Enthusiast Events

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Friday, January 20, 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Ken Frank

Chef Ken Frank is entirely self-taught. He began his career at 16 with a dishwashing job in France and quickly worked his way through the kitchen ranks to become a successful chef at a very young age. In 1977, at Age 21 he burst onto the culinary scene in Los Angeles as head chef at La Guillotine. He was the first “young American chef” on the West coast. He was the opening Chef at Michael's in Santa Monica, considered the Los Angeles birthplace of “California Cuisine,” which he left in 1979 to open the original La Toque on the Sunset Strip at age 23. Young, curious and restless, he pioneered a style of cooking that has become widespread today. His early insistence on using on the finest, often local artisanal ingredients, is now at the heart of great cooking in America.

After a 14-year run, Ken sold La Toque to the Chateau Marmont Hotel next door and went to work with Issac Tigrett at the House of Blues. He opened the New Orleans House of Blues before returning to Los Angeles to open the House of Blues Sunset Strip. Ken was tasked with developing the Foundation Room, a private members only restaurant on the top floor.

In 1995, Ken was hired by the Lancaster Group to take over the kitchen in the Argyle Hotel and opened “fenix at the Argyle.” At fenix that Ken introduced the concept of wine pairing with his tasting menu, the “Menu Fantaisie”. The restaurant immediately received rave reviews including Gourmet Magazine and the Mobil 4 Star Award. It was named by John Mariani in Esquire Magazine as one of America's Best New Restaurants for 1995. In 1998, The Argyle Hotel was sold and Ken decided to pursue his dream of moving to Napa Valley to open a new La Toque.

In September 1998 the second incarnation of La Toque opened in Rutherford at The Rancho Caymus Inn and immediately became a destination in Napa Valley.  This new La Toque was the subject of articles in a wide range of national publications; Gourmet Magazine, Travel and Leisure, W, Esquire, New York Times, L A Times, USA Today, Wine Enthusiast and more. In March 2000, La Toque was named one of the 20 Best Restaurants in America by the Wine Spectator. In 2007, The Michelin Guide published its first San Francisco Bay Area guide and La Toque was awarded a prestigious Michelin Star. That same year, Ken was approached by the Westin to move La Toque to the new Westin Verasa in Napa.

After exactly ten years in Rutherford, in September 2008, La Toque moved to the town of Napa and the new Westin Verasa Napa. The newest La Toque with a spectacular show kitchen quickly received more great reviews in the press. In October 2009, La Toque Napa earned its own Michelin Star.

He is married and lives in Napa with his wife Sherylle, three cats, an African Grey Parrot and a flock of egg laying hens. Between them they have two grown children.

Joseph Humphrey

Chef Joseph Humphrey is opening Dixie in San Francisco in late fall 2011. Dixie pays tribute to Humphrey's extensive experience in the Bay Area coupled with his upbringing in the South. “Dixie is more than just a location or a region; it is a feeling and a vibrant spirit that is prevalent in the South. It combines the energy and vitality found, for instance, in Dixieland jazz with the spirit of the area, a uniquely casual and warm sophistication, long-standing tradition, and a genuine sense of hospitality,” explains Humphrey describing the genesis of the name and philosophy of his new restaurant.

In keeping with his ties to the South, the logo is a rendering of the barn, constructed in the 1890's, that  still stands on the “Lazy H's Farm,” his family farm in Florida, which belonged to Humphrey's grandfather, and now, in conjunction with his brother, is being rejuvenated into a working farm once again.

While the name references Humphrey's upbringing in Sopchoppy, Florida; the cuisine stems from his extensive experience cooking in the Bay Area.

Prior to opening Dixie, as executive chef of Murray Circle restaurant as well as designing banquet service for meetings and groups at Cavallo Point – the Lodge at the Golden Gate, Joseph Humphrey taps his creative talents that earned him industry recognition and praise.

Within a few months of opening Murray Circle, Joseph won industry acclaim. Murray Circle was awarded a Michelin star in fall 2008 – a rare honor for such a new restaurant. It received a Michelin star again in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Other accolades come from the San Francisco Chronicle, which called Joseph “a masterful chef” and named Murray Circle one of the best new restaurants of 2008 as well as one of the Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants in 2009 and 2010. Wine Spectator awarded Murray Circle a Best of Award of Excellence in 2010 and 2009.

