16 FEBRUARY 2023 with Samantha Sanz, Chef de Cuisine at Elements T here’s no place like home, especially for Chef de Cuisine Samantha Sanz, who started her culinary career at Elements at Sanctuary Resort before moving around the Valley and ending up back at the same restaurant – this time with a new title. With a background that began in her family’s restaurant, Sanz took everything she learned and now applies it to the dishes at Elements, where her favorite part is helping guests create memories through her food. Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Nogales, a small town bordering Mexico. I would cross the border every day to attend school there, and then I would spend afternoons in my family’s restaurant, called Trocadero, which is still open to this day. The restaurant has been around for 60 years and has seen multiple generations grow up there. When did you first decide you wanted to be in the restaurant industry? My love for the kitchen was developed at a very young age. I always wanted to cook new recipes and spent summers learning how to make the meals my mom would cook for us. I was not aware that being a chef was a profession since I saw the restaurant as a family business, and there was really not a chef assigned per se. I realized later in life that my grandmother was the chef the whole time. When I was a teenager, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in the industry, and I never changed my mind. I came to Scottsdale to pursue my culinary degree at Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale in 2008. What’s the first thing you remember cooking? An omelet! Where was your first job, and what position did you hold? My first job was at Elements at the Sanctuary as a pantry cook – I took care of titling the cold food. Everything from salads, shellfish displays and cold appetizers. How long have you been the chef de cuisine? Since November 2020. I am in charge of creating the menus, the quality of food in general, and overseeing the staff and the restaurant. What is the toughest part about being a chef? Sacrificing all of your personal time. To have the mental fortitude to motivate yourself every day. It’s a physical job, so it’s hard on your body. Having patience even when you don’t have any left. The best part? Mentoring the younger generation of chefs by teaching them multiple skills, not only cooking related but life skills. Another awesome thing is having the power to create something intangible, like memories for our guests. Give us a brief timeline of your work history. I started at Elements when I was 18. I worked my way through the kitchen until I became the lead cook. I left and took a sabbatical in Paris for a year, which was amazing. I miss it all the time. I love all the fresh food and just how beautiful the city is. I came back to Scottsdale and worked at Virtu Honest Craft with chef Gio Osso. I spent three years there, and I became his chef de cuisine. I then pursued a position with The Four Seasons Troon North and was hired as the chef de cuisine of Talavera. While working, I was so blessed to be nominated twice for a James Beard Award, one for Rising Star Chef of the Year for Chefs Under 30 and the second for Best Chef Southwest. Then, in 2020, I was rehired at Elements, this time as chef de cuisine. What does a day in the life of Samantha Sanz look like? If I’m working, I start my day by waking up at 7 or 8 a.m. I walk my dog, Massimo, brew myself some coffee, check my emails and start getting ready for work. Once I arrive at work, I check in with all the staff and look at the food deliveries. I start looking at banquet orders and reservations and move to do office tasks. I spend time in the walk-ins, organizing and making the soup of the day. The rest of the day is expediting the breakfast and lunch food that touches the tables. Then we get ready for dinner service, and another round of staff gets to work. We do a pre-shift meeting and go through reservations, expectations and share ideas. We move on to service, and I continue expediting food and greeting tables. If I’m off, I usually try to do something for myself. Pedicures, massages, retail therapy, I take myself on lunch dates. Catch up with friends. Take Massimo to the dog park. Maybe watch a movie, study a new cookbook. If I have the energy, I like to hike. I like to draw and paint, so I do that if I have the time. Give a brief explanation of the cuisine at Elements. Elements is fresh American cuisine that has global influences. The location is amazing; the views are breathtaking. The most popular items are Wagyu beef dumplings, tuna tartar, miso-glazed Chilean sea bass and red dragon Brussels sprouts. Do you maybe have your eye on winning a specific honor after your James Beard nominations? Hard work pays off, and that’s really all I focus on. Tell me something that might surprise readers to know about you. I like to spend time alone. I don’t have any issues having meals at restaurants by myself. What is your favorite thing to cook? Whatever I crave that day! I love seafood, fresh vegetables, and nice steaks. I cook a lot of Mexican food, and I also enjoy cooking Italian. Who is your biggest inspiration in your personal life? My grandmother, who opened Trocadero with my grandfather. She was always working really hard in the restaurant, always in the kitchen making food and ensuring everything