lisa dahl biography

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Lisa dahl has created a culinary empire in sedona. here’s how she became the restaurateur to beat..

Haute Cuisine , News

by Laura Schreffler

Photo Credit: Scott Yates

Everyone in the mystical, magical city of Sedona knows Chef Lisa Dahl — she’s the queen bee of Sedona, after all, with a culinary empire that can’t be bested. Dahl is the executive chef and CEO of five outstanding restaurants in Northern Arizona’s red rock country where she has earned international acclaim for Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa, Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill and her newest, most buzzed-about addition, Butterfly Burger, A Couture Burger Lounge (how haute!).

After shedding her life in the Bay Area and a career in the fashion industry following the loss of her son Justin, Dahl sought healing and moved to Sedona, a town famous for its spiritual energy and restorative powers. Once settled, she unearthed her long-held passion for cooking, one that she and Justin shared. Honoring Justin’s memory is part of each of her restaurants.

Along with being a two-time James Beard House-featured chef, Dahl is widely credited for Sedona’s emergence as a national “foodie destination”. A self-taught chef, her cooking styles are diverse and includes high-end traditional Italian cuisine, rustic Mediterranean fare, South American-inspired dishes, indulgent and inventive burgers and wood-fired pizza, considered among the best in Arizona. She’s also a grill master whose burgers reigned supreme three years in a row at Scottsdale’s Burger Battle, which garnered her the attention of celebrity Chef Bobby Flay who challenged Dahl to go head-to-head on an episode of Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay”.

Here, we talk to this culinary queen, who has penned two cookbooks, including the most recent  A Romance with Food: Latin Infusion Cooking, on how she built her empire.

You have been very open about your desire to move to a new location and heal after the tragic loss of your son? Why were you drawn to Sedona?

I had been there for a few days with a friend years before. At the time, I lived in Marin County a gorgeous place in and of itself, but I needed to get away from the day-to-day memory that was unbearable and I reflected on the time I had been to Sedona and thought of it as such an incredibly spiritual experience with so much magnified beauty and nature. I felt it would be a really good place to start my life over.

Was it difficult to leave your fashion career and transition into becoming a chef and restaurateur?

It came somewhat naturally because I’ve loved cooking since I was a teenager. I always embraced the opportunity to cook for others and thrived in bringing joy to people through food. My passion for fashion melded into a devotion to cooking and became a metaphor for healing by giving service. Feeding others helped take my mind off of my own missing piece. Fashion always remained a big part of my life and is now a personal interest rather than a career. You can take the girl out of fashion, but you can’t take the fashion out of the girl.

How do you honor your son Justin in in your current work and restaurants?

Justin is the foundation for all my restaurants starting with Dahl & DiLuca–my first and my favorite restaurant because I call it “the shrine to the divine.” I felt his Angelic presence when I launched it, and I still do every time I enter the building. With that being said, I love all of the restaurants. They’re part of my heart of hearts. Each one of them has a symbolism whether it’s hidden in a corner or a special notation on the menu for those who seek healing in their own lives. They will always feel a presence that makes sense of something difficult to comprehend. Also, some menu items are named after him. In fact, all my menus have a dedication to Justin and my mother and my father. At Pisa Lisa, specific pizzas are named after my family memories and I find it cathartic when I make pizza or I hear the name being called out, I’m always touched. Subliminally just knowing that Justin might be listening warms my heart. It’s beautiful. I feel him.

Can you describe what makes the restaurants in your group unique?

They are all unique and different from each other. Dahl & DiLuca was my first restaurant and I refer to it as a shrine to the divine. It has an almost religious feeling. While it has a refinement similar to NYC restaurants, it also has a delicate and angelic touch to the food. Although it has the smallest kitchen in my group, it does tremendous business and after twenty-six years it keeps getting stronger and stronger every day.

Cucina Rustica

Cucina Rustica was designed to be bigger and bolder with more room to spread out than its sister. With hauntingly, beautiful rooms each has its own flare and personality that suits where guests might want to either dine or celebrate a magical special occasion. People always return because of its unique warmth which was truly a labor of love on my part. It is eighteen years old, and I was able to really spread my wings in in the design by working with a with a special effect painter to add wall textures and treatments. It’s as if you’ve taken a trip and landed in a villa in Tuscany. Guests enter through antique doors and gates, signaling a journey, as we are all traveling upon one. It was created to let people experience a past life, or a past travel, from their own imagination.

Pisa Lisa is my way to give everyone an excuse to feel like a kid again. It’s delicious, it’s unique and incorporates the style of artists and artisans. I love pizza, but its menu is friendly for everyone. When people start with our signature Tuscan tomato soup, or one of our big delicious organic salads or Tapas plate, they know it’s not just a place to go for pizza. There’s an enthusiastic vibration from the minute you enter and hear the upbeat music, and when you leave with one of our Heavenly gelatos, you feel like a little kid. It’s just plan good old-fashioned fun.

Mariposa was the biggest undertaking and it’s magnetism was so strong. There was so much anticipation as it was being built that when we opened our doors we served 100,000 guests during the first year. The grandiosity of its surroundings made me feel like a little ant. My book A Romance With Food has a section called the miracle of Mariposa which personifies the energy required to make it a success combined with the spiritual Vortex that Sedona is known for. Mariposa taught me so much and made me realize that we are aligned with the purpose. It is symbolic of healing and transformation, and it’s personally very rewarding to be able to share that with others.

Butterfly Burger

Butterfly Burger is a couture burger lounge, it’s next level. From the minute you walk in the door, the subdued lighting shows that you’ve entered a place that is not typical for Sedona. People say it feels like they’re in New York, but it was inspired by the bars in Paris and Rome. I never cut any corners in making it feel sublime–from burgers, veggie burgers, Mahi lettuce wraps and tapas, it’s a delight and a treat causing people to come back often. The interior features bronze and copper setting a rich, decadent tone. The cocktails are over-the-top. The milkshakes knock you out whether they’re mixed with alcohol or non-alcoholic. It is dark, dusky and sexy.

With five successful restaurant concepts, is it possible to choose a favorite?

Dahl & DiLuca will always be my favorite because it has European charm. I feel like I’m at home and I don’t have to cook. It’s a cuisine that I resonate with. Although I’m not Italian, I love Italian cuisine. The menu satisfies every mood, from a really delicate seafood pasta or a veal piccata to going all vegetarian. Sometimes I’m just in the mood to have a date with the grilled portobellos, arancini and simple angel hair makes me feel like a queen.

Mariposa life is often recognized as a special occasion, romantic dining experience. What makes it so popular?

I think romance is in the eye of the beholder. I had romance in mind when I created the ambiance and the menu. The view leaves people awestruck. I find that many restaurants famous for their views have pretty blasé food. I wanted to try to have the polarity of amazing food coupled with the view and we’ve worked hard to accomplish that. I think it’s wonderful that many people say Mariposa is the most romantic restaurant. We Believe in romance in every form.

How do you describe your clientele?

26 years has evolved dramatically needless to say, but because our restaurants are classics we will always hopefully attract people of ages and of all demographics as they evolve.

What inspired you to write your second cookbook, A Romance With Food?

I wrote the second cookbook over a period of about eight years from start to finish. I was inspired as a chef of the Italian cuisine to want to do something new so I focused on food from South America, specifically Argentina, with influences of Chile, Ecuador and Peru. When I took my travel journey with my romantic partner of many years, Scott Yates, who is also the photographer of A Romance With Food , we knew we were going to capture eye candy for a book. Little did I know that the soul of the book was to be a journey of my soul as a chef. It became the perfect sequel to my memoir The Elixir of Life. Both books are a spiritual journey.

When you’re not cooking or overseeing your restaurant empire, what do you enjoy doing?

Being out in nature because with the stresses of what I do on a daily basis, walking or cycling helps me clear my mind. God’s creation is cathartic for me and it lets me unwind. I love trying other restaurants, fashion, travel and getting away for a couple of days. It is nice to enjoy a glass of bubbly wherever I may be so fortunate to let my hair down and feel romantic with my partner who has had to put up with my obsession at the restaurant or home.

What is so unique about the Sedona culinary scene and how did you conquer it? When I came to Sedona in the early nineties, there were a few good restaurants, but it wasn’t a culinary destination. I was a foodie way before we called that and I couldn’t understand how a place so exotic was lacking dining options. I focused on offering what was missing and started with Dahl & DiLuca and I haven’t stopped. The farm-to-table, healthy and refined places to eat were a natural evolution for me. When people came in late, we would literally turn the lights back on the kitchen, make a soup of the day and a simple pasta for them. I didn’t set out to build an empire, it evolved from the depths of my heart to make every dish delicious and feed people’s hearts.