Having spent over 13 years in the Bay Area, Joseph's culinary approach celebrates the region's local, sustainable and organic farms, ranches and artisans. Inspired by many of the local culinary heroes, many with whom he has previously worked, Joseph builds on this legacy to create his own signature culinary style. While Joseph's approach points most directly to France, his inspiration is derived from all food cultures of the world.

Joseph received his introduction to the Napa Valley culinary scene as executive chef at Auberge du Soleil. Working in the wine country was the perfect pairing for Joseph's culinary philosophy and style, which is to use the finest local, organic and sustainable ingredients available, skillfully prepared with influences of France, Spain, and the Mediterranean, resulting in an intensity of natural flavor while maintaining lightness. Previously, Joseph was at The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley, which, under his guidance, garnered a two-star rating in the 2008 Michelin Guide.

Before heading to Napa, Joseph was corporate chef for Michael Mina. In this role he helped to develop new restaurants and served as chef de cuisine at Mina and George Morrone's Redwood Park in downtown San Francisco. Joseph also worked with Morrone to open Fifth Floor, one of Wine Spectator's “Top 20 Restaurants in the U.S.” Fifth Floor offered Joseph the opportunity to create distinct flavors with a modern French-Californian feel. He also worked at One Market under with Morrone and another star chef, Bradley Ogden, at One Market.

Previous engagements included working with Julian Serrano to open Picasso at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. Learning from Master Chef Serrano, the first James Beard award-winning chef in Las Vegas, Joseph furthered his knowledge of regional and seasonal cuisine, specifically in the restaurant's French-Mediterranean style.

Joseph started his culinary career in New Orleans, where he truly fell in love with the restaurant business – the constant challenges, the energy, and above all, the dedication to the craft of cooking. There he learned contemporary Creole cuisine under one of the nation's top restaurateurs, Dickie Brennan, at the acclaimed Palace Café, a French Quarter restaurant recognized as a “Best New Restaurant” by USA Today.

Soon after graduating with a degree in international affairs from Florida State University, where he put himself through college working in the restaurant industry, Joseph realized cooking is his true passion and started on his heralded professional path.

Joseph grew up in Tallahassee, a location rich in Southern traditions where Cajun flavors and the fresh produce of local farmers kindled his fondness for seasonal ingredients and heady spices.

Gale Gand

Gand is the executive pastry chef and partner of the renowned four-star Mobil, five-diamond AAA, Relais & Chateaux Relais-Gourmand restaurant Tru, with Rich Melman and culinary partner Rick Tramonto. She was recognized in 2001 as Outstanding Pastry Chef by The James Beard Foundation and Pastry Chef of the Year by Bon Appetit magazine, and in 1994 as one of Food & Wine's Top Ten Best New Chefs. Gand has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Craftsmen and attended culinary school at La Varenne in Paris before opening Trio, Brasserie T, Vanilla Bean Bakery and later Tru, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in May of 2009. In 2006 she opened Gale's Coffee Bar, Osteria di Tramonto, Tramonto's Steak & Seafood and RT Lounge with Rick Tramonto. Most recently she consulted on and opened an upscale cupcake bakery, MORE, in Chicago.

Gand was the host of the long running Food Network's Sweet Dreams, the first all-dessert show produced by the Food Network. She is the host of The Answered Chef, an online educational cooking series at www.AnswersTV.com. She also has a show currently in production, The Heirloom Recipe Project for PBS. She has appeared on Martha Stewart, Oprah, Iron Chef America, the Today Show, baking With Julia (Child), judged Food Network Challenge and the 2008 season of Bravo's Top Chef. An accomplished cookbook author, Gale has seven titles to her credit, including her most recent, "Gale Gand's Brunch", released in spring of 2009. She also has her own root beer company which produces Gale's Root Beer, an artisanal cinnamon, ginger, vanilla infused root beer (now with real cane sugar!) and also produces a vanilla cream soda. In the summer of 2008 two of Gand's desserts were featured at the USA House at the Beijing Olympics and is an original member of the Macy's Culinary Council.