was to her standards. She taught me perseverance and not to let anybody intimidate me or tell me I cannot do it. Oh, and she’s 101 years old! I admire all my mentors – Chefs Beau MacMillan, Gio Osso, Mel Mecinas and Chuck Kazmeras, as they all helped me become the chef I am. What was it like working with Chef MacMillan? Beau Mac was the first chef I worked with. He is one of the most charismatic and caring human beings. He is passionate about food being beautiful and delicious. We had a lot of fun collaborating and creating menus in 2020. He is always there as a mentor and friend. Advice for someone who wants to go into the restaurant industry? Get a restaurant job before getting into school debt. School is nothing like the real deal. Working in a restaurant will give you a keen idea of what it truly takes to be in this industry. What’s next for Samantha Sanz? Continue creating beautiful food that will hopefully create memories! 5700 E. McDonald Dr., Paradise Valley • gurneyresorts.com In the Kitchen

17 FEBRUARY 2023 By Melissa Hirschl The Spirit of Arcadia Marching Band is trumpeting a stunning victory after capturing first place in the November AZMBA (Arizona Marching Band Association) Championship. The win came on the heels of their second- place designation at the ABODA (Arizona Band Orchestra Directors Association) State Marching Championship. Under the direction of Jan Gardner, the team has won the AZMBA Championship for the past five consecutive years. A staple of the school, the band plays at football games, pep assemblies and various public events. When Gardner came on the scene ten years ago, the band and orchestra departments “barely had a heartbeat,” he said. Over the years, Gardner’s expertise and drive have led participating musicians to new heights. The school now boasts a marching band, percussion ensemble, two concert bands and two string orchestras. During competitions, judges look for proficiency in music, visuals and general effect. They critique band members on how they synchronize in time, carry themselves and their instruments, and what “wow” factors make the band unique. The color guard kicks up that “wow” with visual aspects accompanying the band’s performances. By creatively using flags and props, they complement the rousing music with dance moves and routines set to the cadence of the music. Precision timing and execution are crucial. They spend months refining techniques, practicing, and perfecting choreography to ensure a seamless performance. Band competitions and championships are pageantries of color, musical mastery and motion. Much of the credit goes to Gardner, who writes the drills and music and devises themes rich with interpretive possibilities. Specialists employed to work with percussion, color guard and visual aspects of the program provide an extra dose of professionalism. During shows, band members and color guard parallel the theme in music, movement and costuming. For this year’s “Roman Gladiator” theme, the band made a dramatic entrance into the stadium donning Spartan-styled helmets replete with red plumage and spears. The score they played was entitled “In the Arena,” by Gary P. Gilroy. “These kids are busy the entire day of the contest,” Gardner said. “It starts in the early afternoon and runs until 9 p.m. That’s not even counting the time we rehearse at school beforehand. Sometimes kids have been here from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.” There are perks for all that hard work. Last year the band had the honor of marching in the Festival of Light Parade, hosted by NBC’s Olivia Sandusky and Tim O’Brien, in Palm Springs, California. The proverbial “cherry on top” was a trip to Disneyland. “The band is a very close and supportive group. They make a huge commitment, consistently working very hard to achieve excellence, and are all-around a wonderful group of kids,” Band Booster Shannon McAfee said. Freshman Wesley Harmony reflected on his first year with the band: “I enjoyed marching band this year, especially competing and playing at football games. I feel this experience has made me a better person, more confident and more willing to put myself out there and volunteer for new things.” “My son joined marching band as a freshman, and I’ve been blown away by the hard work, dedication and discipline this group of students showed. I’m so proud of their accomplishments. Their hard work has paid off,” Band mom Krista Braden said. Congratulations to the Spirit of Arcadia! Arcadia High’s Marching Band wins ninth championship Spirit of Arcadia Marching Band with their first place trophy after the AZMBA Championships. PHOTO: SYLVIA VALTIEKREZ Microelectronics ASU is leading the way Arizona State University’s MacroTechnology Works facility in Tempe is where the public and private sectors come together to develop the research and workforce that Arizona will need as it transforms into a global hub for microchip manufacturing. It’s a collaborative approach attracting attention from national policymakers because it allows companies of all sizes to partner with ASU to solve microelectronic challenges that impact our daily lives and national security. It also directly connects these companies to the largest pipeline of engineering and technology talent in the U.S.* *American Society for Engineering Education, 2021 are Arizona’s future neweconomy.asu.edu