14 years ago, Trudy and I first visited Binkley’s – at that time it was in a shopping strip in neighbouring Cave Creek. We were entranced by the imaginative local creations of chef Kevin Binkley and his maitre’d / sommelier / hippy-spirited wife Amy.
Awards, fame and fortune followed – and so did we. Via Café Bink (bistro extraordinaire) and the amazing Binkley’s farm-to-table fine dining experience on the outskirts of Phoenix – where Kevin brings Japanese/Italian influence to New American locally sourced (especially from Amy’s own garden) ingredients – and creates Alchemy!!!! He zigs while others zag; he reduces his table count – not increases it, he keeps his staff instead of losing them; he hires problematic talent from hardship lives with character – and trains them rather than hiring experienced folks (who usually have experience of the wrong way, not Kevin’s way!).
And now they’re closing – as Kevin does a Jürgen Klopp! After 32 years he and Amy are taking a break to refresh, rewire and re-imagine.
Food and hospitality is in their blood – but the never-ending, daily/nightly on-site pressure to perform has taken its toll – just like managing a Premier League Club / or Bundesliga Club for 32 years does too.
We’ve been regulars/fans – with friends and family – for 14 years. Our go-to place. (They even prepared a takeaway for us to pick up every single weekend during Covid.) And we’ll miss them.
This week is their last week. We were able to take Vanessa and Kendall for a wonderful dinner. (And simultaneously fill one of Kendall’s ongoing questions “When will I be old enough to go to Binkleys?”) The answer was last week. She was. And she loved it.
So, from all of us – thank you Kevin. Thank you Amy. Thank you Christian. And thank you Walter.
We’ll never forget you.
