Gilbert has no shortage of incredible places to eat. From longtime neighborhood favorites to exciting new concepts, there is always somewhere new to try, a dish worth ordering again or a table waiting to become part of a memory. But behind every great restaurant is someone with a story to tell.
For this month’s Food & Drink Issue, we wanted to step beyond the dining room and into the kitchen to meet some of the local chefs shaping the way Gilbert eats.
These are the people dreaming up the dishes, sourcing the ingredients, perfecting recipes and putting a little piece of themselves onto every plate. Their paths into the kitchen are as different as the restaurants they represent. Some grew up cooking alongside family, others worked their way through kitchens across the country, and some took unexpected roads before finding their place behind the line.
What they share is a love for food, hospitality and creating experiences that bring people together.
So, consider this your introduction to a few of the talented people behind some of Gilbert’s local restaurants. You may already know their food. Now, it is time to meet the chefs behind it.
Chef Grayson Schnepf | Smoke & Grain
Grayson Schnepf’s culinary story began on his family’s organic peach farm, Schnepf Farms, where he learned to cook alongside his mom. After gaining experience in restaurants across the country, he traded his chef coat for a Grundéns jacket and spent three years commercial fishing in the Bering Sea, deepening his appreciation for hard work, quality ingredients and where food comes from. Eventually, his Arizona roots brought him home, where he led dining experiences at Schnepf Farms. When an opportunity came to create something new, Smoke & Grain was born, built around heartfelt dishes, homestyle hospitality and quality ingredients.
Recipe:
Caprese Pesto Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
1 chicken breast
1 hoagie roll
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
Handful of arugula
2 tbsp basil pesto
Shaved Parmesan
Olive oil
Butter
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until fully cooked, then slice. Butter the hoagie roll and toast until golden. Spread basil pesto on both sides of the roll. Layer the grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, tomato and arugula. Top with shaved Parmesan and a light drizzle of olive oil. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Close the sandwich and serve immediately while warm.
Chef Matt Carter | The Mission
Chef Matt Carter has spent decades helping shape Arizona’s culinary scene, bringing creativity, technique and bold flavors to the table. As the chef behind The Mission, Carter is known for his modern approach to Latin cuisine, blending traditional influences with thoughtful, contemporary touches. His passion for cooking began early and evolved through years of experience in some of the Valley’s most recognized kitchens. At The Mission, that experience comes together through dishes centered on fresh ingredients, layered flavors and wood-fired cooking. For Carter, the experience extends beyond what is on the plate, creating food meant to be shared and remembered.
Recipe:
Chef Carter’s Holiday Creamed Spinach
Ingredients:
10 oz. spinach, 1–2 garlic cloves, 4 shallots, ¼ cup Parmesan, ⅓ cup each mozzarella, béchamel, heavy cream, sour cream and ricotta, chicken fat, Controne chile, salt and pepper.
Salsa Verde:
Basil, mint, parsley, arugula, garlic, olive oil, lemon and orange zest and juice, Controne chile, salt and pepper.
Method:
Sauté garlic and half the shallots until caramelized. Add cream and spinach; reduce by half. Stir in mozzarella, béchamel and sour cream. Season and transfer to a baking dish. Top with ricotta and Parmesan. Bake at 350°F until bubbly. Garnish with crispy shallots and chunky salsa verde.
Chef Eric Emlet | High Tide
Chef Eric’s culinary career began at an upscale country club in Chesterton, Indiana, where creativity and teamwork drew him into the kitchen. A move to San Diego in his 20s introduced him to fresh seafood and global flavors while launching him into an executive chef role. Later, his time at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club led to a friendship with Chris Glass and, eventually, the opening of High Tide in Gilbert in 2014. Today, Chef Eric brings those experiences to a menu centered around fresh seafood, quality ingredients and signature steam kettle cooking, creating dishes packed with flavor and a story.