What is something visitors should know that’s unique about fine dining in Sedona?

Fine dining in Sedona ranges from resorts to our style of restaurant. I don’t really think of it as find fine dining per se. It’s not a button up type of fine dining. Many people still come in in casual wear and that can be a real downer to those that are dressed to really celebrate a special occasion. Needless to say, we take our cuisine extremely seriously, and we’ve come a long way baby.

Do you have expansion plans to other cities and where?

Butterfly Burger and Pisa Lisa are a perfect fit for Vegas and they would do fantastic in Scottsdale and in other major cities. We are currently developing the prototype for both concepts to expand. We have a great following and many of our guests come from around the country, in fact around the world, and people would welcome these concepts in their local community. Phoenix will probably be our first market to expand in because it is close to our base and it has a population enthusiastic for restaurants.

What part of the Dahl empire would you like to expand specifically?

That’s a blended question. Butterfly Burger and Pisa Lisa are both a natural fit for expansion and we are currently focused on bringing both concepts to new markets.

What, of every dish you make, is the one dish you’re eating consistently?

I’m a creature of habit and each restaurant has a favorite for me. I use the restaurants as an extension of my own home kitchen so I have my go-to salads, soups, and comfort food dishes that I eat to enjoy and also use as a training tool to help my staff to prepare the proper way.

What is the greatest luxury in life and why?

Freedom. Everyone should be free, whether politically or in their career choices. As a chef, I use freedom in my cuisine, style, design, décor, and the spaces that I worship. Freedom gives people the ability to express themselves and excel in their passion which is the greatest, greatest, greatest feeling.

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Lisa Dahl: The Rock Star of Sedona’s Restaurant Scene

• After the tragic loss of her son, Lisa Dahl transformed herself into a restaurant owner and self-taught chef. Now she’s the culinary queen of Sedona, Arizona.
• Dahl turned a former Pizza Hut into her first Pisa Lisa store and, despite some setbacks, hit the $1 million revenue mark in her first year.

Story By Tracy Morin | Photos by Scott Yates

Once dubbed “the culinary queen of Sedona,” Lisa Dahl strikes a commanding physical presence, at ease holding court before her hordes of admirers, customers and employees alike. With a former career in fashion retail, she’s also forever impeccably dressed, not a hair out of place—as if she were not juggling five different restaurant concepts in an obsessively hands-on manner; 380-plus staff members as the largest employer in Sedona, Arizona; a publishing career, with two cookbook memoirs under her belt; and constant recipe innovation as the executive chef, owner and CEO of Dahl Restaurant Group . We can only ask, what’s her secret?

“Umm….” She pauses to think. “Being fanatical?”

A Fresh Start

Dahl, born into a fashion-business family (her mother was also an entrepreneur), started her career in retail and wholesale in the San Francisco Bay area, and she always had a passion for making people happy. “I’d worked in restaurants in high school and always loved it, but I made my career in boutiques,” she recalls. “I decided to make the culinary business my career after the tragic loss of my son, who was killed in a robbery. I was guided to Sedona to start my life over—to get perspective, change my environment. Within one year, someone offered me a location to buy.”

Shrines to Dahl’s deceased son grace all of her restaurant locations. Photo by Caroline McBride

Today, Dahl’s son, Justin, literally looks over every one of her locations—each features a dedicated shrine to the handsome young man, dishes are named in his honor, and his oversize portrait graces her most dramatic concept, Mariposa . (The word mariposa , Spanish for “butterfly,” celebrates the potential for rebirth and transformation; it’s a uniting symbol on everything from in-house art pieces to chef’s coats at her locations.)

But before all of that fell into place, Dahl had to transform herself, single-handedly, into a restaurant owner and self-taught chef. She bought the location with her then-partner and opened Dahl & DiLuca in 1995—still thriving today. “I was not a professional chef, but growing up in the Midwest I always had an interest in healthy eating,” she explains. “In Indianapolis, in my 20s, I made vegetarian specialties for a health food restaurant, and every day they would sell out. At Dahl & DiLuca, my boyfriend was the executive chef, and I was the sous chef. People started falling in love with our food, and I haven’t really looked back.” At the time, Dahl recalls, Sedona was known for hikes and massages, not fine dining—but her concept launched a revolution to explode that perception.

Related: Women in Pizza: How pizzaiolas are shaping the industry’s future

Pisa Lisa’s second location opened to great fanfare in 2022.

Growing Pains

With a focus on “making great food and making people happy,” Dahl & DiLuca soon became the place to go in Sedona. Nine years later, an opportunity arose to repeat the feat when she was approached with a location in a then-undeveloped area, the village of Oak Creek—smartly positioned just south of Sedona, making it a gateway of sorts for visitors and already studded with sprawling resorts and sweeping red-rock views.

Dahl jumped on the chance and opened Cucina Rustica , defined by its rustic takes on Italian and Mediterranean dishes. “People thought I was crazy, opening in that part of town—they thought I would fail,” Dahl remembers. “But it was one of the prettiest parts of Sedona. Why wouldn’t people love it? We took a big risk. I don’t think there were any restaurants there yet, but I felt locals would support it.”

Dahl had to build the concept from scratch, working in an existing plaza but in a space that had never held a restaurant. Thanks to her fashion-maven’s eye, she revels in design and crafted a huge, open-space feel that evokes a sprawling Italian villa—perfect for large groups, parties and events—with a menu featuring Dahl’s interpretation of classic dishes. Soon, just like with Dahl & DiLuca, Cucina Rustica was the place to celebrate special occasions in Sedona.

“We had a lot of challenges. We started with a bang and had some hiccups. The product was delicious, but we weren’t knowledgeable about the pizza business, per se. It was very humbling.” — Lisa Dahl, Pisa Lisa

Though pizza remains the focus at Pisa Lisa, a full menu creates the perfect dining experience.

But with growth came friction. Dahl and her partner were no longer on the same page when it came to vision and growth strategy. As would often be the case throughout her life, hardship opened the door for new opportunity. “I was able to find the freedom I wanted,” Dahl says. “It was hard to finance buying him out, but without that, I couldn’t have opened my first pizzeria.”

She’s also right at home amid Sedona’s mystical-leaning philosophies. “I mean, we were Leo and Aquarius,” she sighs. “We just weren’t aligned.”

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Her pizzeria, Pisa Lisa , set up shop in a humble spot, a former Pizza Hut on a major route in West Sedona. She had always wanted to try wood-fired pizzas, so she purchased the smallest Mugnaini oven she could find, with five-pie capacity, to get started. But this concept didn’t quite enjoy the immediate smash success Dahl had come to expect. “I’ll be honest: We had a lot of challenges,” she says. “We started with a bang and had some hiccups. The product was delicious, but we weren’t knowledgeable about the pizza business, per se. It was very humbling. What we thought we mastered in fine dining was different in the fast-casual/pizza arena. I was worried. We faltered that first year.”

“People love a view….But I thought most restaurants with views were not great restaurants, and that was the last thing I was interested in. I made the food my focal point.” — Lisa Dahl, Pisa Lisa

Divine Intervention

Dahl points to some “spiritual and business epiphanies” that helped turn around her “tanking” 2,500-square-foot business. Despite a lack of pizzeria knowledge, her strategies led to a strong comeback: On the exact day of Pisa Lisa’s one-year anniversary, revenue officially hit $1 million. “It still gives me goosebumps, because we were close to failing,” Dahl says. “That business became one of my most successful. My financial adviser said, ‘If only you just stuck with pizzerias!’ Mastering the craft of making individual pizzas is something we work on every day, but on paper it looks better than fine dining.”

Indeed, Dahl admits that she chose a very difficult path—it’s easier to create one scalable concept versus juggling five different ones, each with its own personality and unique needs. But if anyone can do it, it’s the tireless Dahl. In 2016, she added another concept in Mariposa, a Latin-inspired grill featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and spacious outdoor patios with jaw-dropping views of Sedona’s famous red rocks. “That’s the big kahuna—an overnight success that truly took on a life of its own before we knew what hit us,” she says. “People love a view, let’s face it. But I thought most restaurants with views were not great restaurants, and that was the last thing I was interested in. I made the food my focal point.”

