona PBS takes over CityScape in downtown Phoenix Sun., April 28, 11am-4pm, for a live food event aptly called Eight’s Check, Please! Arizona Festival. Eight, in collaboration with R Entertainment Company, will transform CityScape into an exploration of Arizona’s independent restaurant scene – from five-star dining establishments to tucked away cafes. The event will showcase cuisine from at least 36 of 117 independently owned Arizona restaurants previously featured on the show.  

In its third season, the Emmy Award-winning series Check, Please! Arizona features favorite local restaurants as nominated by viewers.  Those viewers come in studio to share commentary about their favorite dining spot and exchange opinions with fellow guests who experience each other’s favorite place as well. Check, Please! Arizona is hosted by James Beard Award-winner Robert McGrath. Viewers have grown to enjoy discovering the local and often hidden gems featured on the show.  The show serves as a window into the world of renowned independent establishments as well as those hidden culinary gems from throughout Arizona. 

Chef Demonstrations, Panel Discussions. TV Auditions. Among event highlights are cooking demonstrations, panel discussions and the chance to audition for a spot on Check, Please! Arizona.   Producers seek congenial fans who are passionate about their favorite local restaurant, articulate about food and honest about their dining-out experiences. Cameras will be present to tape the auditions.

For the camera-shy guest or those who simply avoid the limelight, a diverse array of culinary offerings will be featured by the participating indie restaurants, as well as samples of fine wine and craft beer, all included in the ticket price.  A James Beard Award-winners’ panel hosted by McGrath is planned, as well as talks on locally sourced foods, fine wine and craft beers.  In addition, a cooking demonstration stage will be in full gear, featuring at least four independent chefs.

Tickets. Purchase tickets at www.azpbs.org/checkplease and click on ‘Join us for the Check, Please! Arizona Festival at CityScape.’ General admission is $60 and VIP tickets are $100. Tickets include food, as well as wine and beer sampling.  VIP ticketholders will enjoy the James Beard Award-winners’ private chef seminar; exclusive wine tastings; early entry to the festival 30-minutes before general admission; and VIP Valet Parking.

Independent restaurants participating to date:

Tarbell’s Tuck Shop LON’s at the Hermosa Phoenix City Grille Haus Murphy’s German Restaurant Vogue Bistro MacAlpines Flancer’s Pittsburgh Willy’s Gourmet Hot Dogs Fuego Bistro Eddie’s House Petite Maison Pomegranate Café Coup Des Tartes Havana Café AZ Bread Co America’s Taco Shop Mrs. Whites Golden Rule Café Thee Pitt’s Again

Eight’s Check, Please! Arizona Festival at CityScape is sponsored by Alliance Beverage; CityScape; Lawns By Les, LLC; Whitfill Nursery; Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers; and BestDentalCareAZ.com.  For more information about sponsorship and participation opportunities, contact Chelsea Fox at R Entertainment Co., 480.657.7333 ext.15 or email [email protected].

Media Contact:  Colleen O’Donnell Pierce
[email protected]
(602) 496-0579
(602) 478-3867 (cell)
Visit azpbs.org/pressroom

About Arizona PBS

Arizona PBS is a trusted community resource.  For over 52 years, the PBS station has focused on educating children, reporting in-depth on public affairs, fostering lifelong learning and celebrating arts and culture. Arizona PBS achieves its mission through the power of non-commercial television, the Internet, educational outreach and community-based initiatives. Its signal reaches 80 percent of the homes in Arizona. With more than 1 million viewers weekly, Arizona PBS consistently ranks among the most-viewed public television stations per capita in the country. For more information, visit azpbs.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest or Tumblr.

Arizona PBS is a member-supported community service of Arizona State University and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

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