People seeking Mediterranean cuisine in Scottsdale can look no farther than the new Senna House hotel, where Cala opened recently.
Located on the site of the former Don & Charlie’s restaurant, Cala is a concept headed by celebrity chef Beau MacMillan and executive chef Peter McQuaid, who have worked side-by-side for over half a decade.
“Chef Beau and I worked together at Sanctuary for about five years, it was one of my first kitchen jobs when I was in high school and I worked my way up to being his sous-chef which helped launch my career and he gave me a lot of opportunities in life,” McQuaid said.
Of those opportunities came a chance for McQuaid to follow his mentor to work with a hospitality group.
His introduction to Clive Collective, "the amazing hospitality group that brought us Cala" took him first to its first restaurant, called Money Baby, in Las Vegas, where he was brought on to help Chef Beau Mac, McQuaid said.
After the success of his restaurant on the Vegas Strip, McQuaid and MacMillan returned to the city where it all started.
“Then came the opportunity to come back to Phoenix and work in the Scottsdale food scene, which is growing and going to explode,” McQuaid said. “I’m excited to be a part of that growth and this was a great opportunity to bring Scottsdale’s newest restaurant to the public.”
It wasn’t just the concept or Scottsdale that appealed to McQuaid: he was also sold on the new restaurant’s location.
“This is a prime location and Don & Charlie’s was a staple in the state, so it is an honor to be on the site of where it was,” he said. “Our location has also generated a lot of buzz since people saw Don & Charlie’s was taken down and something new was built. Don has been super supportive of us. It has been a plus for us to be in this historic location.”
He was also looking to work in a restaurant that offered diners a unique vibe.
“When we went to create this restaurant, we were looking to create a super laid-back environment that had a fun energy and a fun vibe paired with fresh co*cktails and coastal cuisine,” McQuaid said. “We want to create an atmosphere of leisure while having fun with the food and music to create a unique experience that will be a huge hit.”
McQuaid also wanted to be a part of a restaurant that sold customers from the moment they walked in the door.
“As soon as you walk in the door at Cala, you’re sold,” he said. “When guests walk in, they feel like they’re in a Mediterranean coastline beach house and we want the food and co*cktails to back that up as well.”
One way the food will echo the atmosphere is through the freshest ingredients.
“Coastal Mediterranean food is all about simple and fresh ingredients that are not manipulated and served in their highest form. We intend to add accents to the dishes to highlight those ingredients, which is what we’re all about,” McQuaid said.
McQuaid spent the mornings leading up to the grand opening of Cala playing with the restaurant’s pasta extruder.
“We also have a hand-made pizza and pasta program that is going to be the backbone of our restaurant,” he said. “We’ll be making the pasta every morning as well as fun- shareable entrees to start customers out.”
For people looking for a different dish, McQuaid is also excited to serve customers off a different section of the menu: “We also have a section of the menu called ‘breads and spreads’ that features classic Mediterranean items with our fresh Cala bread that is made in-house and spiced with Mediterranean spices.
“The food highlights the restaurant.”
Overall, he feels that there is something that eaters of all preferences can enjoy.
“Our menu isn’t super extensive but I think that there is something for everyone on it,” McQuaid said. “There’s a lot of terms and dishes that people have not heard before but we are pairing it with a lot of staple classics that everybody knows and loves where we will introduce those Mediterranean flavors and flares into something approachable.”
McQuaid expects to stay busy alongside his staff throughout the year.
“With the expansion of the food scene in Arizona, there isn’t a slow season anymore. Restaurants are busy all summer long with travelers and people vacationing,” he said.
“We are also opening during the prime time during the busiest season in Arizona so we’re looking forward to getting out of the gate hot with our patio, our pool and our indoor space, there is a space for all times of the year.”
Information: calascottsdale.com