Recipe:
High Tide’s Crab Cake
Ingredients:
1 lb. blue crab meat
1 lb. lump crab meat
1 cup mayonnaise
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 lemon, zested and juiced
6 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Method:
Combine crab meat, mayonnaise and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Add Old Bay, lemon zest, juice and basil, mixing gently. Refrigerate until chilled. Shape into cakes using a ring mold. Cook on a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer to an oven-safe pan and bake at 350°F until heated through, reaching 145°F internally. Makes approximately eight 5-ounce crab cakes.
Chef Rick Moonen | Perry’s Restaurants
James Beard-recognized celebrity chef Rick Moonen has built a celebrated career around creativity, craftsmanship and a deep knowledge of seafood. Considered one of the country’s leading culinary authorities on seafood, Moonen’s accomplishments include induction into the American Culinary Hall of Fame. Today, he brings decades of experience to Perry’s Restaurants as Master Development Chef, a role he has held as part of the Perry’s team for seven years. His culinary expertise helps shape dishes and dining experiences across the restaurant group, combining thoughtful technique with quality ingredients. For Moonen, great cooking begins with respecting the ingredients and allowing exceptional flavors to take center stage.
Recipe:
White Bean Pork Chili
Ingredients:
½ lb. diced pork chop, 3 bacon strips, 1 tbsp. butter, 1½ cups onion, ½ cup poblano, 5 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp. each oregano and cumin, 7 oz. Hatch green chiles, 10 oz. cannellini beans, 2 cups chicken stock, salt and pepper.
Instructions:
Melt butter in a pot and cook bacon until browned. Add onion, poblano, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper; cook until tender. Stir in beans, green chiles, oregano, stock and pork. Simmer 15–20 minutes until thick. Garnish with Monterey Jack, tortilla strips, red onion and cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas. Serves 4.
Chef Erika Gonzalez | Buck & Rider
As Hi Noon Hospitality’s Culinary Development Chef, Erika Gonzalez helps shape the culinary direction across the group’s restaurants, including Buck & Rider. Her career began organically with her first kitchen job, where she discovered a passion that grew through hands-on experience, colleagues and mentors. Her philosophy is simple: start with the highest-quality ingredients, execute with precision and let them shine. At Buck & Rider, that approach is reflected in a seafood program centered around fresh catches flown in daily. Inspired early by her grandmothers, Gonzalez believes food is about more than flavor. It is also about connection.
Chef Ben Klein | Maeva
Chef Ben Klein’s culinary journey began at 17 as a dishwasher, though his love of food started much earlier, cooking alongside his mother and dining with his grandmother. After building his career in New York, including working at the iconic Carlyle, Klein came to Maeva through longtime mentor Kenny Cuomo. Inspired by Arizona’s emerging food scene, he brings influences from both coasts, global dining experiences and local ingredients into the kitchen. At Maeva, everything from pastries and breads to pastas and sauces is made in-house. For Klein, however, the heart of the restaurant is the talented team behind every detail.
Recipe:
Scallion Ginger Sauce
Featured alongside Chef Ben Klein’s Tuna Tataki at Maeva, this bright, savory sauce brings fresh ginger and scallion flavor to the dish.
Ingredients:
95g scallions, thinly sliced
40g fresh ginger, minced
5g Aleppo chili pepper
175g grapeseed oil
25g soy sauce or tamari
8g sugar
5g salt
Instructions:
Combine scallions, ginger and chili in a heatproof bowl. Heat oil to 400–420°F, until lightly smoking. Carefully pour hot oil over the mixture, using a large bowl as it will bubble. Stir and let sit at room temperature for at least one hour. Add soy sauce, sugar and salt, stirring well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, temper at room temperature for 30–60 minutes and stir. Keeps refrigerated for one month.
Chef Tony Gemignani | Slice House
For 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani, a love of pizza began after high school at his brother’s restaurant, Pyzano’s Pizzeria. What started with perfecting dough eventually grew into a nationally recognized career and Slice House. Inspired by childhood days cooking with his mother and ingredients from the family farm, Gemignani continues to prioritize freshness and quality. Slice House brings his craft into a casual setting, serving multiple pizza styles without compromising technique. In Gilbert, Tony partnered with East Valley residents Jason and Yvette Pastore to create a lively, family-friendly restaurant rooted in community, great pizza and memorable experiences.