A good set of knives is a must in Tony Lopez's kitchen.
Address and phone: 75 E. Pennington St., 622-1000
Meet Tony Lopez, chef and kitchen manager at Dizzy G’s Restaurant, a downtown destination for breakfast and lunch since 1983.
Born in Hermosillo, Son., Lopez got his start in the restaurant business as a dishwasher at an Hermosillo resort. He moved up the ladder to pantry cook, line cook and sous chef, then moved to the U.S. in 1996.
The 38-year husband and father of three has cooked at a dozen local restaurants, including City Grill, Marie Callender’s, Mimi’s Cafe, Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen and El Parador.
He’s run the kitchen at Dizzy G’s since 2004.
Question: What’s your favorite restaurant in Tucson?
Answer: I like Mi Nidito Cafe for Mexican, and for American food, I like Metropolitan Grill.
What’s your favorite dish to prepare and why?
My favorite, let’s see, I guess that would be Fettuccine Alfredo.
What’s your favorite dish to eat?
I really like a good steak. For me, it’s rib-eye.
What’s unique about the Tucson restaurant scene compared to other cities?
There is a nice variety here, a lot of very good restaurants.
What’s your favorite or most used gadget or kitchen utensil?
You’ve got to have a good set of knives.
What do you always have in your refrigerator?
I have a family, so we always have meat, eggs, milk and vegetables, and there are always tortillas around.
Why are you a chef?
I’ve always like cooking for other people. When you get nice comments from your family or your customers about your cooking, it keeps you going.