Scottsdale Culinary Festival

Cooking with her mother Leonor and grandmother 'Silvana,' the chef came to understand that love is the key ingredient in stellar Mexican cuisine. In 2000-01, Silvana embarked on an adventure of a lifetime when she lived in Mexico. She traveled all over the country, taking back roads and staying in small villages. There she discovered more about her heritage by experiencing the customs, people and, most importantly, the food of her beloved Mexico. Through her experiences as a child and her culinary travels, chef Silvana developed her own unique style of Mexican cuisine. You can taste the results of Silvana’s dedication to her heritage in her fresh culinary interpretations of traditional Mexican cooking. Her culinary concepts reflect the influences of her mother and grandmother, and her own experiences traveling in Mexico.Awarded a full scholarship to Scottsdale Culinary institute - 1995, and a International Association of Culinary Professionals scholarship to study in Mexico - 2000, chef Silvana has dedicated her culinary career to the study of Mexican cuisine and it's history. Silvana has cooked with some of the foremost authorities on Mexican Cuisine; Patricia Quintana and chef Susana Trilling to name a few. Accolades from national press such as Vouge Magazine, New York Times and Metropolitan Home have named chef Silvana as a leader and innovator in Mexican cuisine. She has also been named Best Hot Young Chef's from Phoenix Magazine and named as one of Phoenix's Cool Index by the Phoenix New Times. Chef Silvana's articles have appeared in the New Times and the New York Village Voice. In 2002, together with partner Wendy Gruber, chef Silvana opened the acclaimed Barrio Cafe in Phoenix, Arizona. The Barrio Cafe has been named "Best Mexican Restaurant" by the Arizona Republic, 2002-2011.

In the year 2004, chef Silvana was named Chef Extrodinarie of the Year and inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame, Arizona.

In 2010 & 2011, chef Silvana was nominated for the prestigious JAMES BEARD AWARD.

Most recently chef Silvana has opened new ventures named Barrio Queen Tequileria and Silvana Bistro and is scheduled to open Barrio Cafe - Por Avion (at the Phoenix International Airport) spring 2012.