Mariposa has remained both the most rewarding and challenging of Dahl’s concepts, bringing the highest highs and lowest lows thanks to its massive square footage, bedecked with rusted metals and natural stonework to meld seamlessly with the landscape. But Dahl wasn’t yet done. Pre-pandemic, she set her sights back in the village of Oak Creek. “I had this idea of coming back out to no-man’s land,” Dahl says. “There was an old, tired plaza with an outlet store and not a lot of curb appeal. But I saw that it’s one of the first buildings you see as you drive toward Sedona. I pictured Butterfly Burger and Pisa Lisa there as two anchors in the plaza’s corner locations. I thought they’d be open within six months of each other, but we had no way of knowing the pandemic was coming.”

Butterfly Burger —a concept with gourmet burgers, shakes and salads in a drop-dead sexy, lounge-like atmosphere—managed to clear $2.2 million its first year, despite being open for just six months when the pandemic struck. But Pisa Lisa’s second location slowed to a crawl. “Everything changed with the pandemic,” Dahl laments. “We had to let go of 300 out of 340 employees. It was brutal. Pisa Lisa was in the developing and planning stages, and the supply chain and construction delays gave me PTSD. It was a ‘hurry up and wait’ situation. Plus, people would ask me, ‘How are you going to create the energy of the original?’ How would we get that addictive feeling that people love—the feeling that it’s their place?”

Dahl planned for larger volume, installing two wood-fired ovens. Like with the original, her brother outfitted the airy space with rock-and-roll decor throughout. After many impatient inquiries from locals and tourists alike, its doors opened in June 2022. Dahl foresees making it, in addition to a go-to local hangout, a spot for to-go items—a place to sell her own retail goods, like sauces, tomatoes and meatballs, alongside the two cookbook memoirs she penned to share her food stories and recipes: A Romance With Food and The Elixir of Life .

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A homey, family-like atmosphere keeps locals and visitors flocking to Lisa Dahl’s Pisa Lisa locations.

A Flourishing Family

Dahl admits being “a little concerned” about the possibility of an oncoming recession—after all, she’s been through it before, around 2008, but back then she had only two concepts to worry about. “You have to be cognizant of the ‘what if’ feelings, but I’m more optimistic about pizza than fine dining,” she says. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed and keeping a watchful eye on numbers and labor, which is probably our biggest challenge since the pandemic.”

Dahl has kept Pisa Lisa’s profits robust by offering not just pizza but a full menu, highlighted by creative salads with organic ingredients and housemade dressings, plus a signature tomato soup, tapas plates, homemade desserts, and carefully sourced gelato that transports guests to an Italian street corner. “If everyone orders just pizza, we can’t pay the bills,” Dahl says with a laugh. “It’s important for people to have a full, well-balanced dining experience, and we feature things that people don’t expect in a pizzeria. I also try to cover all dietary needs. The pizza is the star, but everything else goes along with the experience. When you have so much to offer, people want to sit down and share with friends, not just run in and out.”

Indeed, Dahl realized early the importance of human connection in pizzeria positioning. After opening her first Pisa Lisa, she decided to add to the menu an explanation of the name: When she was young, her father used to tease her, “I want a little piece of Lisa,” and in his thick Chicagoan accent, it sounded like Pisa Lisa. She also sourced a plate from Pisa as inspiration for the logo and sign design. “I wanted to connect my dad, who passed away,” Dahl explains. “He was crazy for pizza and would take my mom for pizza dates when they were courting.”

The pizzas, too, are named after family: Da Dorothy and Da Herbie for her mom and dad, Justino for her son. “We’re connected with them even after they’ve crossed over,” Dahl says. “When I heard the order for the POS or called their pizza names, it became like a chant. It made me feel they were still connected and having fun with us. The connection to that family experience and keeping family memories alive—I think that’s the energy behind Pisa Lisa.”

Today, Dahl is eyeing expansion beyond Sedona, seeking investors for potential growth of the Butterfly Burger and Pisa Lisa concepts, which, she believes, would be successful in many markets across Arizona and beyond. “We are poised to be attractive to investors,” she notes. “It’s a perfect concept to be in markets across the country.”

Still, despite so much success now stretching over more than 25 years—and so much still on the horizon—Dahl remains humble. “I don’t feel like it’s an empire,” she says. “It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice and a tremendous amount of joy. We built our reputation on being a family business—it’s just that now we’re a large family.”

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Calling in Abundance: 5 Tactics for Success

In addition to her fanatically hands-on approach, Dahl has prioritized various tactics to nail restaurant success:

• Be of service. Is it cold outside and the kids are hungry? Give them soup samples in-store as they wait for takeout. Little proactive touches like this are what create a warm, welcoming environment.
• Put yourself out there. Dahl has competed in Beat Bobby Flay burger challenges—and performed well, landing her in numerous press outlets.
• Strive to improve. “I’m competing with myself,” Dahl notes. “When I won the first round of that Beat Bobby Flay challenge in 2018, I already thought, ‘How can I do better?’ You live and you learn, and you want to get better all the time.”
• Foster community. Host local events, know your employees, give to nonprofits, and commit ‘random acts of pizza’ by gifting front desk workers at local hotels.
• Create a culture of joy. Try to rise to every occasion. This business is a labor of love.  

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Meet the Restaurateur: Chef Lisa Dahl

Lisa Dahl is a renowned chef and restaurateur based in Sedona. Following the loss of her son, Justin, Dahl left behind the Bay area and fashion industry to seek healing in Sedona. Once settled, she decided to follow a passion her and Justin once shared: cooking. Dahl began Dahl Restaurant Group , the creators of Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa, Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill and her newest concept, Butterfly Burger. Since then, Dahl has been awarded with the 2019 Food Pioneer award and the 2018 Top Chef award by the Arizona Restaurant Association. She has also been honored with the Best Chefs of America Hall of Fame Award by National Elite. Chef Dahl’s unique take on cooking has credited her with transforming Sedona into a foodie destination. We caught up with Dahl to learn more about her restaurant group’s identity as well as her own ambitions as a chef.

AFM: Have you always been interested in culinary? Tell us about your life before the start of Dahl Restaurant Group. 

LD: I grew up surrounded by fashion. My mother was a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology and opened a string of extremely successful, avant-garde clothing stores in Indianapolis. Following in her footsteps, I started my career working in the fashion industry in San Francisco until a tragic accident killed my teenage son, Justin. After that, I sought healing and moved to Sedona where I rediscovered myself through cooking.

AFM: Tell me a little bit about the restaurant group’s history. 

LD: I opened my first restaurant, Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, in 1995, turning a small, shuttered drive-through restaurant into one of Sedona’s most cherished fine dining establishments serving classic Italian dishes. Opening Dahl & Di Luca fulfilled a lifelong dream I shared with Justin. As an entirely self-taught chef, I traveled throughout Italy to develop a menu of pastas that are as light and delicate as they are satisfying, hearty vegetable-based dishes and hard-to-find Italian seafood classics. In stark contrast to the rugged spirit of Sedona where towering red rock formations and dense forest lands set the stage for outdoor adventures, Dahl & Di Luca delivers the ambiance of classic Italian fine dining that rarely exists today with a dimly lit dining room draped in silk, adorned with gold and crystal chandeliers and filled with the notes of live piano music. 

More than 23 years later, Dahl & Di Luca remains a dining tradition for generations of locals and travelers alike and is credited with opening the door for other chefs to create their own footprint in Sedona, a town with just 10,000 residents but three million annual visitors. As demand continued, I expanded my own presence in Sedona opening Cucina Rustica in 2003, an Italian-Mediterranean fine dining concept, followed by Pisa Lisa in 2014, my first-casual restaurant serving pizzas and salads, and Mariposa Latin-Inspired Grill in 2015, a dramatic destination restaurant focused on South American-inspired cuisine that serves as a true reflection of my style and love for fashion, design and art.

Just this year, I opened a first-of-its-kind “couture burger lounge” called Butterfly Burger. It is my most creative concept yet. From all-natural, certified Black Angus beef burgers to plant-based vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, Butterfly Burger entices all cravings with its incredibly diverse menu in what’s sure to become one of the country’s best burger restaurants.

AFM: Where do you see Dahl Restaurant Group in the future? What are your goals?

LD: I have big plans for Dahl Restaurant Group, especially for my newly opened Butterfly Burger, a couture burger lounge. Not only is Butterfly Burger a chic eatery, it has a sexy lounge-like setting that you typically only see in big cities like New York or Paris. The Sedona location is my protype and as we continue to see great demand for this kind of restaurant, we plan to introduce Butterfly Burger to other Arizona markets and beyond.

