“When they hear ‘American Lodge Cuisine,’ most people think of antlers and taxidermy,” laughs Matt Alleshouse, chef de cuisine of Wright’s at the Biltmore, the Arizona Biltmore’s historic fine dining restaurant. “But what it is, simply put, is a style of clean, simplistic, hearty, yet still elegant cooking. We use produce, meat, and dairy from smaller boutique farms—organic wherever possible and only American.”

Wright’s adopted this cuisine as part of a 2006 renovation of its bar and restaurant, a change that represents an expansion of the bar itself; the construction of two large fire pits on the patio overlooking Squaw Peak Mountain; the addition of four banquette tables in the restaurant; and investment in new furniture, china, glass, silver, and carpet. All the changes were in keeping with the original organic design of the hotel, of which Frank Lloyd Wright was an advisor.

According to Alleshouse, the renovation also revitalized the restaurant’s classic Hollywood see-and-be seen vibe. (With the original owner and chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr., at the helm, the hotel began a legacy of hosting celebrities, heads of state, captains of industry, and other VIPs).

Of the design changes, both Alleshouse and Executive Chef Michael Cairns had a considerable hand, especially in arranging the kitchen line and stations (to support the demand due to increased seating) and planning the new herb garden. Now flourishing, the garden resides outside the dining room and cultivates a wide variety of culinary herbs, including rosemary (which thrives in desert climes), basil, garlic, chives, thyme, parsley, and oregano, all of which Alleshouse and his team pluck for each new dish they dream up. The Biltmore property even sustains its own fruit trees, like lemon, lime, and kumquat, and Alleshouse is now in the process of planting grapes.

“The key words here are fresh and quality,” says Alleshouse. “It’s a nobrainer for Chef Cairns and myself to procure only the freshest and purest ingredients for our dishes, either right here on-site or from local passionate farmers, who produce healthier, safer, and tastier foods.”

Arizona farmers in cahoots with Wright’s include Queen Creek Olive Mill, which provides olive oil, olives, and specialty vinegars; Eurofresh, whose red vine-ripened tomatoes are, according to Alleshouse, the best you’ll ever taste; Sunizona, which supplies heirloom tomatoes as well as petite, mixed salad, and microbaby greens; and Cave Creek Escargot, whose snails are fed fresh basil for superior flavor and consistency. Also found in the kitchen are products from farmers outside the state, like goat cheese from Surfing Goat Dairy in Maui, Gruyère from Wisconsin, blueberries from New Jersey, fish from Georges Bank on the upper east coast, and wild game from nearby western states.

Fresh ingredients are the only mainstays on the Wright’s dinner menu, since it changes weekly to reflect seasonal nuances. There is also a tasting menu (paired with American wines) that changes daily. On a given week in July, for example, the dinner menu included starters like the Bosc Pear & Maytag Blue Cheese Tart (made with local baby greens, petite Compari tomatoes, roasted pecans, and sweet wine vinaigrette) and the Blue Crab & Heirloom Tomatoes (made with Surfing Goat Feta Cheese and Chardonnay vinaigrette).

Main courses included sumptuous selections such as the Great Lakes Walleye (with citrus herb yucca root crisps, Oregon mushrooms, and horseradish vinaigrette); Aged Buffalo New York Loin (with white cheddar and Yukon purée, creamy arugula, and rosemary jus); Duo of Colorado Lamb (with chickpea ragout, mint vinaigrette, and lamb demi); and the weekly game selection, Grilled Venison Chop (with creamy Gruyére polenta, braised Swiss chard, Oregon mushrooms, and rosemary demi).

Wright’s tasting menu featured such palatable pairings as the Spicy Ahi Tuna (watermelon gazpacho, aged balsamic, and petite greens) with Blanc de Noir by Domaine Chandon; Grilled Pork Tenderloin (sweet potato hash, grape salad, and grain mustard) with Pinot Noir by Testerrosa; and for dessert, American Pie Trio, a sampling of Granny Smith apple, lemon meringue, and peanut butter pie.

Isn’t it a lot of work for Alleshouse and Cairns to plan a renovation, restyle the restaurant’s cuisine, stay on top of the freshest in-season ingredients, pick their own herbs and fruit from the backyard, develop daily and weekly menus, run the kitchen, and cook the food?

“Maybe, but we have a great team supporting us,” says Alleshouse. “Plus, the constant action keeps us vitalized. And hungry."