12 Jan 15th-Jan 21st, 2026 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Call of the Kitchen Local celebrity chef steps back from growing restaurant group. BY SARA CROCKER T he New Year marks a time for change and transitions, and there’s a shift underway at one of the Valley’s burgeoning restaurant groups. Local celebrity chef Beau MacMillan has stepped away from his role as culinary director of Clive Collective and Creation Hospitality, where he oversaw food at hotspots such as Cala Scottsdale and Tell Your Friends. MacMillan says he made the change because “I wanted to get back to what I love to do.” For him, that’s helming a restaurant. “I’ve had some real fun creating some restaurant concepts, but at the end of the day, I want to be in it with a team every day. I want to mentor young people. I want to connect with the community and really have a stage,” he says. “That’s what I’m looking for.” MacMillan built his culinary reputation over more than two decades at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, the luxe Paradise Valley resort home to the seasonally driven restaurant Elements and Jade Bar. He teased that a return to fine dining may be in his future. On when and where that return will take place, MacMillan is mum for now, but says he’s not pulling up stakes. “I definitely plan to stay local,” he says. “I’m working through a few options that I’m excited about.” ‘We support him 100%’ Mikis Troyan and Justin Massei formed Clive Collective in 2020. The next year, MacMillan also came aboard. Since then, they’ve launched the Mediterranean- inspired restaurant Cala in Old Town, part- nered with Creation Hospitality on the luxe art deco speakeasy Tell Your Friends hidden below Creation’s The Americano in north Scottsdale and opened the rowdy Tempe saloon Neon Spur. Troyan and Massei shared their grati- tude for MacMillan and well-wishes for their friend in his new endeavors. “The fact of the matter is Beau, I think, really wanted to get back inside the kitchen,” Troyan says. “We support him 100%. We want him to be happy and healthy and fill his cup.” The Clive Collective team isn’t ruling out partnering with another chef to guide the group’s culinary direction in the future, but “we do have a lot of talent on our team right now,” Troyan notes. “Beau has been a big part of bringing some amazing people into Clive, and that hasn’t changed,” he says. “We’re giving people that are currently in our company opportunities... to grow from within.” Clive to debut five new restaurants in 2026 Clive Collective is full steam ahead on five projects in the pipeline. Among those is a Japanese-inspired robata grill called Kuza. It’s anticipated to open in February at the same corner of north Scottsdale where The Americano and Tell Your Friends reside, at Scottsdale Road and Chauncey Lane. “Those three spaces for Clive (are) going to become a kind of north Scottsdale hub for us,” Massei says. “North Scottsdale’s really starting to boom, so it’s all just coming together for us at the right time.” Other upcoming projects include a second, larger location of Cala at PV, as well as three projects in downtown Phoenix. Those include Ada, a seasonal American eatery; Love Call, a neighbor- hood bar; and a smaller version of Kuza, called Kuza Tori. The group is hopeful each of these spots will open later this year. Clive has also recently taken over operations of The Americano. The Italian steakhouse was founded by Creation Hospitality, with which Clive partnered on the glitzy speakeasy hidden under- neath it. With this move, Clive now oper- ates both the restaurant and cocktail bar. The Americano recently underwent a renovation, and the group is also tweaking the menu to add lighter and more shareable items that are a few dollars less per plate. It’s all to encourage people to visit for more than a rare splurgey night out. “We really want to make it not just a place you go on special occasions but a place you can go once or twice a week,” Troyan says, “Make it a neighborhood spot.” While both the company and its members’ day-to-day roles evolve, MacMillan remains a partner in Cala Scottsdale and Tell Your Friends. “We’re excited for his next chapter, and he’s excited for our next chapter,” Troyan says. Local celebrity chef Beau MacMillan is taking a different direction in 2026. (Creation Hospitality) A rendering of the lush patio space at Ada. (Clive Collective) ▼ Food & Drink Cheers! Arizona Cocktail Weekend returns to the Valley this spring. BY SARA CROCKER B ottoms up, cocktail aficionados! The desert’s best drinks weekend is back. Arizona Cocktail Weekend returns for a 14th year on Feb. 27. This long- running spirited showcase launched in 2011 to bring attention to craft cocktailing in the Valley. Today, it’s known for three big events that highlight unique sips and stellar bartenders: the Cocktail Carnival, Top Bars and Last Slinger Standing. The weekend also boasts intimate tastings, pairings and take- overs hosted at bars and restaurants around the Valley, educational seminars and recovery events. Here’s how you can whet your whistle and rub shoulders with master mixologists this spring. Cocktail Carnival Feb. 28 | 455 N. Third St. The Cocktail Carnival kicks off the weekend at downtown’s Arizona Center. The event channels the whimsy and entertainment of a carnival and carries that through to the drinks being served. Spirits makers will offer more than 30 specialty cocktail samples from their themed booths at this interactive, immersive, entertaining afternoon event. Early bird general admission tickets are $50; VIP tickets are available for $79. Top Bars March 1 | 215 E. Grant St. Are you on the hunt for the best martini or old fashioned anytime you travel some- where new? If so, Top Bars is your kind of event. More than 40 of the most notable cocktail bars from London, Hong Kong, Japan and beyond will shake and stir cocktail samples at this tasting event hosted at Warehouse215. Past guests have included World’s 50 Best Bars honorees, such as New York’s Double Chicken Please, Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy and Panda & Sons from Edinburgh, Scotland. Early bird general admission tickets are $60; VIP tickets are $99. Last Slinger Standing March 2 | 402 S. 54th Place A hometown bartending throwdown ices the cocktail weekend. Sixteen of Phoenix’s top slingers will face off in a bracket-style competition. Each round of Last Slinger Standing features a secret ingredient and is judged by a panel of cocktail experts. The winner will take home a trophy and bragging rights. This event is free to attend at Republic National Distributing Co., but tickets have not yet been released.