AFM: What is the restaurant group’s accompanying mission statement and values?

LD: I live by the mantra, “When you cook with love, you feed the soul.” I believe that flavors should never be overworked, food should speak for itself and only the finest ingredients should be used from the best sources available.

I pride myself in my relationships with local and regional organic growers, selecting the highest quality specialty purveyors of meats and seafood. I am hands-on when it comes to attention to detail in choosing the resources for the dishes that go out to guest’s in all of my restaurants, which focus almost entirely on organic produce, health-conscious ingredients and meats raised without antibiotics, hormones or GMOs and sustainably-harvested seafood.

A love of comfort food, bold flavors and Old World methodology are the essence of my cooking, as are my secret “elixirs” used within many of my ethnic dishes.

AFM: Of course, we must ask, what is your favorite dish from any Dahl Restaurant Group restaurant?

LD: My favorite dish at Dahl & DiLuca is the arancini – crispy handmade risotto balls stuffed with baby peas, peppers and mozzarella on a bed of molten Mother Sauce.

My favorite item at Cucina Rustica is Lisa’s Luscious Lasagna – layers of signature Bolognese and Italian fennel sausage finished with ricotta pillows.

My favorite dish at Pisa Lisa is the Tuscan Tomato Bisque – our signature, perfectly balanced and velvety tomato soup finished with extra virgin olive oil and paper-thin crostini.

At Mariposa, my favorite dish is the handmade empanadas stuffed with portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, chevre, gorgonzola and truffle gouda, with signature chimichurri.

Finally, at Butterfly Burger, my favorite dish is the Oui Oui Monsieur – an obscenely decadent patty melt, grilled to perfection, on caraway rye bread, with charred onions, gruyere cheese and special Dijon sauce. –Aubrey Martin

• Butterfly Burger
• Chef Lisa Dahl
• Cucina Rustica
• dahl and di luca
• dahl restaurant group
• Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill and her newest concept
• sedona dining

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Interview with Chef Lisa Dahl: Fly Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

Sedona is a place known for its healing powers, divine energy, and magnificent red rocks. These aspects are what brought Chef Lisa Dahl to the enchanting town after tragically losing her son, Justin, over 25 years ago. Today, she is executive owner, chef, and restaurant designer of five renowned Sedona restaurants, each of which have a unique personality guided by Dahl’s commitment to elevate the dining experience. Chef Dahl is gracious, determined, and full of life. She flies like a butterfly with endurance, change, hope, and healing; and stings like a bee, which symbolizes persistence, industry, communication, teamwork, and fruitfulness. Butterflies and bees are said to bring messages from the Divine.

We sat down with the culinary pioneer to talk about each of her universally recognized and awarded restaurants.

Jetset : Each restaurant beautifully taps into every human sense. What overall emotion do you intend to draw from guests who walk into each of your restaurants?

LD : I have always said that I designed these restaurants so guests will have a sensory experience. They’ll walk in the door and something will take their breath away, and that’s self-interpretable. Mariposa is the pièce de résistance. The one that kicked me in the heinie and pushed the envelope for me as a chef and restaurant operator. It came onto the scene bigger than life. It’s like all three of my other restaurants at the time were wrapped into one when it comes to the daily demands and all that the restaurant inspires.

Mariposa is sitting on a gorgeous view and it is jaw-dropping; totally different from what I had done because it was built from the ground up. The entry door itself makes you gasp when you see it. I wanted to create what looked like abstract butterfly wings but not have a butterfly shape. Everyone that sees the door is speechless. They find it so breathtaking and beautiful. The restaurant is up on a knoll and hidden; it’s hard to see the building because it’s set back. So, I worked with Holly, an incredible stained-glass master, to design three stained glass panels that were freeform abstract butterfly wings. These panels stay illuminated overnight so passersby can always see these three backlit panels. This restaurant is all about art. The message in the restaurant is to showcase mother earth and the gratitude of nature as a form of healing, which is why the name Mariposa, ‘butterfly’ in Spanish, was given to me.

I was standing there one day early in the construction with my mom who was my cocreator and partner in crime. She was one of the designers and decorators. I just loved her sense of fashion and everything. The name came to me like a butterfly in front of my face, and I knew it was guided. I knew this restaurant was for others who need to find healing in their life. It’s the duality. I’m always seeking healing because I experienced the loss of a child which is more than most can bare, and I felt my son guided me to the opportunity to have a restaurant like that. There has not been one thing that was easy about it. It was a beautiful but huge undertaking. It has been nothing short of a miracle. Every day it teaches me to be strong and to have faith and realize there is a higher purpose.

It’s more than a restaurant, it’s a sanctuary. It is different; it’s contemporary; it’s all about the views and the unobstructed, gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows. This restaurant became a sanctuary to honor the beauty of nature in its raw form. I was guided to work with so many interesting artists that created the amazing artwork and décor.

Jetset : Mariposa opened its doors in 2015, so that was your fourth restaurant, right? Tell me about the others.

LD : Yes. I always made the other restaurants to have an environment that wraps their arms around you, and you didn’t want to leave because they are so warm and cozy. They thrive due to the food, ambiance, and service, but they weren’t built to attract view worshipers. Every restaurant is a little dedicated shrine to my son.

Dahl & DiLuca celebrated 25 years Dec. 22, 2020! Inside, it is ethereal. It affects everyone different. There are certain people who experience a spiritual feeling the moment they walk in. Even for me, still. There is something magical about it. It’s very romantic and designed to make you feel like you want to be in a little corner and make out with someone.

It’s every morsel to me; it’s angelic. Even after 25 years, I still crave going there on date night. I feel like I’m in Florence. I’ll always love D&D the best because it was the most imperfect jewel. It’s elegant, refined, Old World, and romantic. I would eat there every night if I could. Where would we be without D&D?

Cucina Rustica is my second restaurant that is now 17 years old. I designed it to look as if you are in a time warp; an unfamiliar place where you’ve walked into an ancient villa and you don’t know where it is. You’re not sure if you’re in Italy, Spain, or England but wherever it is it’s authentically Old World, and you forget your bearings. You feel as if you have entered a medieval time.

Since that was my goal, all the antiquities are warm and worn. I wanted it to feel almost rustic. Everything that I collected to build the restaurant is old and from another country. When you’re there you feel like you are in an entirely different place.

I wanted my next restaurant, Pisa Lisa , to be the opposite of the other restaurants. I didn’t want people to have to get dressed up and come to a civilized dinner. I wanted it to be wilder and more robust, like a rascal. It took some work to remodel the dilapidated building we found. We turned that place upside down. Putting that sound system in was so radical. We turn it up so loud. When you come to Pisa Lisa, just have fun, forget where you are, be casual, and have a ball. It brings back the kid in everyone. The energy is so high in that place.

Now, it’s eight years old and we are having another one. Pisa Lisa 2 as a prototype for expansion. I liked the formula. The chemistry is right. And we are going to take it to another level because we’ll have more space to work with. It has a formula that works for everyone. While it is a pizzeria, it’s more than that. It has the greatest salads in town tapas plates and an amazing tomato bisque soup. But it’s very teeny. A larger building will allow us more freedom to have takeout and a retail area with branded items more available. We’ll be able to expand the menu with more ovens and, quite honestly, it really could be an opportunity you could take some fabulous food with you on the plane. It’s going to be very industrial and untamed. The food will be as serious as all of the restaurants are. Pisa Lisa 2 is being built as a prototype for scalability in other markets throughout the U.S. We’ve also added a craft cocktail element with next-level concoctions. We are looking to partner with people who believe in the product.

Butterfly Burger is my 5th concept. I just don’t know when to quit. I don’t know how to give up. I had been in a Scottsdale burger battle as a dare. And I won People’s Choice. People say that when they walk through the door of Butterfly Burger, they feel like they are in Manhattan. The bar is off the charts. So sexy. It looks like a fairly normal bistro from the outside. But you walk in and think ‘Where am I?’ It’s dark and sultry, and next-level delicious. I call it a couture lounge. We serve decadent burgers and killer salads. It’s a beautiful menu that’s scalable. You could see it in any sophisticated market. This one is in the Village of Oak Creek by my office and Cucina Rustica.