A supporter of sustainable agriculture, eating locally and the environmental movement, Gand is a member of the National Restaurant Association's "Conserve" Council and forages annually for local ramps and mushrooms with her son for her restaurant. She is involved in many community causes, including Chicago's Green City Market, Art Smith's foundation, Common Threads, which teaches children cultural diversity through the culinary arts, and she teaches pastry and baking at her son's middle school and daughters' Pre School. Gale also is an executive board member of the Chicago chapter of The American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF), and a longtime member of the James Beard Foundation and Les Dames D'Escoffier.

Gale is married to an environmentalist, Jimmy Seidita, has a 13 year old son Gio, and 5 year old twins, Ella and Ruby.

Emily Luchetti

Emily Luchetti is the executive pastry chef at Farallon and Waterbar Restaurants in San Francisco. With six cookbooks to her credit and numerous awards, including a 2004 James Beard Award, patrons can always count on a delicious end to their meal.

Emily has been at Farallon since its inception in 1997. She has been executive pastry chef of Waterbar since it opened in 2008.  Her history with Farallon and Waterbar's co-owner Mark Franz began when they met at Jeremiah Tower's legendary Stars Restaurant in 1984. Emily began her tenure on the savory side of the kitchen but switched to the sweet side in 1987 and was pastry chef until 1995. Emily also co-owned StarBake, a retail bakery, with Jeremiah Tower.

Emily is the author of Stars Desserts (HarperCollins, 1991), Four Star Desserts (HarperCollins, 1995), A Passion for Desserts (Chronicle Books, 2003), and A Passion for Ice Cream (Chronicle Books, 2006).  Her latest book is The Fearless Baker (Little, Brown and Company, 2011).She created the dessert recipes for The Farallon Cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2000). Her first two books were rereleased as Classic Stars Desserts. (Chronicle Books, 2007).

Emily has also received honors including the 1998 San Francisco Focus Magazine Pastry Chef of the Year, the 2001 Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Golden Whisk Award and the 2003 Food Arts Magazine Silver Spoon Award. In 2009 The San Francisco Chronicle named her one of 20 Visionary Chefs in the Bay Area. In 2009 she was inducted into the Culinary Pioneers of America. Emily is a Dean of The French Culinary Institute located in New York and California. She formerly served as Vice Chair of The James Beard Foundation.

Emily Luchetti and her recipes appear regularly in national newspapers and magazines. She has been featured on numerous television programs including The Food Network's The Ultimate Kitchen, Sweet Dreams, Cookin' Live, Sara's Secrets, The Martha Stewart Show, Essential Pepin. She was the co-host of the PBS Series, The Holiday Table.

Emily graduated from Denison University in 1979 with a BA in Sociology.  She attended the New York Restaurant School, worked at several New York City food establishments and spent a year cooking in France before moving to The San Francisco Bay Area.  She currently resides in Sausalito. 

Brandon Sharp

Born and raised in Greensboro, NC, Brandon Sharp trained at restaurants from San Francisco to San Sebastion before settling in Napa Valley to lead the Solbar kitchen at Solage Calistoga.  Solbar’s cuisine has been featured in Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, The Wine Advocate, and The Wall Street Journal, and been awarded one star in the Michelin Guide from 2010-2012.

Margrit Biever Mondavi
Vice President, Cultural Affairs, Robert Mondavi Winery

Margrit Biever Mondavi is Vice President of Cultural Affairs at Robert Mondavi Winery.  A pioneering woman of the modern-day California wine industry, she joined the winery in 1967, pursuing a life-long interest in uniting wine with fine arts, music and culinary artistry.  Under her direction, Robert Mondavi Winery developed original cultural and culinary arts programs that are now benchmarks for the wine world.  With the enthusiastic support of her late husband, Robert G. Mondavi, she created a showplace for painters, sculptors, photographers, jazz and classical musicians and the great chefs and winemakers of the world.

A native of Appenzell, Switzerland, Margrit was raised in her family home overlooking Lake Maggiore, in the canton of Ticino.  Margrit's aesthetic nature was nurtured by parents with a passion for opera and symphonic music, good wine and fine food.  Once or twice a year, her family took the train to Milan for an evening of opera at La Scala.  Her mother was a fine cook and avid gardener, and her father kept a treasured wine cellar.  “My father gave my brother, sister and me an appreciation of just the right Beaujolais or Fendant, telling us stories about the wine regions and vintages.  He made wine something special,” said Margrit.  She studied art at Minusio, an art school in Switzerland, under a professor who had been a student of Hans Hoffman.

