Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Celebrates Día de los Muertos with Special Art Exhibition, Dinner Series and Mezcal Speakeasy

In honour of the vibrant Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North announces a cultural celebration like no other. The Resort will host an exclusive art exhibition featuring the renowned artist Gennaro Garcia, alongside an extraordinary dinner series at Talavera Restaurant curated by acclaimed Chef Diego Hernandez and the Resort’s Executive Chef Andrew Whiteside, Executive Pastry Chef Yudith Bustos, and Chef de Cuisine Emmanuel Urban. To elevate the experience, The Lost Explorer will create a one-of-a-kind mezcal speakeasy in Talavera’s Gin Room, offering guests an intimate, curated tasting experience.

Art Exhibition featuring Gennaro Garcia

Beginning on October 15, 2024, Four Seasons Scottsdale invites guests to immerse themselves in the artistic vision of Gennaro Garcia, whose work is celebrated for its vibrant fusion of Mexican heritage with contemporary design. Gennaro is the official artist for the 200th anniversary of Uriarte Talavera, and this will be his first time presenting his 2024 Talavera collection in Scottsdale. His Día de los Muertos exhibition will feature evocative pieces that honour life, death, and the enduring spirit of this sacred holiday.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Gennaro Garcia, whose art beautifully captures the essence of Día de los Muertos,” says Kelley Moreton, General Manager of Four Seasons Scottsdale. “This exhibition is a tribute to the cultural significance of the holiday and will be a deeply enriching experience for our guests.”

The exhibition will take place in the Resort’s lobby from October 15 through November 4, 2024 and will be open to the public. All works will be available to purchase.

Talavera Dinner Series

The Resort’s Spanish steakhouse, Talavera, will host an exclusive dinner series October 30 – November 2, 2024 featuring the culinary artistry of Chef Diego Hernandez, renowned for his work at Mexico’s celebrated Corazón de Tierra, and the Resort’s Executive Chef Andrew Whiteside, Executive Pastry Chef Yudith Bustos, and Chef de Cuisine Emmanuel Urban. Together, they will craft a six-course menu inspired by traditional Mexican flavours and modern techniques, showcasing the richness and depth of the country’s cuisine.

Chef Diego’s Corazón de Tierra restaurant is consistently featured on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America list (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021). With more than 20 years of experience, Hernandez's cuisine combines sincerity, intuition, and spontaneity, showcasing Mexico's unique terroir. As a culinary innovator and designer, he has developed several influential concepts, including restaurants, bars, and cevicherias. His eponymous restaurant, Restaurant Diego-Hernandez, opens in 2024.

“We’re honoured to have Chef Diego Hernandez join us for this special event,” says Executive Chef Andrew Whiteside. “This unique dinner series was designed to reflect the heart of Día de los Muertos, celebrating life through food, culture, and creativity.”

The dinner series will take place from October 30 through November 2, 2024 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm daily and will feature a six-course menu priced at USD 140++ per person. Guests will also enjoy a live demonstration from artist Gennaro Garcia. For more information or to make a reservation, click here or call 480 513 5085.

The Lost Explorer Speakeasy

The Lost Explorer will transform Talavera’s Gin Room into an intimate mezcal speakeasy that will be available to all guests attending the dinner series. Tucked away from the main restaurant, this exclusive space will offer a guided mezcal tasting experience, complete with rare selections of The Lost Explorer’s artisanal mezcals. A mezcal expert will guide guests through the tasting process, revealing the intricate flavours and traditions behind each pour.

About Gennaro Garcia

Gennaro was born and raised in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. He migrated to Arizona in his early twenties with drive, passion and the desire to create art. In 2012, Gennaro reached his personal goal – a solo exhibit in San Miguel de Allende, in his native México. His art alludes to his dual identity as both Mexican, and now, American.

His use of Italian techniques with oils, acrylics, wood, and plaster, along with the combination of a Mexican colour palette from his childhood, has resulted in art that showcases both world-class skill and a true Latino immigrant perspective. To create his first Talavera collection, he travelled to Puebla, Mexico to study the original 195-year-old technique with Uriarte Talavera in which he has a five-year partnership where he continues to create Talavera.