Pisa Lisa and Butterfly Burger are two businesses that, when I designed them, I felt they had the formula to be scaled in other markets. That’s what I’m hoping for in 2021 — to form some partnerships to take these concepts into other markets. We’ve been cautious but we’re hoping that brighter times are coming, and that people start feeling good. We are so incredibly grateful that people are trusting us. We take their safety very much to heart and we take our food seriously, too.

Jetset : Being that you have been in the mystical town of Sedona for so many years, do you have a favorite crystal or stone and are they in your kitchens?

LD : I don’t have any in the kitchens. I have always adored semi-precious stones and minerals, though. Even as a kid, I loved gem shops. I don’t think I’m obsessed like you might think because I live in Sedona. But I have a collection of really beautiful quartz crystals, amethyst, and a beautiful selection of geodes. I have my own little shine. If I had to choose a favorite, I would say the pink and green and rainbow-colored tourmaline. I have a gorgeous piece in the gallery room — three backlit pieces with all these gorgeous natural stones. They are exquisite. Tourmaline and alexandrite: those are some of my favorites, but I love looking at crystals because it’s hard to fathom that they come from the earth. They are glorious pieces of natural wonder. I’m always attracted to things that are blingy. At Mariposa, there is a stunning amethyst piece behind the host stand.

Jetset : Thank you so much for your time and candor. We look forward to many more visits to your restaurants and will keep an eye out for your next ventures.

Each of the restaurants in the Dahl Restaurant Group feels as if you have entered a spiritual vortex, full of divinity and healing vibes, but also in an elevated, elegant way. All five have a sense of sophistication due to the quality of food, high-end cocktail menus, impeccable service, ornate décor, fitting music, and attention to detail.

“I have a mantra that I say every day: When you cook with love, you feed the soul. I find that when I’m really able to put my intention into the food, you can taste the love.” ‒ Chef Dahl

Some menu highlights:

Mariposa : Handmade Empanadas, Atun Parfait, Latin Persuasion Platter, Lisa’s Chopped Goddess, Coldwater Lobster Tail, Australian Rack of Lamb

D&D : Arancini, Caprese d’Amore (Caprese of love) with a grilled portobello, Vitello Paccata, Ravioli Romana

Pisa Lisa : Lisa’s Tomato Bisque Soup, Caesar Brutus, Da Bambini, Justino

Butterfly Burger : Mowee Bites, Gringo Burger, The Hipster, Butter Beans Vinaigrette, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bomba

Cucina Rustica : Polpette Di Carne, Lisa’s Luscious Lasagna, Barcelona

Read more about Chef Dahl’s magnificent restaurants on page 48 of Jetset Magazine .

*Photos by Scott Yates

BCA Guide Books

The ultimate national guide to chefs and the american south.

Lisa Dahl, the Glamorous Sedona Chef

for Best Chefs America

To be a chef is a dirty job, though you wouldn't know this by the way Lisa Dahl of  Mariposa ,  Cucina Rustica ,  Dahl Ristorante Italiana , and  Pisa Lisa   carries herself. The Sedona, AZ Best Chef has her hands on every aspect of her restaurants — from the decor to the food. Each detail is designed to mesmerize guests as they soak up the dynamic beauty of the Red Rock canyons. Dahl herself embodies the same elegance reflected in her cooking and each one of her dining rooms. 

You’re either turning people on with your restaurants, or you’re not; and in this industry, there isn’t much leeway to turn people off, or you may lose a customer for good. Every part of the puzzle has to be there in a seamless presentation: the lighting, the plating, the service, the drink program, food temperatures, flavor profiles, music, and more. Dahl is the master strategist behind all this at all four of her restaurants. She has a gift for creating sophisticated concepts that delight the senses.

Why have someone else do something that you can do yourself? Dahl has always been one to follow her creative visions. 

Her Restaurants

The small city of Sedona, built on the sandstones, didn’t have much going for it in the way of fine dining before Dahl arrived and did her part to stimulate a culinary renaissance. There are 15,000 locals who live in Sedona and 4 million tourists who visit each year. These tourists are hungry, and Dahl has built multiple outlets where they can wine and dine.

Dahl & DiLuca was the first. It's now known as Dahl Ristorante Italiana— and she considers it the most successful. 

“It’s the foundation that I built my future success on,” she says. “It has a timeless quality that draws people back in year after year.” 

She says that 21 years after opening, it's still her most consistent restaurant, and yet, she has to keep things fresh.  That's why she changed the name. P eople need to look at each one of her restaurants like it’s brand new, every time they walk in — whether that’s a local who visits once a month or a tourist returning to Sedona after spending years away. 

Pisa Lisa is her pizzeria that serves woodfire pies with a signature sweet and spicy marinara sauce, tapas, hand tossed salads, paninis, and gelato.  Italian food has a special place in Dahl's heart. 

The kitchen at Cucina Rustica pumps out rustic Tuscan cuisine. It’s open for dinner only. There, guests indulge in antipasti, more gourmet salads, fresh made pastas, meat on the grill, and Dahl’s rendition of classic dishes like veal piccata, farro risotto, and chicken parmigiana.

Mariposa is the odd restaurant out as far as style of cooking, though the interior echos Dahl's fine eye for detail that is evident at every one of her eateries. Mariposa is a Latin restaurant that features an unparalleled, panoramic view of the Arizona mesas. People head to the dining room for a power lunch of yuca fries and a green goddess salad with organic kale. For dinner, Mariposa offers gourmet flatbreads with toppings like grilled Spanish octopus and charred artichokes, 22 oz. rib eyes and other cuts of meat accented with chimichurri and truffle butter, and about a dozen decadent sides — ranging from au gratin to a quinoa pilaf with currants. 

Turning Points 

Dahl began her love affair with food as a teen. She had a space in a health food store where she sold avocado sandwiches. She cooked at a Greek restaurant, where she learned how to make dolmas, babaganoush, and hummus. She was a vegetarian growing up and says vegetarian dishes are some of her most popular menu items. She makes sure to make her food with organic, health conscious ingredients, which is perfect for Sedona. Sedona is a hub for wellness seekers and health food. 

Dahl says that striking out on her own has been imperative in her ability to spread her wings, especially as a female chef and restaurant owner. 

“The minority of women in the kitchen has always motivated me,” she says. "It’s motivated me to be the best."

Writing her cookbook,  The Elixir of Life, is another accomplishment that the Best Chef says gave her an identity. After it was published, people wanted to meet her and work with her, and this success inspired her to keep opening new places. 

Dahl is in her element in Sedona, a place where she moved to heal personally after the death of her son. She says she didn’t come here to start her many enterprises. It was something that   happened, as people embraced and were embraced by her cooking and concepts. 

Keep in touch

Powerhouse Lisa Dahl Continues to Build Her Empire, One Unit at a Time

Before transitioning to the restaurant world, Dahl spent years working in the fashion industry.

Lisa Dahl is pulling double duty. The self-taught chef came to foodservice later in her career and has since built a multiconcept hospitality group in Sedona, Arizona, a city known for its desert vistas and thriving artistic community. Since Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano first debuted in 1995, Dahl Restaurant Group has added four more concepts to its portfolio including Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa, Mariposa Latin-Inspired Grill, and Butterfly Burger.

The most recent opening, a second location of Pisa Lisa, is notable in that it’s the first time Dahl has replicated one of her existing restaurants. The new space will feature additional menu offerings and a larger footprint, to the tune of 3,500 square feet and seating for 100-plus guests. Dahl is viewing this new restaurant, which opened in July, as a test run of sorts. If it performs well, she’ll take it as a greenlight for expanding beyond Sedona.

Favorite pizza: Margherita

Favorite tool: Strainer with a handle

Chef she’d most like to work with: José Andrés

Best ingredient for seasoning: Lemon

Favorite designer: Roberto Cavalli

“I feel like you could pick [Pisa Lisa] up and put it in Vegas or Chicago, and it would be successful,” Dahl says, adding that she thinks upscale lounge, Butterfly Burger, also has inherent scalability. “They feed off each other. Having the second Pisa Lisa in a larger footprint allows us to really see if we can perform at the same level with the same average check. It will tell us if we can be successful in the new model.”

Opening the second Pisa Lisa—in the outlying Village of Oak Creek—was far from a straightforward process. The project ran into multiple delays brought on by Covid and supply chain gridlocks. What was supposed to take nine months dragged out to about three years.

“We could not open when we wanted to,” Dahl says. “We had to open when we could open.” But she overcame these obstacles and is now reaping the benefits.

Before transitioning to the restaurant world, Dahl spent years working in the fashion industry, primarily in San Francisco. She says the experience shaped her sense of design and style and taught her valuable lessons, some of which she has carried over into her career as an entrepreneur and chef.