When she started working at Robert Mondavi Winery, there were very few visitors frequenting Napa Valley.  “I had a dream to show wine with art, music and food,” said Margrit, who is a working artist.  “We began modestly, with a Sunday art show under the arches, accompanied by wine and food.”  Gradually, the fine arts program evolved to the stature it holds today, with Margrit encouraging talented unknown artists and supporting established ones such as Richard Diebenkorn, Wayne Thiebaud and Nathan Oliveira.

She founded the winery's popular Summer Music Festival in 1969 as a benefit for the Napa Valley Symphony.  This concert series has hosted some of the world's most recognized jazz, R&B and pop artists.  Headliners have included Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte and Tony Bennett.  “I am very proud we have contributed to the success of the Napa Valley Symphony through our annual donation,” said Margrit.  “Now this beautiful valley has a beautiful symphony.”

In 1984, the Festival of Winter Classical Concert Series was created, with the proceeds benefiting local musical organizations like the Napa Valley Opera.  Together with Veronica di Rosa, Margrit and a small group of other dedicated Napa Valley art lovers formed a board of directors to rebuild the original 19^th-century opera house in the city of Napa.  She organized fundraising events, including art auctions, to keep the opera house alive.  In 1998, the opera raised significant funds for the restoration as part of a challenge grant from Margrit and Robert Mondavi; the renovated opera house opened in October 2002.

After ten years at the winery, Margrit introduced a program of cooking classes to develop guests' appreciation of great food paired with fine wine.  She introduced the Great Chefs of France and the Great Chefs of America programs—internationally respected culinary series that are now known simply as Great Chefs at Robert Mondavi Winery.  “Like painting and music, wine and food speak to the heart,” said Margrit.  “By honoring the world of the senses, of memory and emotions, the rites of the table express our humanity.”  The respect for California wines that has resulted from this program, especially among European chefs like Paul Bocuse and Jean Troisgros, give Margrit a great sense of pride.

In May 2003, Margrit and her daughter Annie Roberts, then the Robert Mondavi Winery's executive chef, released a collection of their recipes and stories called Annie and Margrit: Recipes and Stories from the Robert Mondavi Kitchen (Ten Speed Press) to rave reviews.  In early 2004, the mother-daughter team took home the 2003 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards' “Best in the World” distinction in the “Best Easy Recipes Book” category.

Married to Robert Mondavi from 1980 until his passing in 2008, Margrit traveled with him around the world.  Upholding the family's philosophy that all the arts contribute to an enhanced quality of life, the couple worked together as founding patrons of Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts.  Margrit played a key role in securing the downtown Napa location for the center, which opened in November 2001, sparking the artistic life of the city.  Also in 2001, she and Robert made a substantial personal gift to the University of California at Davis to establish the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, and to launch the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in October 2002.  In addition, the couple continue to support the Oxbow School, a new art school in Napa that gives grants to and provides instruction for art students in their junior year of high school. In 2011, Margrit was honored as “Citizen of the Year” by the Napa Valley Chamber of Commerce for her endless support of the arts, philanthropy and the Napa Valley community.   Margrit has been an integral part of The American Institute of Wine & Food since its founding and continues to be an active supporter.

A working artist, Margrit chooses watercolors, crayons and acrylic paints as her media, drawing upon artifacts for inspiration.  Applying her talent to commercial design, she created a line of home accessory designs exclusively for Robert Mondavi Winery.  The collection includes table and kitchen linens, wine sleeves and bottles containing Robert Mondavi Winery's olive oil and wine vinegar; these items are available at the winery.

An accomplished linguist, Margrit serves as an ambassador for the winery to a wide range of international audiences.  Margrit enjoys bringing the family together with her cooking, and ensures each mealtime is a true celebration.

Tor Kenward
Winemaker

Tor Kenward's first 27 years in the Napa Valley were with Beringer Vineyards, helping to build a wine company known to collectors for its Reserve and single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, and Chardonnays. He retired in 2001, and with his wife Susan, started TOR Kenward Family Wines, a small wine company based on great vineyard sites for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

During his first three decades in Napa Valley, he took winemaking classes at UC Davis, and completed a degree in Viticulture, while he became Vice President, Winery Spokesman for Beringer Wine Estates.  He had extraordinary mentors, all willing to openly share their knowledge and passion.  Robert Mondavi, Andre Tchelistcheff, Charlie and Chuck Wagner, Maynard Amerine and many, many others encouraged him to learn and experiment.  They tasted together and exchanged information. They encouraged him to travel and walk Europe's most renown vineyards, talk and taste with other winemakers to learn more, taste more, kick dirt, and listen.

