During a campaign visit to Phoenix, Vice President Kamala Harris made a lunch stop at Bacanora, the James Beard Award-winning Mexican restaurant by chef Rene Andrade. As per Phoenix New Times, her visit to the acclaimed eatery on Grand Avenue took place on Friday, shortly before Harris was scheduled to head back to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Harris's visit was closed to the press, but she engaged in recording digital content for what appears to be part of her campaign strategy, her choice to frequent local businesses has become a part of her public narrative. The visit to Bacanora, a restaurant acknowledged not only for its culinary prestige but as a finalist for James Beard Best New Restaurant in 2022, comes on the heels of other dining engagements by Harris and other Democrats in Phoenix, as The Republic reported.
In a previous campaign visit, Harris along with vice presidential candidate Tim Walz had savored the local flavors of Cocina Adamex, picking up three dozen tamales. Their engagement with the community extended to shared moments with restaurant staff. "It was like we already knew who she was, she wanted to know who we were, really. It was so amazing," Adriana Zapata, owner of Cocina Adamex, told Phoenix New Times. Walz also made visits to local eateries, such as Stoop Kid, for a taste of the culture.
While Bacanora was not previously suggested by readers as a must-try spot for Harris, it shares lineage with Huarachis Taqueria, a downtown Phoenix eatery that locals had recommended. Both establishments are spearheaded by Rene Andrade, whose culinary excellence landed him the James Beard Award for Best Chef — Southwest. Further incorporating community recognition, Andrade was recently honored by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego for his service to the community, according to an Instagram story released earlier this week.
Efforts by The Republic to elicit comments from Andrade about Harris's visit were not immediately successful. As Harris continues to canvas the country on the campaign trail, her stops at local businesses like Bacanora and Cocina Adamex emphasize a campaign focused on connecting with diverse communities and highlighting local entrepreneurs. With the elections underway, such visits project an image of a candidacy intimately involved with local interests and the everyday gastronomic culture that defines them.