His art pieces are featured in many commercial and residential interiors, and he has participated in more than 60 exhibits in the last four years, including nine solo shows. Currently, one can acquire Gennaro’s art in 10 different galleries in the United States in various cities in Mexico such as Puebla, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico City, Cabo, San Jose del Cabo, Todo Santos, and Valle de Guadalupe.

About Diego Hernandez Baquedano

Born in Ensenada and raised in Mexico ́s’s top kitchens, Diego is part of a generation of culinarians who are bridging tradition with a contemporary look on food and hospitality. With a strong back-to-nature approach, Diego ́s Corazón de Tierra destination restaurant has spearheaded the farm to table movement in Valle de Guadalupe’s wine region, by focusing on the sustainability of the gastronomic landscape and becoming a node for innovation. Chef Diego Hernández studied gastronomy at the Culinary Art School in Tijuana, and has worked alongside top chefs such as Benito Molina (Manzanilla, Ensenada) Guillermo González (Pangea, Monterrey) and Enrique Olvera (Pujol, CDMX).  Diego was named Best New Chef in 2011 by Travel + Leisure. The same publication named his restaurant Best Hotel Restaurant in 2012 and Best Concept the following year. Also in 2013, Diego’s restaurant ranked #30 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America list. (Ensenada Baja California, Mexico)

About Andrew Whiteside, Yudith Bustos and Emmanuel Urban

Andrew Whiteside joined Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North as Executive Chef in March 2024, bringing a wealth of food and beverage leadership experience. In this role, he oversees all aspects of the culinary operation, including its signature restaurants, Talavera, a Spanish steakhouse, and Proof, an American Canteen. Previously, Whiteside served as Executive Sous Chef at Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, where he managed the food and beverage operations for the 272-room property. Before his tenure in San Francisco, Whiteside worked at Four Seasons Hotel Palo Alto in Silicon Valley. There, he reconceptualized the Quattro restaurant and launched a new food truck activation. His journey with Four Seasons began at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, where he oversaw Ferraro’s and DUO Steak & Seafood, and established partnerships with local farmers and specialty purveyors.

Yudith Bustos has been Executive Pastry Chef at the Resort since November 2022. Prior to this, she was Executive Pastry Chef at the brand’s former sister property in Dallas, Texas. Raised in a small town in Costa Rica where her family were farmers, Bustos always felt most at home in the kitchen. After a friend enlisted her help at her newly opened pastry shop, she knew she had found her calling. Shortly after, Yudith enrolled in culinary classes at Instituto Nationnal de Aprendizaje Culinary School and O'Sullivan Culinary School in San Jose, Costa Rica before beginning an internship at the Inter-Continental Hotel in San Jose. Bustos joined the Four Seasons family as the Pastry Chef de Partie at Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo in 2008. She then moved to Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC in 2013, as Executive Assistant Pastry Chef and continued to hone her craft while working (baking) her way up to Executive Pastry Chef in 2018. In 2020, she was spotlighted in USA Today as one of 10 female chefs who were elevating the food scene in the Nation’s Capital. In 2022, she was selected to head to Four Seasons Hotel Toronto on a special assignment to work alongside Daniel Boulud for the property’s 10th anniversary celebration.

Emmanuel Urban is the Resort’s Chef de Cuisine. Prior to this, he was chef de cuisine at Narrative restaurant in Cherry Creek, located inside the Jacquard Hotel. Urban was born in Detroit, Michigan, but raised primarily in Mexico for 20 years. He studied in Ambrosia Centro Culinario, a leading culinary school in Mexico that routinely graduates chefs of worldwide culinary acclaim. Urban’s passion for the culinary world and desire for personal growth led him to Barcelona, Spain, in 2018 for an internship in Michelin-star restaurant Disfrutar. Here, Urban had the opportunity to work with renowned Chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, formerly head chefs at legendary restaurant El Bulli and currently owners of Disfrutar. Following his time in Spain, Urban travelled back to the United States to join James Beard-awarded restaurant Rioja, in downtown Denver.

About The Lost Explorer

The Lost Explorer crafts exquisite mezcal and tequila, honouring the agave and its terroir - from the arid valleys of Oaxaca to the volcanic lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico. These handcrafted spirits are additive-free and made from 100 percent agave. The Lost Explorer’s deep commitment to sustainability means that spirits are made within the rhythm of nature, with respect to biodiversity and local communities.