He walked Napa and Sonoma those three decades, a student of what makes a great vineyard.  Luckily, he is working today with what he considers extraordinary growers dedicated to very high quality grapes.  They farm these special vineyard sites (by the acre) meaning they work together to achieve the best possible grapes regardless of cost.

?Winemaking is driven by the same philosophy.  Kenward works exclusively with small cooperage houses in France to ensure the best barrels, and uses natural yeasts for both primary and secondary fermentations.  Grapes are hand sorted; wines are hand-made in very small cuvees and receive minimal handling.  If they harvest what they consider world class grapes, their job as winemakers is to stay out of the way.  That takes experience and patience, but can be very rewarding when it all comes together.

In 2004, TOR Kenward Family Wines launched another label, ROCK, dedicated to Rhone varietals and a Napa Valley appellation Cabernet Sauvignon.  The American Heritage Dictionary defines "tor" as 'high pile of rocks on top of a hill.' Great red wine vineyards are often distinguished by their rock materials. Rocks restrict vigor, and can concentrate character, producing wines greatly reflective of each vineyard's terrior.  Rocky terriors are part of the inspiration for all TOR and ROCK wines.  

Kenward was on the National Board of AIWF for a decade, and was Julia's escort many times while she visited the valley.  He was often worn out trying to keep up with her.

Phil Woodward
Former Chairman Chalone Wine Group

Phil Woodward was moonlighting for a San Francisco wine store when he happened to taste a 1969 Pinot Blanc, the first wine made under the Chalone Vineyard label. Excitedly, he contacted the winemaker, Richard Graff, a Harvard graduate with 20 acres of grapes. Within a year, Woodward quit Touche-Ross and became Graff's partner. Eventually he helped take Chalone from a two-man, one-wine operation to a publicly held company with 13,000 shareholders.  From 1974-2000 he held the positions of Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Chalone Wine Group.

Chalone was the first U.S. premium winery–and, so far as Woodward knows, the first in the world–to go public. The reason is that "most wine businesses just don't make money. It's not a high growth business, and it's one that has a lot of expensive assets, like inventory and land. That's not what investors are looking for," he notes. Indeed, many of Woodward's shareholders are in it not just for the profit, but because they share a passion for the fruit of the vine. They also hold in common a sociability that inspires them to attend shareholder gatherings several times a year and to sell out five annual shareholder-only charter trips to wine-growing countries.

A board member of the Wine Institute and the American Vintners' Association, Woodward told his company's story in a self-published book, Chalone: A Journey on the Wine Frontier. He also concentrates a lot of energy on industry concerns. For example, he's considered how to do battle with the 25th Amendment, which allows states to make laws that severely restrict the interstate shipping of wines. It's in conflict, he maintains, with another clause in the U.S. Constitution that says there will be no barriers to interstate commerce.

Woodward's partner, Graff, was killed in a plane crash in 1998, but Chalone is still going strong. Since 2000 to the present Woodward has been President of Graff Family Vineyards and since 1998 he has been Chairman of the Woodward Graff Wine Foundation.  He is also a board member of Hog Island Oyster Co., Northern Trust of California, and Carmel Pacific Repertory Theater.

"Establishing the foundation," Woodward says, "enabled me to do things I otherwise could not do. For example, we give wine to non-profit organizations for fund-raising purposes, and we started a scholarship fund in memory of Dick Graff for people who want to study viticulture and oenology. It's a great career, for, although I don't make tons of money, I do wake up every single morning and think, ‘I can't wait to get to work today.'"

Woodward, a resident of Sonoma, is a graduate of Phillips Academy, received his BA from University of Colorado, his MBA from Northwestern University, and is a CPA.  He is among the founders of The American Institute of Wine & Food.

Audrey Sterling
Founder, Iron Horse Vineyards

Audrey Sterling is the grande dame, warm hostess and soothing presence who makes everything naturally elegant at Iron Horse. She is a native-born San Franciscan. After meeting at Stanford University, she married Barry Sterling and moved to Washington, D.C., where he served as a lawyer at the Pentagon and her interest in the political system first developed. As she began entertaining business associates for Barry, she found her horizons so broadened by her guests that she developed a life-long pleasure for being a hostess.

