The Arizona Restaurant Association is running a new food event, the Foodist Awards, with the prizes handed out at an expensive dinner on April 25th. The idea seems solid, honoring "industry players [who] embody the pursuit - the achievement - of excellence" (although that sort of phrasing does remind me a bit of the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence). Plus, the nominees span the food spectrum, from an excellent Phoenix hot dog cart to French Laundry-trained Kevin Binkley. Plus there are Tucsonans nominated: booze master Aaron DeFeo from Casino del Sol, El Charro, and Kade Mislinski and Jenny Rice's Playground.

I just can't figure out whether they're nominated for a specific category, which there are nine of, from Restaurant Concept to Good Neighbor, or if they're just giving awards away for general awesomeness. Either way, it's nice that we're included at all and best of luck to our three in the running.