Restaurants, artisans land Tucson City of Gastronomy certificates | Business News

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Boca Tacos y Tequila on North Fourth Avenue is one of the Tucson City of Gastronomy certified restaurants.

Don Guerra’s Barrio Bakery has been recognized as a Food Artisan in the Tucson City of Gastronomy.

Dustin Cox (left), Assistant Distiller at Whiskey Del Bac, and Veronica Townsend, Head Distiller of the company, taste samples of several casks before they are harvested at the distillery.

Beginning its sixth year as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, the city of Tucson is stepping up its culinary game and encouraging locally owned restaurants to pay even more attention to the core ideals that put the Old Pueblo on the United Nations’ education, science and culture radar of the organization in 2015.

Last week, the nonprofit Tucson City of Gastronomy, which manages the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, announced its second annual list of certified restaurants. And in the second year of the Restaurant Recognition Program, the group added two new categories: Certified Food Artisans and Certified Beverage Artisans.

Companies that landed in these categories include wineries, breweries, and distilleries, as well as producers, including a chocolatier and baker.

Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell stepped onto the lunar surface on the first of two lunar excursions and other events that happened that day in history.

More than 50 restaurants and artisans from across the city and region have applied for the certification, introduced last year, “to leverage the international brand of the label and recognize restaurants and other locally run independent food companies that we have as role models for theirs keeping our food heritage alive, ”said Jonathan Mabry, executive director of the Tucson City of Gastronomy.

Criteria include that companies support the local food industry, look after their employees and use sustainable business practices throughout their operations.

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