After four years away, Executive Chef Cord Chatham has returned to The Pumphouse Urban Kitchen & Eatery—and for him, the feeling is deeply familiar.

“Pumphouse is a family,” he says. “Coming back really does feel like coming home.”

With his return comes a renewed focus on the kind of cooking that first defined the restaurant: thoughtful, scratch-made food rooted in local ingredients and seasonal creativity. Chef Cord’s menus celebrate simple flavors with layered influences, brought to life through an ever-evolving selection that may include crudos and tartares, braised meats, roasts, pot pies, and vegetables prepared with care and imagination.

Local sourcing has always been central to The Pumphouse’s philosophy, and Chef Cord takes that commitment a step further. In addition to working closely with regional farmers and purveyors, he forages and grows many of his own ingredients—an approach that reflects both respect for the land and a deep curiosity about what the region has to offer.

That ethos extends to the restaurant’s Backyard Foraging initiative, which invites neighbors to bring in ingredients they’ve found or grown for Chef Cord to prepare. The result is a shared experience—one that connects the kitchen, the community, and the land itself.

“I have a cabin up on the Mogollon Rim, about 45 minutes outside of Payson,” Chef Cord explains. “The elevation is high, and because of the burn scars from forest fires, the soil is incredibly rich. Amazing mushrooms grow there—especially morels.”

Beyond his own land, Chef Cord knows the surrounding Sedona area intimately, from where wild greens thrive to where berries, fruits, and seasonal vegetables can be found at their peak, including locations near Enchantment and Oak Creek. (see sidebar for a seasonal guide).

At home, his garden is just as abundant, with fig, peach, apple, pear, and jujube trees. “Did you know fig leaves are edible?” he asks. “They make a beautiful oil with a subtle vanilla-like flavor.” It’s these kinds of details—unexpected, generous, and deeply informed—that define his approach.

This way of working reflects more than a cooking style—it speaks to how Chef Cord thinks about hospitality. Care for ingredients naturally extends to care for people: the team in the kitchen, longtime regulars, and first-time guests alike. In practice, that means thoughtful sourcing, a no-waste mindset, and a willingness to share knowledge openly—whether with staff, diners, or members of the community who bring their own foraged finds to the table.

The menu is further elevated by desserts from team member Erika, including a standout vegan key lime pie, and by the bar program led by Jim, who has refreshed the wine list and crafts house-made margarita and Bloody Mary mixes, along with bitters infused with local and foraged ingredients.

“I learned a lot while I was away,” Chef Cord reflects. “Like Belynda, the owner of The Pumphouse, I genuinely care about people—our team, our regulars, and those visiting for the first time. We show that care through our food and the experience we create. It’s our love language.”

Community remains at the heart of The Pumphouse—not just in its ingredients, but in the relationships behind them and the guests who gather around the table. It’s a place shaped as much by care and collaboration as by what’s on the plate.

What’s Growing & Foraging in Northern Arizona

SPRING

Sugar snap peas, English peas

Cucumbers, carrots, lettuces, beets

Ramps, miner’s lettuce, sorrel

Green strawberries, rhubarb

SUMMER / FALL

Zucchini and squash

Corn, melons, tomatoes

Peppers, chiles, tomatillos

Figs, garlic, stone fruit

Wild mushrooms: lobster, Caesar, morels, porcini, chanterelles

WINTER

Squash (delicata, butternut, kabocha)

Carrots, cauliflower, broccoli

Potatoes, parsnips, turnips

Pomegranates, apples