Chic Chef 77 - First Black-owned Wine Bar opens in Tempe

The Chic Chef 77 Wine bar in Tempe opens to the public on February 8th at 5 PM. This is the first black owned wine bar to open in Arizona, by celebrity chef and foodie Nik Fields, a Brooklyn native and entrepreneur who now resides in Phoenix. Beginning with formal training at the Culinary Institute in Italy, then on to an MBA in Finance at ASU... and a 20 year stint as vice president of a bank, this savvy chef has cooked for notable Hollywood celebrities such as Jada Pinkett Smith and Sharon Stone. Her work has also been featured in the pages of People magazine and on "The Doctors," Bravo, HGTV, and VH1.

It all started with her artisanal line of olive oils, vinegars, spice blends and sauces, as well as oline cooking classes during the pandemic. Today, this 3 time cookbook author has her own Bourbon brand, “Queens Bourbon”, and is in production with the pilot of her first cooking show. Furthermore, she is focused on giving back to the community with projects such as “Waste not Want Not, Inc.” encouraging the reduction of food waste in restaurants and homes, and offering free meals to the homeless population of Phoenix.

What you will find at the wine bar:

Along with a full menu ranging from charcuterie boards to caprese, crab cakes, garlic noodles with lobster, and blackened chicken with fiery brussels sprouts, the wine bar will also feature a curated selection of black owned wines and a range of 200 regional and international wines. . Farm fresh salads and sweet treats such as the New York Cheesecake will also delight customers. Furthermore, a full range of cocktails with names such as the “Around the Way Girl” with vodka, rose wine, champagne and rose simple syrup, nods to her love of hip hop and Brooklyn, round out the menu. The market will be selling Chef Nik’s artisanal olive oils, vinegars, seasonings, as well as loose leaf teas.

The space will not just be a gathering place, but a community-based destination for live music, poetry, paint-and-sips, and private wine tastings.

Hours:

5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays

11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays

Location: 1221 E Apache Tempe, AZ 85281

Website: www.chicchefco.com

Instagram: Nikthechicchef

Twitter: Iamculinarychic

Facebook: Nik The Chic Chef