Lisa Dahl on Food, Loss & Building Legacy

Episode • Jun 3 • 1h 30m

In this episode of Flavors Unknown, I sit down with Chef Lisa Dahl, one of the most influential figures in Arizona’s culinary landscape. A self-taught chef and resilient entrepreneur, Lisa shares how an unimaginable personal tragedy led her from San Francisco to Sedona—and eventually into the kitchen, where she built a restaurant empire from the ground up.

She is the creative force behind a collection of beloved Sedona dining destinations:
🌟 Dahl & Di Luca
🔥 Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill
🍝 Cucina Rustica
🍕 Pisa Lisa
🍔 Butterfly Burger

In our conversation, Lisa opens up about the emotional origins of her culinary career, the soul she pours into every dish, and the unique vision behind each of her restaurants. We also explore her philanthropic mission through her foundation and its two pillars—Soup Hope and Justin’s Garden—that nourish both body and spirit.

What you’ll learn from Chef Lisa Dahl

Growing up in Indiana and chasing dreams out West (4:29)
Her years in the Bay Area and the tragedy that changed everything (4:55–5:54)
From high heels to high heat: her career in the shoe business (6:35)
Opening her first restaurant in Sedona—and never looking back (8:42)
The comfort and creativity of soup-making (12:33)
Transitioning from Dahl & Di Luca to her first solo concept (14:44)
Balancing personal dynamics with business partnerships (20:51)
Reinventing an old Pizza Hut as Pisa Lisa (26:59)
The moment Lisa Dahl found unexpected strength in adversity (30:24)
How each of her restaurant brands expresses a different part of her identity (35:23)
How travel fuels her culinary innovation (44:58)
Learning the art of empanadas in South America (50:13)
Creating a burger worthy of the People’s Choice Award (55:23)
Honoring her son through the foundation’s mission (1:03:22)
Her go-to restaurants around the world (1:12:38)
A local Scottsdale favorite you’ll want to try (1:16:23)
Upcoming awards and career milestones (1:17:23)
Her guilty-pleasure comfort food (1:18:22)
The life lessons that continue to guide Lisa Dahl today (1:20:06)
Chefs she dreams of collaborating with (1:21:44)
On listening to intuition in the heat of life and business (1:24:27)

I’d like to share a potential educational resource, “Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door”, my new book that features dialogues with accomplished culinary leaders from various backgrounds and cultures. It delves into the future of culinary creativity and the hospitality industry, drawing from insights of a restaurant-industry-focused podcast, ‘flavors unknown”. It includes perspectives from renowned chefs and local professionals, making it a valuable resource for those interested in building a career in the culinary industry.