lisa dahl

LISA DAHL

Chef Lisa Dahl is one of the country’s leading female chefs and restaurateurs who has pioneered the culinary scene in Sedona, Ariz. for the past 20 years. Dahl is the executive chef and owner of four outstanding restaurants in Northern Arizona’s red rock country where she has earned international acclaim for Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa and her newest, most buzzed-about addition, Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill. Dahl recently announced two new restaurants coming to the Sedona area in early 2019, Butterfly Burger, a “couture burger lounge”, and a second Pisa Lisa location.

After shedding her life in the Bay Area and a career in the fashion industry following the loss of her son Justin, Dahl sought healing and moved to Sedona, a town famous for its spiritual energy and restorative powers. Once settled, she unearthed her long-held passion for cooking, one that she and Justin shared. Honoring Justin’s memory is part of each of her restaurants.

Just named “Top Chef” in Arizona at the prestigious Foodist Awards and a James Beard House-featured chef, Dahl is widely credited for Sedona’s emergence as a national “foodie destination.” As a self-taught chef, Dahl was the first to introduce fine dining to Sedona in the late ‘90s with the opening of Dahl & Di Luca and has since expanded to become the largest restaurant group in the area with accolades spanning the culinary spectrum.

Dahl’s cooking style is diverse and includes high-end traditional Italian, rustic Mediterranean, South American-inspired and wood-fired pizza, considered among the best in Arizona. She’s also a grill master and just won Arizona’s “2018 Burger Battle” giving her the opportunity to advance to the World Food Championships. She also went head-to-head with celebrity Chef Bobby Flay on a recent episode of Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay”.

Chef Dahl and her restaurants have been featured on The Food Network, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, The New York Times, Wine Spectator, Travel Channel, Huffington Post, MSN.com and Marie Claire, to name a few.

Today, Dahl Restaurant Group welcomes nearly 400,000 guests annually across all four restaurants and employs close to 250 people, many of whom have been with the company for over 15 years. Each of Dahl’s restaurants continue to garner prestigious recognition and accolades. Thirteen consecutive years of Wine Spectator awards decorate the walls of Cucina Rustica and Dahl and Di Luca. In August of 2019, Lisa has just opened Butterfly Burger - her latest concept.