Upon completing each home design, architect Mark Candelaria “christens the kitchen” by throwing a dinner party for his client. The renowned principal of Arizona-based Candelaria Design, whose stunning abodes can be found throughout the country, serves as host, cook and entertainer. He wheels in his wagon of utensils, place settings, decor and menu ingredients to create evenings to remember and events that he hopes his clients will replicate in their new homes.
“There is nothing like a great dinner party to bring people together,” says Candelaria, whose bon vivant enthusiasm is palpable. When designing a house, he and his team create not just floor plans but also a life plan. “We design for a lifestyle our clients want to lead, and our project-ending dinner parties are intended to inspire and showcase to the client how their new space can be fully enjoyed.”
The “cooking thing” (as he calls it) is, and always has been, part of any Candelaria gig. The architect was a young man when he realized the power of a shared meal and incorporated the ritual throughout his professional career. His company’s Scottsdale office features a fully operational gourmet kitchen. “It’s better to connect the entire team,” he explains. “Cooking builds bonds. It’s fun and brings everyone to an equal level. It’s a key ingredient to the Candelaria experience.”
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And that experience extends beyond his architectural projects. The designer and his wife, Isabel, are equally recognized for their annual Candelaria Design Tours, leading full immersion trips to Italy, France, Spain, Oaxaca, Santa Fe and Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The intention? Explore other ways of life and inspire tour participants to bring enjoyed practices into their homes.
They’ve been conducting the tours for 25 years, incorporating culture, history, architecture and cuisine. “The most important moment on each trip is the cooking class,” says Candelaria, who credits his director of business operations and partner, Evelyn Jung, and his daughter, media director Tiffany Candelaria, for their tour planning expertise. “Four hours of cooking and four hours of eating. Our travelers always bond during this part of every tour.”
Candelaria’s client and friend, Phyllis Lerner, has participated in several of these trips. An Umbrian excursion inspired her Candelaria-designed, Italian-esque Arizona estate. “Every event with Mark is about fabulous food and wonderful, interesting people,” Lerner remarks. “There is nothing this man doesn’t do well. He is an incredible architect. He cooks, sings, plays the piano, paints, and is charitable. Mark is the one true renaissance man I have ever met.”
His eclecticism is never more apparent than when he’s hosting one of his now ICONIC dinner parties—whether it’s on a European tour, within a client’s home, in his own house, or the office. The architect pulls out all the stops with the help of Janice Rantanen, his “Director of Lasting Impressions,” who curates the themes and tablescapes. He begins by selecting one of the more than 20 different sets of plates and china within his collection, from which Rantanen will choose the matching decor. He likes to start the party with a crafted cocktail aperitif. A classic Old Fashioned is a favorite, for which he makes his own smoked simple syrup.
Guests are typically offered appetizers of charcuterie and cheeses before sitting down for the four- or five-course meal, which might include any number of dishes, and the menus are available on his company website. Beef Bourguignon, Coquilles Saint Jacques, Southwest Beef Wellington, and Classic Halibut Puttanesca are just some of the delicious offerings in his arsenal.
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A particular guest favorite and a Candelaria marquee item is his Spanish Basque Paella, which is so popular and associated with his brand that charitable donation requests pour in annually. When able, he responds with a 20-inch masterpiece of shrimp, chorizo, clams, mussels and halibut. Often an event’s prized live auction offering, the dish has been known to fetch $8,000 per pan. He donated 10 in the past year, helping to raise $80,000 for charity.
When finished in the kitchen, Candelaria ditches the stovetop in favor of the piano bench. True to his brand, the architect has a grand piano in his office. He’s a fan of the American standards songbook and the Billy Joel catalog of hits and is well-versed in current pop tunes. He’s happy to take requests as dessert is served. His saffron-cardamom crème brûlée is nearly legendary, and everyone loves his orange olive oil and espresso salt-topped vanilla ice cream. At night’s end, Rantanen hands each guest a menu printout to help spark inspiration.
“People are often intimidated by throwing a dinner party,” Candelaria says. “But my goal is to reveal that it’s really not so difficult. It’s all about good food and good company. Anyone can do it.”
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