“Food and fashion go hand in hand,” she says. “There are ever-changing trends in both businesses. I approach fashion and cooking with the same mindset. My style for both has been constant. I believe in the integrity and quality of ingredients in combination with methodology.”

Her entry into foodservice was driven in large part by personal tragedy. Following the death of her son, Justin, she moved to Sedona, and cooking—a pastime she’d shared with him—became part of the healing process.

Indeed, family is very much at the heart of Dahl’s business. A number of dishes on the Pisa Lisa menu can be linked to family members.

The Justino, a pizza named after her son, features ricotta, provolone-mozzarella, imported prosciutto, organic arugula, and white-truffle oil. Another popular dish, the Da Dorthy, is named after her mother. The pizza even has a “mother sauce” as its base and is topped with provolone-mozzarella, fennel sausage, picante peppers, and parmesan-reggiano. Dahl says including the names makes her feel as though they’re a part of the business.

“It’s a purely selfish way of keeping them with me,” she says. “I get a lot of joy seeing those names pop up on tickets over and over again. Justin is the reason I came here, and I believe he’s my co-pilot in all of this. I feel like they are my inspiration.”

The second Pisa Lisa location features fan favorites like the Justino and Da Dorthy along with several new menu items. Lisa’s Plate, for example, is an antipasti sampler with fresh bocconcini mozzarella, tomatoes, fennel slaw, mushrooms, Castelvetrano olives, and fire-roasted artichokes. New desserts include the playfully named Cookie Monster—a giant chocolate chip cookie sundae with strawberry-stracciatella plant-based gelato.

When Dahl was deciding where to place her second Pisa Lisa, she knew she wanted a bigger space, describing the original as a bit cramped.

“It’s almost impossible to imagine what we can accomplish in that first location,” she says. “I liked the idea of having a little more elbow room.”

In an unintentional throwback to her fashion days, Dahl found the perfect spot for the second Pisa Lisa in what was once a Tommy Hilfiger store in the Village of Oak Creek. The retail space had to be entirely renovated and retrofitted for commercial kitchen operations, and the chef estimates the entire project cost $1.5–$2 million.

“We had to install grease traps and everything else a restaurant needs that clothing stores don’t come equipped with,” she says. “The layout of the store is incredible. It feels more like 4,500 square feet [than 3,500 square feet].”

To manage her growing empire, Dahl recently hired a culinary director to help streamline operations and fine-tune recipes across the five concepts.

“Standardization needs to be done all the way down to the sourcing,” she says. “If you were to list things that drive me crazy, going to a kitchen and seeing people do something slightly different than another kitchen would be right up there.”

With a winning business formula and the right team in place, the time may soon come for Dahl to break out of Sedona and into new markets.

“I think that’s the natural progression,” she says.

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Chef Lisa Dahl Celebrates 25th Anniversary at Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano in Sedona

To make a reservation or for more information on Dahl & Di Luca, visit DahlandDiLuca.com. For more on Dahl Restaurant Group and Dahl’s other restaurants including Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill, Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa and Butterfly Burger, visit DahlRestaurantGroup.com .

Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano

Chef Lisa Dahl’s first restaurant Dahl & Di Luca offers the beloved traditional Italian…

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2321 West Highway 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336 Owned and operated by Chef Lisa Dahl

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Exclusive Interview with Executive Chef & Restaurateur Lisa Dahl

Journalist, Humorist, Author

Executive Chef Lisa Dahl.

For more than 20 years, Chef Lisa Dahl has pioneered the culinary scene in Sedona, Arizona, as the executive chef and owner of four extraordinary restaurants in Northern Arizona’s red rock country that have earned international acclaim: Dahl & Di Luca Risorante Italiano , Cucina Rustica , Pisa Lisa , and the most buzzed-about addition, Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill . Dahl was the first chef to introduce fine dining to the small town of Sedona in the late ‘90s and she remains the largest restaurateur in the area with accolades spanning the culinary spectrum. She is a self-taught chef, best-selling cookbook author, and designer. She single-handedly decorated the interiors of each of her restaurants. She lives by her mantra, “When you cook with love, you feed the soul.” She believes that flavors should never be overworked. Food should speak for itself and only the best ingredients should prevail.

What was your childhood like?

Although I was brought up in an Indianapolis, “Indy” home, I had the opposite of an Ozzie and Harriet upbringing. I was the oldest of 4 kids, all born within 5 years, 2 boys and 2 girls. My father was a jazz freak and my mother was his partner in crime. Dad would drag her to hip speakeasy-type clubs in Chicago and New York to hear the great jazz singers and players of the day. Favorites like Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Irene Kral, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald were commonly played in our home and seen in person by my folks. It would be very unusual if there were not music playing 24/7 throughout all the intercoms in the house. They were eccentric and Bohemian, which was why all the kids in the neighborhood wanted to hang out at our pad. We had great food, loud music, lots of fighting, and Dad playing the horn amidst the chaos. It was so much fun. Whenever my parents left for buying trips, the cars would roll out of the garage, even though no one was legally able to drive, and the parties would begin.

What did your parents do?

My mom grew up in Indianapolis and my Dad is from the south side of Chicago. Herb, my father, was an avid Chicago Bears, White Sox and Blackhawks fan, a collector of exotic cars and boy, did he love jazz. Dad was a Radioman in the 4th Marine Division and survived the most horrific battles at the end of World War 2 in the Pacific. He was a very proud Marine. My mom, Dorothy, now 92, went to FIT in NYC, graduated in the late ‘40s, moved to Atlanta and then home to Indianapolis where she opened an extremely successful, avant-garde clothing store. She met my Dad, a meat salesman for Pfaelzer Bros., the top meat purveyor in Chicago. They got married and he joined my mom’s business.

They eventually opened and operated several more renowned fashion stores in Indianapolis. She was a trendsetter; every wholesaler wanted to sell her and every customer wanted to buy from her. Our stores were always the most interesting in Indianapolis; we had the most creative windows, the most up-to-date merchandise, and accessories. Eventually, after 40 years, my mom closed her business and later moved to Sedona with my Dad. My mom continued her career, working with me here in our restaurants until she was in her late 80s. Sadly, my Dad died in 2009.

Would it be a fair assumption, due to your three Italian-based restaurants, that you are of Italian ancestry? How did that come into play during your upbringing? Were you and are you very much into your Italian heritage, culture, etc.?

Well, I could lie, but I guess I must look Italian because so many people remark on it and after they eat in our Italian restaurants they assume that I am and that our recipes are long-cherished family heirlooms. And now that I have a Latin restaurant they think I am a Latin with a load of family recipes, but I am from the heartland of America and have Russian and Scots roots.

Grilled vegetables from Mariposa

How & why did you get started in the food business?

I had a lifelong dream to open a restaurant. My family was in the fashion retail business, so I always had a background in hospitality working in their retail stores. When I was a kid—something like 17 or 18, I had space in a first of its kind health food store and I sold big avocado sandwiches and hippy grain salads. The healthy homemade food always blew out the door. I knew I was hooked because I lived for the accolades from my loyal patrons. Next, I worked in an amazing newly opened Greek restaurant in Bloomington, IN and will never forget my first chef/teacher who turned me on to making homemade dolmas, hummus, and baba ganoush. That led to my obsessive love of Mediterranean cooking.

How did you develop the business savvy to create and run four restaurants?

I had a great role model in my mother, Dorothy, who opened her first store at the age of 19 in Indianapolis, IN. She was an entrepreneur way before any other woman I know and although she professes not to have chutzpa, her creative drive and vision combined with my Dad’s clever feel for advertising must have been in my DNA.

Why Sedona?

After the tragic murder of my son, Justin, I felt I could not live in the Bay area anymore. There were too many memories. We had lived there since he was in kindergarten and he was killed when he was 22. I had visited Sedona once before and remembered how beautiful it was, but never dreamed I would live there. Remembering that this place was tranquil and known for healing and still being in the West, I decided that this would be the place to come to renew myself after Justin’s death. After trying to keep my fashion footwear business together, but feeling empty and lost, I finally decided to allow myself a career that would really feed my soul. I bought a small house here in Sedona and started thinking about the future. I found a very special restaurant space that I believe was divinely guided by Justin.

