PHOENIX, ARIZ.– Thirteenorth Grille will host its monthly Charity Guest Chef Night on Jan. 29 with a Glendale firefighter heating up the kitchen.

The event benefits Glendale Fire Charities and Local 493 United Phoenix Firefighter Charities. It is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 29, for 5 to 9 p.m. at Thirteenorth Grille, 1301 E. Northern Ave. Cost is $22 person; reservations can be made by calling (602) 795-1397.

The menu: stuffed pork loin with apples, walnuts, feta and a bourbon caramel glaze; roasted red potatoes, grilled zucchini and red bell peppers; and a choice of roasted butternut squash soup or a garden salad.

Arick O’Hara, a 10-year veteran of the Glendale Fire Department at Fire Station 154, will swap his gear for an apron that afternoon and evening.

“You will find there are a lot of really good chefs at any fire station in the Valley,” O’Hara said. “I cook as much as I can at my station. I learned to cook from watching friends and family. I worked a little in a restaurant in college, but by no means have I been formally trained.”

O’Hara said the stuffed pork loin recipe is his own, one he said he’s perfected.

“Depending on who was at the station, I’d use different ingredients,” the Phoenix native, 38, said. “There was a lot of experimenting, but over time it’s the most requested.”

O’Hara said he’s looking forward to the event and benefitting the charities.

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t burn the place down,” he said with a laugh. “If I do hopefully we’ll have some people there to handle it.”

Each year Thirteenorth Grille sponsors the charity event January through October.

“We are so excited for the opportunity to have some fun and do some good for the charities involved,” said Lawrence Macias, co-owner of Thirteenth Grille. “I can’t wait to taste what Arick is going to make for us.”

Visit the Thirteenorth Grille website at 13northgrille.com

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Thirteenorth Grille, a longtime neighborhood restaurant at 1301 E. Northern Avenue in Phoenix is under new management. Industry veterans Lawrence Macias and David Durst are the new owners.

Thirteenorth Grille is a cozy, 80-seat restaurant with a dog-friendly patio and lively bar. Specialties include a signature mac and cheese and handmade cocktails.

“I’m excited to be a part of keeping this great neighborhood restaurant going,” Macias said. “David and I have a shared passion for great food and friendly service and look forward to becoming a large part of the North Central corridor community.”

Recent upgrades include an extended happy hour menu featuring new food choices, happy hour prices on handmade cocktails, draft beer, and mixed drinks. A new dinner menu will be rolled out in early December. The interior and exterior will receive a face lift in the coming months.

“I am passionate about three things: food, cocktails, and people,” Durst said. “To have a place to create great food, tasty cocktails, and to take care of the people in this neighborhood, it’s truly a dream come true.”

Thirteenorth Grille is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday; and 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Happy hour is 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Macias said Thirteenorth Grille also draws customers form the entire Valley.

“Many of our lunch guests live elsewhere, but get introduced to us over a business lunch and come back at night to have a relaxed dinner with friends.”

Visit the Thirteenorth Grille website at 13northgrille.com.