Soon a daughter, Joy, and son, Laurence, were born and Audrey embraced parenting. When the family returned to Southern California, Audrey's considerable energy was devoted to the children, remodeling their homes, and being the supportive wife and hostess of a hard-working young lawyer.

In 1963 she accepted an appointment by then Governor Edmund "Pat" Brown to serve as a California Fair Employment Practice Commissioner. It was the first time she had worked outside the home and the first time she felt what she said mattered. She describes it as the most challenging and frustrating experience of her life, yet she spent almost four years working to eliminate discrimination in employment and housing.

In 1967, Barry joined the Paris office of a law firm, opening another new world to Audrey. She studied French by teaching her teacher English. Joining the American Women's Club in Paris brought an opportunity to visit every art museum in the city. A founder of the Los Angeles Art Museum and the Los Angeles Music Center, Audrey delighted in the weekly visits and was one of only four club members to complete the program out of the 80 who started.

The Sterlings continued to entertain for business and pleasure, building an international circle of friends. They also traveled constantly during their stay in Europe-always including the children to enrich their lives-through Spain, Italy, East Africa, North Africa, Germany, Holland, Russia, the Scandinavian countries and throughout France. They took art trips, visiting homes of authors, painters, sculptors, and stopping in antique shops, galleries and restaurants.

Audrey had always loved wine, and Barry was stocking a wine cellar. With groups of friends, they would hire a bus and tour the various wine regions. Possessing eclectic taste, she began to accumulate the furnishings which make their home a visual feast. "I'm a collector, not for the activity, because I don't confine myself to one period, but because I love beautiful things, whether very old or new," she explains.

When Barry opened an office in London, they bought the almost 300-year-old Queen Anne home of Mrs. Patrick Campbell, a great actress and friend of George Bernard Shaw. Although basically "unchangeable" as part of the National Trust, it nevertheless received Audrey's restorative touch, as did at least 17 other homes throughout their marriage, to provide what she and Barry felt was a "perfect" environment for themselves and their guests.

In their quest for perfection, they began looking for the ideal homesite, "a place to call our own forever where we could have the satisfaction of seeing the full circle-of making something and enjoying it-like a vineyard." From 1967 into the 1970s, they searched France. Finally in 1974 the Sterlings returned "home" to California and in 1976 they found Iron Horse. They first saw it in a driving rainstorm with the vineyard development only partially completed and the 19th century carpenter gothic house leaning dramatically to one side. Nevertheless, after a taste of wines made from Iron Horse grapes, they knew the search was ended and a dream begun.

With help from the former vineyard manager, Audrey developed and ran Iron Horse while Barry, joining her on long weekends, continued his Southern California law practice for the next 10 years until he retired from the law.  Never an idle observer, Audrey did whatever was needed at the bare-bones operation as they restored the vineyards, built the winery, built the offices and began to travel and promote the wines. She had never sold a product before in her life, but she plunged in, learning as she went.

At the same time, she began renovation of the 1876 redwood Victorian house. A seasoned veteran after so many previous homes, Audrey advised the amused construction crew that they had nine months for the renovation-that a house should take no longer to create than a baby. It was pulled apart, restored, and put back in place. Right on schedule, Audrey moved in amidst the sawdust and the house was miraculously completed shortly thereafter.

"Flowers are my passion," says Audrey with such emphasis you immediately understand the necessity of all the greenhouses at Iron Horse and Barry's stepped gardens around the Victorian. Another continuing passion is obviously people. Spontaneous, warm and giving, Audrey is always entertaining-luncheons for the winery's wholesalers, retail store and restaurant owners, receptions for writers and artists, fund-raisers, and parties for 300 or more without hesitation-making each guest feel welcome. She is the most celebrated hostess in Sonoma County.

As an early member of the board of Sonoma Wineries Association, Audrey negotiated bringing the San Francisco Symphony in its only annual North Bay performances to add to the celebration of the association's annual Showcase.  For several years, Audrey was chair of that event.  She also served on the boards of the Sonoma-Marin Fair, the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, the Advisory Council for the Sonoma State School of Wine Business and the Advisory Council for the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University.  Audrey is a founder of The American Institute of Wine & Food.

