Yavapai College Foundation Board member Julia Ammons and her husband, Chef Jason, earned some impressive notoriety this Spring when Essence Kitchen + Bar, their highly regarded Chino Valley restaurant, was featured on the Food Network series, “America’s Best Restaurants.”

“The food in here is out of this world!” ABR host Theo Williams raved, “and the décor is elegant to a T!”

The episode goes food-first, as Chef Jason prepares one of Essence Kitchen + Bar’s signature dishes, Miso Saké Marinated Sea Bass. Described by the program as “The Best Sea Bass We’ve Tried,” the camera follows Chef Jason as he theatrically fuses Japanese wine, seared Sea Bass, fresh peppers and a savory marinade into a dish with a memorable complexity of flavors.   

“You’ve got a lot goin’ on in here!” Williams says.

“America’s Best Restaurants” goes curb-to-kitchen-and-beyond in the segment, including an interview with Julia and Chef Jason on Essence Kitchen + Bar’s community-first philosophy and their philanthropic endeavors helping Chino Valley High School students and local veterans.

“We wanted to put a face on the people who have served, and allow us to be free,” Julia says in the video. “And it’s really important for us to educate the youth and have the be a part of the community.”

The story closes with Chef Jason’s slammin’ Banana Wrapped Sea Bass with Coconut Lime drizzle, and Wild-Caught North Atlantic Seared Sea Scallops with Creamy Mushroom Rice.

You can see the fifteen-minute feature here.

Essence Kitchen + Bar, at 1021 N. State Route 89, is open Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, call: (928) 925.3888 or visit: www.essenceofaz.com.