Stephen Jones joins Upward Projects as ‘innovation chef’

Stephen Jones, best known for his former Southern restaurant The Larder & The Delta, has joined Phoenix-based Upward Projects as its ‘‘culinary innovation chef.’’ As such, Jones will oversee the food menus at Postino, Federal Pizza, Joyride Taco House, Windsor, Churn, and the upcoming Lado A Lado.

‘‘Bringing Stephen into the Upward Projects family isn’t about getting bigger; it’s about getting better, more focused, and more chef-driven than ever,’’ says Lauren Bailey, the culinary group’s co-founder and CEO.

The Larder & The Delta had three iterations over a decade:

• Originally called Yard Bird & The Larder, it debuted in 2015 as a six-seat counter in a shared space at the DeSoto Central Market in downtown Phoenix.
• After DeSoto shut down and Jones won $30,000 on the Food Network, he moved into his own space at Central and Portland in 2018.
• After closing in 2023, The Larder & The Delta was briefly resurrected in the former Binkley’s Midtown building in 2024.

Despite the logistical turmoil, Jones has been nominated three times for James Beard Awards – Best Chef Southwest in 2020 and 2025 and Outstanding Chef in 2022.

At Upward Projects, his immediate attention will be on Postino, which plans to roll out new dinner-friendly dishes in 2027.

Jones also will be assisting Chiwas Hospitality Group (Tacos Chiwas, Cocina Chiwas, and Espiritu) on the two groups’ joint project Lado A Lado, a modern Mexican concept taking over the former Joyride Taco House in uptown Phoenix.