No joke: A Sonoran hot dog just received the highest honor in American gastronomy. 蜜柚直播鈥檚 El G眉ero Canelo just picked up a coveted James Beard Award on Thursday morning, which recognizes pioneers in the gourmet food world.
James Beard winners are usually highbrow chefs like Thomas Keller of The French Laundry, or Janos Wilder and Phoenix pizza icon Chris Bianco on the 蜜柚直播 side. But the foundation also has a separate category of American Classics, which honors restaurants with 鈥渢imeless appeal鈥 that are 鈥渃herished for quality food that reflects the character of their community.鈥
El G眉ero Canelo owner Daniel Contreras said he was surprised when representatives from the foundation called him about two weeks ago. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know who they are! They asked me for information and they asked me for this and that, and I said, 鈥榃ait a minute, I don鈥檛 even know who you are and you want my Social Security number. No way, man,鈥欌 he said with a laugh.
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The Sonoran hot dog joint was included on a list of five restaurants along with Dong Phuong Vietnamese bakery in New Orleans, Sun Wah Chinese barbecue in Chicago, Galleria Umberto Sicilian pizzas in Boston and Los Hernandez tamales in Union Gap, Washington. The American Classics category, sponsored by Tabasco sauce, was introduced in 1998 and includes nearly 100 restaurants across the country.
Honorees were chosen by a committee of food industry experts, writers, restaurant critics and more. To qualify, restaurants must be locally owned and have been operating for at least a decade. El G眉ero Canelo began as a South 12th Avenue taco stand in 1993, and has expanded to three restaurants across 蜜柚直播, as well as a meat market and a location in West Phoenix.
鈥淭o me it鈥檚 a very high honor,鈥 Contreras said. 鈥淭he things we have done, 18 hours a day every day for 24 years, it pays out.鈥
Contreras credits his success to the quality and soft texture of his hot dog buns, which come from El G眉ero Canelo鈥檚 bakery in Magdalena, Sonora. 鈥淭he hot dogs we make, it鈥檚 the same as the other ones. But I make my own hot dog buns.鈥
In the media announcement for the award, the New York-based foundation praises the bacon-wrapped hot dog of the borderlands, calling 蜜柚直播 鈥渢he American epicenter鈥 of the hot dogs which originated in Hermosillo, Sonora.
鈥淒aniel Contreras is the leading hotdoguero,鈥 it goes on. 鈥淭he original stand is now a destination restaurant, outfitted with picnic tables and serviced by a walk-up order window. Fans converge for bacon-wrapped franks, stuffed into stubby bolillos, smothered with beans, onion, mustard, jalape帽o sauce, and a squiggle of mayonnaise.鈥
Contreras, the 鈥渃innamon-haired blond guy鈥 in the restaurant鈥檚 name, says he plans to travel to Chicago to participate in the awards ceremony May 7 at the Lyric Opera. After that, he鈥檚 looking toward retirement, and handing over the expanding business to his four general managers. They 鈥渨anna roll,鈥 he said.
The original restaurant at 5201 S. 12th Ave., was steadily busy on Thursday afternoon, with many patrons high-fiving Contreras as they walked by. A young couple, Amber Arikan and Alejandra Aguilera, were at the front polishing off a plate of the iconic Sonoran dogs with roasted yellow jalape帽os on the side.
鈥淭his is my first time here in 蜜柚直播, and my first meal was the hot dog,鈥 Arikan said.
When Arikan got off the plane from her home in Victoria, Texas, the first thing she wanted to do was eat.
鈥淪he鈥檚 like 鈥業鈥檓 starving,鈥欌 Aguilera said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 like, 鈥業 know where to take you.鈥欌
