Laura Latzko

Special for the Republic | azcentral.com

For a foodie, nothing is better than tasting a blend of ingredients coming together to create the perfect sweet, savory, tart or spicy dish. Phoenix Cooks! lets food aficionados sample food, wine, craft beer and spirits with varying inspirations, flavors and stories behind them.

During the 12th annual event on Saturday, Sept 3. at Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, chefs representing local restaurants will showcase unique and delectable culinary creations and put on cooking classes.

For the event, food enthusiasts pay a fee of $85 to $100 for unlimited food, wine, craft beer and spirit samples. Designated drivers and non-drinkers can purchase a special ticket for $60 for unlimited food.

Proceeds from a charity raffle will benefit Banner Children’s, a network of pediatricians, children’s hospitals and clinics and pediatric specialists dedicated to young people’s well-being.

For food lovers, the event offers a chance to try different menu items before committing to an evening at a restaurant.

The local and national restaurants involved will provide samples of California-inspired, Italian, American or Southwestern-style, Thai fusion, Irish-style and dessert foods.

Visitors can also try fine wine, craft beer and spirits from different parts of the world.

One of the new restaurant participants, Gadzooks Enchiladas and Soups, has done the Arizona Taco Festival and the azcentral.com Food and Wine Experience in the past.

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Gadzooks owner Aaron Pool said through events such as Phoenix Cooks!, his restaurant can expose people outside of central Phoenix to its brand of Mexican food.

The restaurant specializes in customized enchiladas but has also gotten a reputation for its chicken tacos.

During Phoenix Cooks!, Gadzooks will serve the chicken tacos that have won it first place in the chicken category twice at the Arizona Taco Festival. The tacos are crafted with fresh tortillas made onsite, sweet and spicy cornbread, tomatillo chicken, cotija cheese, jalapeño ranch and honey-vinaigrette slaw.

Pool said at any event, he tries to showcase the type of high quality food served at the restaurant.

“I think it’s a great example of what Gadzooks is. The tacos show the creativity you can have with all of the flavors, textures and colors at Gadzooks,” Pool said. “The more people that can taste the tacos, we feel we have a better chance of them visiting the store because they are so different and unique.”

Another newcomer to the event, Gilbert-based marshmallow company Fluff It will offer mallow pies with chocolate-, banana-, strawberry- or vanilla-honey-flavored marshmallows.

The restaurant has taken part in other food-centered events, including the Devoured Culinary Classic and the Glendale Chocolate Affaire.

At its retail location and online, Fluff It sells 2-inch homemade marshmallows with cheesecake, orange cream, caramel, coconut, pumpkin, gingerbread, peppermint, vanilla bean, peanut butter, churro, birthday cake and cotton candy flavors.

Customers can also create customized s’mores at the Gilbert store.

The marshmallows take anywhere between 8 to 12 hours to make in batches of two dozen, and some marshmallows require special processes to make.

Co-owner Tricia Arce’s marshmallow passion started with a cooking contest at work and grew into a business. After her grandmother died, making marshmallows became a big part of her healing process.

“I would talk to her while making the marshmallows and think of her while making the marshmallows, and it helped,” Arce said. “There’s a slight connection I still have with her because it happened at such a time in my life when I needed something to put into that void that was left behind.”

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Phoenix Cooks!

When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3.

Where: Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, 6902 E. Greenway Pkwy., Scottsdale.

Admission: $60 designated driver, $85 general admission in advanced, $100 general admission at the door.

Details: phoenixcooks.com .