Chef Sam DeMarco: 2026 Southwest Chef Series
A familiar dish can hold a lifetime of memories. For Chef Sam DeMarco, known as Chef Sammy D., that connection is the starting point for cooking that makes guests feel at home while giving them something new to discover.
As executive chef of Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen at Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows, DeMarco brings close to three decades of culinary experience.
2026 BOSW Southwest Chef Series Hub
Chef Sam DeMarco at a glance
Restaurant: Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Role: Executive chef
Cuisine: Modern Mediterranean with Southwestern influences
Website: weftandwarpscottsdale.com
Instagram: @weftandwarpaz
From Brooklyn to kitchens around the world
Raised in an Italian family in Brooklyn, DeMarco developed an appreciation for the food and traditions that would later shape his career.
His professional path took him through New York kitchens, including The River Café and The Peninsula Hotel before expanding to destinations in Australia, Dubai and Amsterdam. Along the way, he held leadership roles at Harrah’s Atlantic City, Bellagio Las Vegas and a Kimpton hotel in Amsterdam.
Those experiences introduced him to different ingredients and techniques. His work also reached television audiences through the Travel Channel series “Chow Masters.”
Recipe for success
DeMarco treats a classic recipe as an invitation to explore. He considers what makes a dish satisfying, then draws on his experience to introduce another dimension of flavor. This has helped him earn the nickname “King of Comfort Food.” At Weft & Warp, it translates into cooking guided by simplicity, thoughtful preparation and an understanding of what guests enjoy eating.
Seasonality helps determine how those ideas take shape. Working with local ingredients provides DeMarco opportunities to adapt his culinary perspective to Arizona, creating meals that connect his experience with the place he now cooks.
Chef Sam DeMarco’s impact on Arizona’s dining scene
DeMarco’s work contributes to Scottsdale’s resort dining landscape by giving guests a reason to make the restaurant itself part of their plans.
At Weft & Warp, hospitality is central to that experience. His goal is to create a setting where diners feel welcome, leave satisfied and want to return, whether they are visiting Andaz or coming specifically for dinner.
The restaurant’s recognition includes OpenTable’s 2025 Diners’ Choice Awards and Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards. Those honors reflect different parts of the dining experience, from guest response to the wine program, and add to Weft & Warp’s visibility within Arizona’s restaurant community.
Signature dish: Rigatoni pasta
DeMarco’s rigatoni pasta is both a guest favorite and a personal connection to his Italian-American upbringing.
He developed and refined the recipe over years before bringing it to Andaz Scottsdale. It’s now a Weft & Warp’s top-selling dish. The pasta includes a blend of tomatoes for the sauce and bacon folded directly into it adds smoky depth to his interpretation of vodka sauce.
The result captures the appeal of his cooking: a recognizable dish shaped by deliberate choices, with family memories informing the flavors on the plate.
Explore the 2026 Southwest Chef Series
This profile is part of The Best of the Southwest’s 2026 Southwest Chef Series, celebrating the chefs and culinary leaders shaping dining across Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Texas and Southern California.
