CUISINE

CHEF CONVERSATIONS

In the kitchen with Conor Favre of Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Conor Favre is the executive chef of Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, overseeing dining operations at Bourbon Steak, La Hacienda, Ironwood American Kitchen and Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar as well as special event, pool, banquet, and in-room dining.

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY DEBBY WOLVOS

What made you start cooking? While I moved to Arizona at 4 and consider myself basically a native, my parents are Southerners, which meant homemade gumbo and red beans and rice growing up. My love of eating transitioned into a love of cooking. The only jobs I’ve ever had, dating back to my first at 15, were in restaurants and kitchens.

How did you get to the Princess? In 1998, I enrolled in Scottsdale Community College’s culinary program. Upon graduation, I cooked in various positions at Mountain Shadows, Arizona Biltmore and Sheraton Wild Horse Pass before moving to California in 2015 to serve as the food and beverage director at St. Regis San Francisco. I learned of the Princess position through friends in 2017, and jumped at the opportunity.

How big is the culinary department? I work with a dozen in-house executive and sous chefs, plus we partner with celebrity chefs Michael Mina and Richard Sandoval on their concepts, plus about 100 other food and beverage staff. Then, there is usually a major event or program, such as Christmas at the Princess, happening with its own culinary and staffing needs. We are like a small army!

Standout Princess culinary memories: Each year, the process we go through to transform Toro from restaurant to Waste Management Phoenix Open Hole 18 luxury clubhouse is a memorable one, as are the quieter moments with our chefs doing research and development aka lots of good eating.

What are some of your favorite dishes on property? I will die before we ever take the lobster tacos off the La Hacienda menu. Then at Bourbon Steak, I often find myself daydreaming about one of our newer dishes, which is a haysmoked tomahawk steak carved tableside. And at Toro, I am all about our new bone-in short rib with lettuce cups.

What would readers be surprised to know about you? I have a collection of hundreds of sneakers at home.

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale; 480.585.4848; www.scottsdaleprincess.com.