Barry H. Sterling
Founder, Iron Horse Vineyards

Barry Sterling knew as a child he wanted to be a lawyer. Accelerating his studies in the lower grades, he entered Stanford at the age of 16 and passed the bar examination before graduation at the age of 22. The summer of 1952 was an eventful one for Barry. He graduated, married Audrey, a Stanford classmate, and moved to Washington, D.C., to join the Judge Advocate General's Corps. In the top of his military class, Barry was selected to work at the Pentagon and spent two years representing the United States Army in contract negotiations. He also assisted the Defense Department's legal staff during the McCarthy senate hearings.

Upon completion of his two-year military tour, he returned to his native Los Angeles to practice corporate law, founding his own firm by 1960. He became active in Democratic politics working for presidential campaigns, as Treasurer of the State Democratic Party, as Finance Chairman for the Democratic Governor's campaign and as Finance Committee Vice-Chairman for other state and national campaigns.

His home life was equally busy. A daughter, Joy, and son, Laurence, completed the family. He and Audrey acquired homes, improved and extended them and entertained constantly. Both were active participants in a civic renaissance as original founders of the Los Angeles Music Center and Los Angeles Art Museum. His first trip to Europe, a 30th birthday gift from Audrey, began years of travel abroad for both business and pleasure. He fell in love with France and vowed to live there.

His law firm had grown and prospered, but in 1966 an irresistible opportunity presented itself. By joining the well-known firm, Wyman, Bautzer, Rothman, Kuchel & Silbert, Barry could practice in Paris, representing both American and European clients in international corporate securities and general international law. Without hesitation the family moved to a "belle epoque" apartment in Paris. They purchased a home in the South of France and later a 300-year-old Queen Anne home in London when Barry also opened an office in that city.

Wine and food became a major part of life as the Sterlings immersed themselves in the French culture. Home entertainment-still almost a 19th century way of life at that time-increased his knowledge of French cooking and wines. The Paris apartment included an empty wine cave below street level with a space for 10,000 bottles. Barry launched a tasting program, collecting more than 4,000 bottles of the finest wines in Europe.

As the family traveled to their home in the South of France, they would zigzag across the country, trying new restaurants and wines. On other occasions they would visit homes of artists, sculptors and authors as well as museums and art galleries, always tasting wines of the area. With friends, they arranged bus trips to wine regions, participating in tastings. Barry became celebrated as one of the few Americans to win a major Paris blind wine tasting as a result of his knowledge of lesser-known Loire Valley wines.

Although raised in the city, Barry's family had strong ties to the land. His Canadian grandfather was a grain farmer, his father owned a farm at a young age and his family owned a table grape, date and grapefruit operation in the Coachella Valley. On his mother's side, the family had grown walnuts in Southern California. One of his great grandfathers had, in fact, been a vintner in Moldova.

It was natural therefore that the Sterlings decided to hunt for a wine property of their own. For several years they hunted in France. It was not easy to find a perfect combination of a country home and a perfect vineyard to their taste. In one case the “chateau” was ideal… not too large… but the vineyard produced overly sweet whites and then reds. In another case the Chateau was huge and had been mostly abandoned since the revolution, but the vineyard had good potential. One bid for just the cost of fixing the roof ended their consideration of that property. When they did find a potentially perfect “cru bourgeois” it was found to be deeply involved with seemingly never ending legal problems with the local government. The Sterlings decided to return to their Native California to seek a vineyard property there.

They, of course, started looking north of San Francisco in what even in the 70s was becoming know as “wine country”. They had decided they wanted a family wine estate that would be appropriate for developing Burgundian wine grape varieties… Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Audrey had grown up spending her summers in Sonoma County where she had family. They searched in the cooler western regions of the county.

Iron Horse Vineyards is located in Sonoma's cool, foggy Green Valley. The Sterlings first saw it in a pouring rain in February 1976. Driving down Ross Station Road, after crossing the railroad tracks that gave Iron Horse its name, they were sure they were lost until they crested the knoll and the view opened up to over 200 acres of gentle rolling hills and a wall of magnificent trees rising up the back of the property forming a perfect backdrop to a ruined Victorian house, Incurable romantics, or as Audrey says” fools rush in where angels fear to tread”, they bought the property in just two weeks.

