Here’s the Seasoned Chef Now Helming the Kitchen at Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch in Mesa

If you’ve dined in Flagstaff with any frequency over the past 18 years, you’re probably familiar with the name Scott Heinonen. He was a pioneering chef in Flag’s emerging food scene from 2005 to 2019, opening or helping to open a string of first-of-their-kind places — namely, Cuvee 928 Wine Bar (2005-2008), Tinderbox Kitchen (2009-present), and The Cottage French Bistro (2017-2019).

Heinonen left Flagstaff soon after closing The Cottage and spent the pandemic years as a private chef and consultant both in Scottsdale and Sedona. His latest gig was as assistant GM at Under Canvas, a glamping resort near Bryce Canyon National Park in Southern Utah. However, as of this month (September 13 to be precise), he’s back in metro Phoenix, having just taken a job as head chef at Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch, a historical guest ranch situated on the Lower Salt River not far from the Saguaro Lake marina. Composed of 20 rustic cabins (originally used to house the workers who were building Stewart Mountain Dam, 1928-1930) and a main lodge, the ranch offers horseback riding and kayaking and lazing around the pool.

Bringing on a chef like Heinonen suggests that the ranch, which has long been a hidden gem for tourists and locals, aims to up its game. I mean, this guy is capable of so much more than grilling steaks and making iceberg lettuce salads — the typical cowboy fare around these parts. He assures me, however, that he has not come to this lovely old place to reinvent the wheel. “I’m working with a legacy,” he says, pointing out that he likes its rustic elements and feels that the gig will be a good fit for him. In short, he has no problem with ranch beans.

He plans to use Indigenous products from Arizona and give his food Southwestern flavors while keeping things simple and unpretentious. He’ll be doing breakfasts, box lunches (upon request) and Sunday night cookouts. He says he’ll “do the classics but with killer sauces and nice presentations.” He points out that chefs sometimes forget that they’re cooks.

He’s jumping right in. On his first day of the job, the ranch had a party of 45 coming, who will be served family-style meals that will surely exceed their expectations. My hope is that down the line, dinner will be offered to the public. A girl can dream.

Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch, 13020 N. Bush Hwy, Mesa, 480-984-2194, saguarolakeranch.com