Vice President Kamala Harris’s tour through Phoenix took a flavorful turn with a visit to the celebrated Mexican restaurant Bacanora, where she engaged in conversation with the renowned chef Rene Andrade. Phoenix New Times reported that during the Oct. 11 private visit, Harris discussed her childhood foods and Andrade's culinary beginnings while sampling some of the restaurant’s finest offerings. The intimate gathering allowed Harris to taste the Sonoran restaurant’s acclaimed beans and quesadillas.
Andrade, this year's James Beard Award-winner for Best Chef in the Southwest and owner of Bacanora, shared poignant memories of his grandmother, whose influence shaped his career. "Guadalupe," he disclosed when Harris inquired about her name, as a piece of Virgen de Guadalupe artwork stood by, a memento from his grandmother’s house now gracing the restaurant’s kitchen. "Guadalupe, we speak her name," Harris echoed. The Vice President then sat down with a group of chefs to discuss how to improve access to capital for small business owners, leaving with a commitment to return with her husband for another meal, according to Phoenix New Times coverage.
Earlier events in Harris's Arizona campaign included a stop at the Gila River Indian Community and a Scottsdale event. Still riding the campaign trail, her choice in dining has been strategic, such as the earlier stop at Cocina Adamex with running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Bacanora's relation to the huaraches-slinging Huarachis Taqueria in downtown Phoenix, both piloted by the esteemed Andrade, shows a nod to local enterprise.
Although the Oct. 10th beam-and-bite gathering for content creation at Bacanora was off-limits to media and the public, buzz about the event illustrated Harris's eagerness to embed authentic local cuisine spots into her campaign itinerary. The Republic noted an air of community acknowledgment as Andrade was given props just days prior by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego for his service to the community, as revealed on an Instagram story post. Despite efforts, Andrade’s commentary on the event remains unattainable to the press for now.
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