FSR October 2022

CHEFS & INGREDI ENT S CHEF PROF I LE

e 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 expand ing beyond Sedona. “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, Butter fly Burger, also has inherent scalability. “ ey feed off each other. Having the sec ond 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. e proj ect 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 Fran cisco. 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 entre preneur and chef. “Food and fashion go hand in hand,” she says. “ ere 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 ingredi ents in combination with methodology.” Her entry into foodservice was driven

CHEF LISA DAHL

FAVORITE PIZZA: Margherita FAVORITE TOOL: Strainer with a handle CHEF SHE’DMOST LIKE TOWORK WITH: José Andrés BEST INGREDIENT FOR SEASONING: Lemon FAVORITE DESIGNER: Roberto Cavalli

THE MENU AT MARIPOSA (LEFT) INCLUDES SMALL PLATES LIKE THE LATIN PERSUASION BRUSCHETTA (TOP) AND PULPO PARRILLA, OR GRILLED OCTOPUS (BELOW).

SCOTT YATES (4)

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FSRMAGAZINE .COM

OCTOBER 2022