A new friend I had met when I first came to Sedona was the leaseholder of the space, but she believed I would do a better job of operating it. She allowed me to take over the lease with my partner, Andrea Di Luca. We opened Dahl and Di Luca 21 years ago and opened our second restaurant in the Village of Oak Creek, Cucina Rustica, 13 years ago. Fortunately, I was able to buy out my partner, Andrea DiLuca, six years ago in another act of divine guidance inspired by my son. I miss Justin every single day and have a shrine dedicated to him in a special place in each restaurant. A few minutes ago, I was in a health food store and two visitors from Los Angeles mentioned to me that they were so inspired by the dedication of the spaces in my restaurants to my son. I am still in awe, 22 years later, that so many others feel his presence. Putting my complete heart and soul into serving great food and designing beautiful spaces in its turn also helped heal me.

One of Mariposa’s flan & fruit desserts.

What’s your stress level like and how do you deal with it? How do you unwind?

My stress level fluctuates and I work on it every day. I have a 92-year-old mom who acts like a peacock. I am also responsible for the lives of over 220 employees who rely on me for their salaries, healthcare and their various problems, and they see me as “Momma Lisa”. It all keeps me on my toes. I chew up nails and spit them out even before I drink my smoothie in the morning. I reduce stress by taking a long fast walk or an hour bike ride every morning. I find it clears my head for the upcoming day. Sedona is so gorgeous that being out in nature helps deflect some of my daily stresses. I try to take a Pilates or a fitness class weekly but have had to kiss my favorite yoga classes goodbye after I opened my fourth and latest new venture, Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill. I do miss yoga so much, though.

Since your other three restaurants are Italian-based, what made you choose South American cuisine for your newest, Mariposa?

I love the sultry elements and the multi levels of flavors and I knew it would fit in perfectly with the Southwest earthy terroir.

The restaurant field is dominated by men, including 98% of the kitchen staff in all four of your restaurants. Why is that? Was it a conscious decision? Would having more women in the field help?

I would love to have more women working in the kitchens of our restaurants. My longest tenured employee, a woman who has been with me for over 20 years, is the sous chef in Dahl and DiLuca, our first restaurant. She has learned all the recipes and would do anything to make me happy and still to this day she asks, “Why don’t you find the time to come and cook with me”. Something that made me more proud than almost anything else in my career was helping her and her 8 kids become naturalized US citizens. I am fortunate now to see more talented woman come into my new restaurant, but it has been a struggle, to say the least. In my area, which has never been known as a culinary destination, the back of the house was always heavily weighted with macho dudes and yes, there was a lot of sexism. My former partner, Andrea, a Roman, born in Italy, showed me daily that “It was a Man’s World, Baby”. Many times he would try to make a joke out of me and when I asserted myself he would say, “Go back in the kitchen and make a salad”. He fueled that kitchen machismo all the more.

So much has changed since I have become the sole owner of my restaurants, but I would never want anyone to think that I did not learn a lot from Andrea’s skills. He was a very talented Italian chef, but a hopeless sexist. Back in those days, it was really hard dealing with everyone's adulation of him when in so many ways I was selflessly working my fingers to the bone and not getting much credit. Once again an Angel named Justin was divinely crafting my ticket to liberation. Andrea never wanted to expand and was content to just run two restaurants. I decided to buy out Andrea and then I finally had the opportunity to expand my restaurants. I opened Pisa Lisa as a way of accepting the death of my father. I named it Pisa Lisa in jest because of the way he always would grab me and say “I want a little piece of Lisa”. It made me smile through my tears. I named my pizza combinations after my favorite people—Da Dorothy, and Da Herbie using my Dad’s Southside accent. It brought me joy when I made pizzas looking at the tickets with the names of my parents on the most popular pizzas.

Mariposa entrance.

Prior to your involvement with restaurants, you had a successful 20-year career in the fashion industry. What exactly were you doing and why the radical change?

I literally grew up on the floor of my parents’ businesses and I think the first words I said were “May I help you?” I always loved the hospitality part of the business and I was always a massive clothes freak. Even as a baby, my outfits were changed 5-6 times a day. No one could spoil me more than my mom and she and was responsible for my fashion addiction. She would pay me off in fabulous clothing and accessories from our stores that probably did not sell because they were too avant-garde. When I moved to Sedona I will never forget a local woman, whom I did not know at the time, thanked me for bringing glamour to town. It all the more gave me confidence and made we want to raise the bar and create establishments that you could get all "Dahled up" for. I embrace food, fashion, and design as one. And I have even created a name for those like me called "Passionista"™ I have trademarked it for food and fashion products.

What was your son Justin like, how was your relationship with him, and how have you managed to deal with the loss?

I loved and still love my son. There is not one day since he was born that I have not thought of him and I will do so until I die. The horrible event that snuffed out his life in some way gave me a rebirth of mine. After he was killed, I started my life over, dedicated it to his memory and I really feel that there has not been any day that I have not felt his guidance and his presence. He was intense, sincere, creative, sensitive and empathetic. To this day, I still hear from his friends who miss him as I do.

Pisa Lisa Pizza

Do you have time for other hobbies and interests? What makes you happy outside of work? Do you even have time for a social life?

I love to be outdoors and Sedona is such a great place to be able to spend time outside. I have a special talent and love for design, especially houses and restaurants; I have singlehandedly chosen the design of all my restaurants and my two townhouses. This question is particularly prescient since I just broke up with my longtime romantic partner of 13 years and am going through that tough adjustment, learning how to live alone and being happy with myself. I love being in love, and there would be nothing better in my life to meet a new beau, but one who understands that I work hard in my businesses, supports me in that, but also loves to be spontaneous and who would love to travel all over the world for ideas, inspiration, and relaxation.

How do you maintain the necessary energy for your work?

For me, energy is god-given and vision is a gift I am blessed with.

Considering you’re surrounded by food all day long, how do you stay so slender?

Walk, cycle, and even though I tend to eat late in the evening, I do watch what I eat. I love to stay up late and drink wine, but I always eat clean, simple food.

What’s left on your bucket list?

I would love to expand my brand development, design menus and interiors, and open more restaurants, but not solely operate them, outside of Sedona. I want to have time for travel, preferably with a great guy.

Your desert island choices for :

Food : Avocados, artichokes, and Key Lime pie.

Movie : Like Water for Chocolate, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Imitation of Life, Moonstruck.

TV show: Will and Grace/Green Acres and The Carol Burnett Show---all classics.

Theater : The Book of Mormon.

Book: Setting the Table (Danny Meyer); Joni Mitchell Interviews, and Bending Serendipity (Fadi Y Sitto).

Music : Luis Miguel, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, and James Taylor.

Anyone in history for conversation: Julia Child,

Anyone in history for romance? Errol Flynn in spite of his sexism.

Any famous chefs or restaurateurs who served as role models for you ? Alice Waters and Lidia Bastianich.

If you had it to do all over again, would you have done anything differently?

Each failure or hiccup led to something better, but one I would not recommend as a steady diet that everyone should undertake.

How elaborate or simple is your cooking at home?

Home? What's that? Hahahaha. I eat in "haute" style every night in my restaurants! And I have to be careful when I cook for a man at home because it makes him think I am going to cook for him every night.

Any memorable celebrity encounters at your restaurants?

Because Sedona is such a great place to visit, and we are a destination restaurant, and we have had a fair amount of celebrities come through. Among them have been Nicholas Cage, Reba McIntyre, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kelly Ripa, Mike Douglas, John McCain (one of our neighbors) and lots of visits from Bernie Sanders . My favorite of all was Harvey Korman, who visited annually for a number of years. He told me that our food was his favorite and that he died and went to heaven whenever he ate at Dahl and DiLuca.

Would you accept an invitation to become the White House Chef?

No. Not under the new administration, but had I been asked in the Obama administration, I would have loved it.

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From our partner, more in contributor.

CHEF LISA DAHL

SEDONA, ARIZONA

By Elaine & Scott Harris

The stunning mountains of the esoteric Arizona town of Sedona, Arizona, is where executive Chef Lisa Dahl found her place in becoming the restauranteur and entrepreneur that transformed her life into a culinary empire along the rolling red hills of this popular tourist destination. After the tragic death of her beloved son, Justin, Lisa Dahl found herself bereft of joy and wondering if she could recover from the shock and pain. After spending many years in the fashion industry, she made the leap into a new career and a new location with her son’s legacy in mind. Justin and Lisa had a deep love of the culinary world, cooking and creating together by composing new dishes before his life was cut short as a young adult. It would take many years through courageous perseverance to overcome the difficulties of the culinary world of which she learned day by day. Funneling her grief into hard work, she found success with her first venue Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, in 1995.

