CHEFS WHO SHARED FAVORITES

Mimo Ahmed is the pastry chef at chef and owner Ari Weiswasser’s Glen Ellen Star in Glen Ellen. On the side, she shares her passion for baking on her website, The Empty Plate. John Ash is a culinary instructor and cookbook author who writes regularly for The Press Democrat and hosts “The Good Food Hour” on KSRO radio. He has won two James Beard Foundation Awards and a Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award. He is the creator of John Ash & Co. restaurant. Chris Ball is chef and owner of Down to Earth Café and Deli in Cotati and Seafood and Eat in Windsor. Dino Bugica is the chef and owner of Diavola restaurant & pizzeria and the Geyserville Gun Club, Bar & Lounge, both located in Geyserville. Kasey Drady is manager of the Geyserville Gun Club, Bar & Lounge. Domenica Catelli is a chef and restaurateur of Catelli’s in Geyserville, a third-generation restaurant that she opened with her brother Nicholas in its original location in 2010. She is also a cookbook author and recurring champion of several competitions on Food Network.

Sheana Davis is a cheesemaker, chef and owner of The Epicurean Connection in Sonoma, which provides classes, catering and prepared food in the Sonoma Valley. Duskie Estes is executive director of Farm to Pantry, a gleaning organization that feeds the hungry. She and her husband, John Stewart, own Black Pig Meat Co. and the Black Piglet food truck. David Frakes is the estate chef at Lynmar Estate Winery in Sebastopol. Chefs Johnny and Julia Gnall are co-owners of J Squared Catering in Windsor. Johnny also serves as winery chef at F. Korbel & Bros. Brandon Guenther is the chef and co-owner, with his wife, Shona Campbell, of Rocker Oysterfellers Kitchen & Saloon in Valley Ford.

Chris Hanna is the president of Hanna Winery, based in Healdsburg and Santa Rosa. Hanna is the author of “The Winemaker Cooks: Menus, Parties and Pairings,” published by Chronicle Books in 2010.

Lia Huber of Santa Rosa is the author of “Nourished: A Memoir of Food, Faith and Enduring Love” and the founder of NOURISH Evolution, an online guide that inspires and empowers people to live richer lives through real food. The Hanson family — siblings Chris, Brandon, Alanna and Darren and their parents Judy and Scott — are owners of Hanson of Sonoma Distillery. Their tasting room opened in Sonoma in July 2019.

Michele Anna Jordan is a food columnist for The Press Democrat and the author of 24 cookbooks to date. Liza Hinman is the chef and co-owner of The Spinster Sisters restaurant in Santa Rosa, which opened in 2012. Perry Hoffman is the executive chef of the Boonville Hotel in Boonville. Before that, he served as the culinary director at the Healdsburg SHED. Chad Holmes is the chef and owner of Chad’s Soup Shack and sells his soup, chili and chowder at local farmers markets in Santa Rosa and Petaluma.

Daniel Kedan and his wife, Marianna Gardenhire, are the chefs and owners of Backyard Forestville in Forestville. Lisa Lavagetto, one of the Food Gurus of Sonoma, teaches culinary classes at the Sonoma Community Center and provides in-home catering and cooking classes. For 23 years, Lavagetto ran the cooking school at Ramekins in Sonoma. Sam Levy is co-owner of Fern Bar, which opened at The Barlow in Sebastopol in 2018. Matt Katzin is the bar manager at Fern Bar in Sebastopol.

Shane McAnelly is the executive chef and director of culinary operations at Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor, which opened in May 2020. Barney McGrath is the British-born chef at Muir’s Tea Room & Cafe, a plant-based tea room in Sebastopol. Jose Navarro is the owner and executive chef of Sazon Peruvian Restaurant in Santa Rosa. Olenka Orjeda promotes the authentic cuisine of her native Peru through Olenka Cooks!, a series of dinners and cooking classes that showcase Peruvian food. Phyllis Pedroncelli, who is married to Jim, president of Pedroncelli Winery, worked at promoting the family business and is now retired. She currently enjoys her role as mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother.

Chef Ryan Ramey and his wife, Samantha, own Estero Café in Valley Ford and Americana restaurant in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square. Jake Rand is the chef and owner of Sushi Kosho at The Barlow in Sebastopol.

Bruce Riezenman

is the founder and partner of Park Avenue Catering in Cotati. Ari Rosen is the chef and owner of Campo Fina in Healdsburg. He and his wife, Dawnelise, opened Scopa restaurant in Healdsburg in 2008. Shari Sarabi is the chef and co-owner with his wife, Lisbeth Holmefjord, of Baci Café & Wine Bar in Healdsburg.

Summer Sebastiani

is the owner and chef of Summer’s Market and Deli in Healdsburg. Prior to opening the café in 2014, she worked at various Calistoga restaurants.

Tracey Shepos Cenami

is a cheese expert and chef for La Crema Winery. Before joining the La Crema team, she worked as a chef for Stark Reality Restaurants for eight years. Josh Silvers and his wife, Regina, opened Jackson’s Bar and Oven in Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square in 2009. Before that, the couple owned Syrah Bistro in Santa Rosa for 14 years. Chef Matt Spector and his wife, Sonjia, opened Zoftig Eatery in Santa Rosa in 2018. Prior to Zoftig, the Spectors owned JoLe, a fine-dining restaurant in Calistoga. Mark Stark is executive chef and co-owner with his wife, Terri, of seven restaurants in Sonoma County that are part of his Stark Reality Restaurants business. Julie Steinfeld, one of the Food Gurus of Sonoma, teaches culinary classes at the Sonoma Community Center and provides in-home catering and cooking classes.

Casey Stone serves as the pastry chef for Vintners Resort and John Ash & Co. restaurant in Santa Rosa. Claudia Sutton of Healdsburg is the author of a cookbook for Airstream and RV owners, “A Moveable Feast: Recipes for Rolling Kitchens.” Marimar Torres, founder and owner of Marimar Estate Vineyards & Winery in Sebastopol, has been involved in the wine business all her life. The Barcelona native has written two cookbooks: “The Spanish Table: The Cuisines and Wines of Spain,” published in 1986; and “The Catalan Country Kitchen,” published in 1992. John Toulze is president and an equity owner of Sondra Bernstein’s the girl & the fig in Sonoma, the fig café & winebar in Glen Ellen and the girl & the fig caters! in Sonoma. He helped develop recipes for “the girl & the fig Cookbook” published in 2004.

Dustin Valette

is the chef and co-owner, with his wife, Johanna, and brother, Aaron, of Valette Healdsburg. The Sonoma County native is opening The Matheson in Healdsburg in summer 2021. Justin Wangler is the culinary director at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Garden in Santa Rosa.