The first deadline to enter as a competitive “taco team” in the 2nd Annual Arizona Taco Festival has passed, and the starting list of competitors who will be part of the action prove the 2011 contest will be even more fierce than last year.
Current taco teams include:
  • Black Chile Mexican Grill
  • Canteen Modern Tequila Bar
  • Carte Blanche Gourmet Tacos
  • Chelsea’s Kitchen
  • Chronic Cantina
  • Dos Gringos
  • El Hefe Super Macho Taqueria
  • El Toro BBQ
  • The Heard Museum Café
  • The Herb Box
  • Jalapeno Inferno
  • Loco Patron
  • Los Olivos
  • Macayo’s
  • Mike’s BBQ
  • Private Rack Gastropub
  • Ralph’s Snack Bar
  • Rubio’s
  • Salty Senorita
  • St. Francis
  • T. Cook’s
  • Teazy Tacos
  • The Mission
  • Wildhorse Grille at Talking Stick.
Over 25 teams have signed onto the action, preparing to not only impress the National Taco Association judges but the thousands of attendees expected on event day. Each taco team must manage perfectly timed turn-ins while serving $2 tacos to public. “It’s intense,” says 2010 and 2011 competitor, Aaron Chamberlin, chef/owner of St. Francis restaurant. “We didn’t know what to expect last year, but now we’ll definitely have an advantage over the rookie teams,” he says.
At 8:30am on event day, team captains are presented with their competition taco boxes, each outfitted with a divider that creates six sections. For each turn-in (chicken tacos at 11am, pork at noon, beef at 1pm, and seafood at 2pm), teams must make six identical tacos and walk them to the judges tent where the box is checked in for assessment. Each team is assigned a number, preventing judges from the identity of the team. At 2:15pm, teams who entered the Sidecart competitions of Best Salsa, Best Guacamole, and Best Anything Goes Taco, begin those turn-ins.
The 2nd Annual Arizona Taco Festival is produced by Affordable Food Festivals and will be held on October 15, 2011, from 10am-7pm, at 7025 E. Via Soleri in downtown Scottsdale. General Admission is $10 (kids under 12 free), VIP is $100. Food samples are $2 each. Tickets are available online at www.aztacofestival.com.