Juan Zamora, Kyle Kent, Jade Montoya - Chula Seafood

Family-owned and operated, Chula Seafood is a fishery, restaurant, fish market and wholesaler whose mission is to bring the highest quality fish from off the coast of San Diego to the Arizona desert. Showcasing the exceptional quality and flavors of the fresh catch is Chula's culinary team: Juan Zamora, Kyle Kent and Jade Montoya.

As executive chef, Juan Zamora honed his skills under the tutelage of some of the Valley’s most revered chefs, including Kevin Binkley and Mark Tarbell, and is driven by his passion for global cuisine. Head chef Kyle Kent has also worked in the kitchens of some of the Valley's esteemed restaurants, including Eddie's House and Artizen, and spent time as a private chef in Alaska. Completing the team is sous chef Jade Montoya, who worked with James Beard award winner Charleen Badman before joining Chula. Together, they are helping lead and develop the sustainable seafood culture in Arizona.

Why this dinner is important:

"What drives our business is the community. Without their support and trust, we would not be here. We are devoted to continuing our mission of bringing the best quality fish, the best customer service and a memorable experience to all, even during these uncertain times. We have quickly adapted to the huge changes thrown at us by COVID-19 and we are incredibly grateful for our staff's dedication to provide for our community.

Before quarantine and closures, we serviced 80-plus local restaurants throughout the Valley. Not only has it been devastating to see the local chefs who helped build us up close their doors, but our wholesale team has also been hit hard as we had to make the difficult decision to lay off nearly our entire staff at the warehouse. As a fish market, we are extremely lucky to keep our doors open, providing the community with seafood and providing our employees with hours. None of this has been easy and to see our friends in the industry suffer from the COVID-19 restrictions has been hard.

This initiative will help us help our employees who have been laid off or lost their jobs continue to provide for their families and children. We are doing whatever we can to give back to them and let them know they have a home with us when this is over."

- Mandy Heflin, co-owner with Jon Heflin and Hogan Jamison

Please support Chula Seafood by reserving seats to this dinner.