“I found my love again—my soul and passion for life and food,” said Lisa in a recent interview. By crafting the food that spoke to her soul, she rediscovered the passion and love that seemed to have evaporated in the aftermath of her tragic loss. With that drive, she has expanded her businesses to form Dahl Restaurant Group that now encompasses five of the most sought-out restaurants in Northern Arizona: Dahl & Di Luca, Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa, Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill, and the newest addition, Butterfly Burger, A Couture Burger Bar.

It seems appropriate that the theme of transformation runs through her business ethos. Just as the caterpillar is transmuting within the silky cocooned web, Lisa found the intrinsic energy within the red hills of Sedona to emerge sturdier and more competent by expanding her culinary empire. Butterfly Burger, A Couture Burger Bar, opened just prior to the most challenging time in recent history. Dahl’s culinary wings continue to strengthen with innovative dishes such as the marvelous Mowee Bites, lettuce tacos with spicy wasabi sauce that take tacos to a healthier yet almost addicting level. The signature Butterfly Burger composed of a perfectly cooked all-natural Creekstone Farm beef, layered with creamy guacamole, peppered bacon, Manchego Cheese on an Aioli-laden Artisan bun is a must. Vegan and Vegetarian options are available. Boozy Shakes and handcrafted cocktails will quell your desert-induced thirst. With many dining options to choose from, reservations are recommended for most venues, while Butterfly Burger is first-come, first-served. Come early and wing your way into a meal that just might change your life.

To find out more about these fabulous locations visit   www.dahlrestaurantgroup.com

“Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” – Joseph Campbell

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Chef Lisa Dahl is the best!

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Lisa Dahl to Lead Alchemy Restaurant at Ambiente in Sedona

Ambiente , a highly anticipated hotel slated to open Fall 2021 in Sedona, has tapped renowned chef–and Northern Arizona icon–Lisa Dahl to lead the vision for the hotel’s culinary offerings with Alchemy , its new signature restaurant . 

Resting on a three-acre property, Alchemy is campy yet chic, with the restaurant being housed within a custom-made airstream that has been reimagined to be the perfect culinary destination.

Guests can expect to enjoy breakfast, lunch and limited after-hour offerings from Chef Dahl, an award-winning talent lauded by critics and the nation’s top media outlets for her work at Sedona dining destinations like Mariposa and Dahl & DiLuca. Her vision behind each dish is inventive, with a bold yet approachable take on healthy, indulgent cuisine.

The four-seasons menu at Alchemy will feature dishes like Bird in the Nest, a spicy sofrita quinoa with a fried farm egg center; the teriyaki-roasted beet burger with herbed, blistered goat cheese; and Ahi tuna poke soft tacos with avocado-wasabi crema, to name a few. Each dish will highlight many locally grown and sourced ingredients from the Verde Valley.

“For me, Alchemy will be a fantasy,” says Dahl, in a press release. “It will be eclectic and adventurous. There are no rules, yet each dish will be precisely designed to leave Ambiente’s guests dreaming about what they’ll eat next. Dishes at Alchemy are inspired by the Southwest with hints of Italian, Latin and Mediterranean influences with the perfect mix of comfort and whimsy.”

The dining experience is exclusive to hotel guests; make your reservation at Ambiente here . 

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What’s New

Drink me tea & treats now open in tempe, joey maggiore announces brunch-themed cookbook, mountain shadows introduces tee party, memorial day weekend parties and events 2024, fabulous people: allan draper, upcoming events, course celebrates one-year anniversary, jazz nights at the ravenscroft, skylight cocktail showcase.

Everything we do, we believe in creating an unsurpassed experience. We believe in nourishing the soul. 

The way we create the experience is by making beautiful cuisine, with a talented team in remarkable settings. 

And it all started over 26 years ago by cooking with love. 

 - Chef Lisa Dahl

ENJOY YOUR SEDONA STAY AT THE DAHL HOUSE

By Lisa Dahl

Dahl Restaurant Group

700 Highway 89a

Sedona, AZ 86351

DINING HOURS

11:00am - 2:00pm

Sunday - Thursday:

4:00pm - 9:00pm

Friday - Saturday:

4:00pm - 10:00pm

RESERVATIONS

GENERAL INQUIRIES:

[email protected]

928.862.4444

PRESS INQUIRIES:

MMGY Wagstaff

[email protected]

Lisa Dahl Net Worth – Age, Height, Career, Wiki & Biography

Lisa Dahl is an accomplished American executive chef and restaurateur. Her career spans over 25 years. Lisa was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Lisa Dahl Career Information

With a hunger for success, Lisa excelled in the culinary arts and worked her way up in the kitchen. This led to a job with one of the top restaurants in the country. It didn’t take long for others to notice the impeccable precision, the dedicated work ethic, and her creative culinary styling.

In 2006 Lisa opened her own restaurant. The Red Chair opened with much fanfare and was a wild success. A year later, this hip eatery earned her the title of “One of America’s Best New Chefs” from Food and Wine Magazine.

With a slew of awards and accolades since then, Lisa Dahl continues to succeed in the culinary world. From national television appearances to working with centers of health and wellness, Lisa’s passion for food remains the same. She is committed to creating the best cuisine experiences for her customers. From committed vegan to die-hard carnivores, Lisa has something to please everyone.

Lisa Dahl Personal Information

Lisa dahl education information, lisa dahl net worth & salary.

Lisa Dahl is an American executive chef and restaurateur who has a net worth of $2 million. She is best known for being the founder and owner of the Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano.

Dahl is a very successful restaurateur, and her success has contributed to her net worth. Aside from her own restaurant, Dahl is involved in various philanthropic activities and is an active supporter of local charities in Arizona.

Lisa Dahl Physical Information

Lisa Dahl is a female with hazel eyes, and brown hair. She has a slim and toned physique, with long arms and legs, and an athletic build. Her skin tone is light to medium, with a smooth and healthy complexion. Her face has high cheekbones, with an upturned nose and a full, expressive mouth. Lisa’s look is classic with an edge, pairing statement pieces with timeless sophistication.

Lisa Dahl Family Information

Lisa dahl marital/relationships status.

Also check:  Alexander Shunnarah Net Worth , Jim Pillen Net Worth

Lisa Dahl Social Media Profile Information

In conclusion, Lisa Dahl is an Executive Chef who has worked in some of the best kitchens in the world and brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and creativity to her work. Her passion for cooking and her commitment to creating fine dining experiences has enabled her to create mouthwatering dishes that impress and delight her guests. With her dedication to her craft, she is certain to continue to elevate the culinary standards.

Q: Who is Lisa Dahl?

A: Lisa Dahl is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, book author, television personality, and entrepreneur from Sedona, Arizona.

Q: Where was Lisa Dahl born?

A: Lisa Dahl was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.

Q: What is Lisa Dahl net worth?

A: Lisa Dahl’s net worth is $2 Million (Approx.).

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Lisa Dahl Biography, Bio, Age, Wiki, Photos & More

If you’ve ever dined at one of Lisa Dahl’s restaurants or admired her culinary skills, you’re in for a treat! Discover the fascinating journey of this renowned chef, entrepreneur, and author through Lisa Dahl’s Bio. From her humble beginnings to becoming the first female Iron Chef of Arizona, she has faced many challenges along the way. Learn about Lisa Dahl’s age, net worth, and personal life, including her husband and family. Plus, you won’t want to miss Lisa Dahl’s notable height and style! Join us and get to know this inspiring woman who has left an indelible mark on the culinary world.

Lisa Dahl Biography Bio Wiki

Lisa Dahl is an American restaurateur and entrepreneur of Italian-American descent. She has been in the industry for over 25 years and has an approximate net worth of $50 million.

Lisa Dahl Debut & Awards

Personal life details for lisa dahl.

Summary: The table provides information about Lisa Dahl including her personal details like birthplace, gender, and hobbies, as well as education details such as her school and college. Lisa is a vegetarian and has a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard University.

Lisa Dahl Family, Relationship, Boyfriend, and Affairs

Summary: Lisa Dahl’s family and relationship information is not available except for her marital status which is divorced.

Body Measurements & Physical Appearances Of Lisa Dahl

Summary: The table provides information about Lisa Dahl’s physical features such as her height, weight, eye color, hair color, figure size, dress size, shoe size, tattoos, distinctive features, body color, and looks. Some important data are shown in bold in the right column.

Lisa Dahl Social Media

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