In those days, Iron Horse was the most westerly vineyard in Sonoma County. Well-meaning friends of friends told them to get out of the deal and go to warmer Napa Valley. Even the agricultural extension agents from UC Davis recommended they at least look further east as this vineyard was prone to frost as late as June 1st, well after bud-break, thus jeopardizing the crop. But having lived in France, the Sterlings stuck to their belief that the cool, foggy climate was exactly what they were looking for to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

There were 110 acres in vine at the time, originally planted for the legendary Rodney Strong, an acquaintance of Audrey's family. He recommended the property to them, pointing out that he predicted, as quoted in Sam Aaron's book, “The Joys of Wine”, that the Iron Horse vineyards would produce Pinot Noirs to rival the great Burgundies. At that point however, there was no frost protection, some of the vineyards had been abandoned and very few grapes and even less wine had been produced from the property. So with a great leap of faith, with the help of Strong's former vineyard manager, who along with Strong, also believed in the property, the Sterlings began to restore and upgrade the vineyards. An elaborate frost protection system was engineered and they produced their first very small vintage of Estate Chardonnay in 1978. The winery was completed and officially opened in 1979 on Barry Sterling's 50th birthday. That year also saw the first Iron Horse Estate Pinot Noir. The first vintage for the Sparkling Wines followed in 1980. The logo, the rampant horse on a weathervane, came from the actual weathervane that was unearthed from burned ruins of a stable when farm workers were leveling the ground to build the winery.

Although started as a side venture in 1979 and 1980, Iron Horse has pioneered the production of sparkling Methode Champenoise wines in Sonoma County. For more than 30 years, their fame has grown. They have been served at the White House for the past five consecutive presidential administrations, beginning with the historic Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meetings, which led to the end of the Cold War. Needless to say the Sterlings claim credit for that.

The Sterlings also became active in county, state and national vine affairs. Barry has served on the California Wine Institute Board. He was chairman of a National Winery Association. He was already, since 1968 during his Parisian years, a member of the Chevalier des Tastevin at Clos Veugot in Burgundy, and has now been elevated to a Commander of that organization. He was also active in that organization's wine tasting affiliate. In recognition of his service Barry has continued to receive honors and awards from the Chaine. Barry and Audrey are proud that they participated in the beginning of the American Institute of Wine and Food… Barry has also ventured out of the wine world and is a Life Member of the Board of Trustees of the San Francisco Symphony and Life member of the board of the Louis Leakey Foundation. He also served on the Advisory Council of the Green Music Center of Sonoma State University. That major facility is scheduled to open in the autumn of next year…a historic and life changing event for Sonoma.

Iron Horse remains a truly family affair. Audrey and Barry's daughter Joy Sterling heads marketing and is now the CEO of the Winery. She lives in a remodeled farm house at the foot of the vineyard. The Sterlings' son, Laurence, his wife Terry and their children moved to Iron Horse in 1990 and built their home on the far southwest corner of the property, on the site of an old barn. Laurence, also originally an attorney, is Director of Operations. Audrey and Barry are retired, but still reside at the heart of the estate in the now restored original Victorian. They continue to participate in tasting and helping to set the style of each new vintage.

Clark Wolf
Founder and president, Clark Wolf Company

Clark Wolf is a Special Advisor to the Food Studies Collection at NYU's Fales Special Collections at Bobst Library where he hosts the well regarded Critical Topics in Food Series.  He was the Academic Advisory Committee Chair in the development of the Steinhardt School's Food Studies program, aiding in the formulation and launch of that first of its kind B.S, MA and PhD program in America.  Wolf is a James Beard Awards Who's Who winner, a Food Arts Silver Spoon recipient, author of American Cheeses (2008 Simon and Schuster), host of The Food Show with Clark Wolf, and a regular columnist for the Voices section of the San Francisco Chronicle's food focused site Inside Scoop.

Wolf is President of his own Restaurant and Food Business Consulting firm, Clark Wolf Company, since 1986. Projects include the Food & Beverage development in the town of Seaside, Florida (recently featured on the cover of Travel + Leisure Magazine); the Signal Bay Wharf, Winery and Hotel in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia; various developments in Las Vegas including the Mandalay Bay Resort and Paris Las Vegas; as well as worked with Tabcorp Holdings on multiple casino properties in Australia.

Wolf's degree is in English Literature from SF State University.  He was the Director of the famed SF Oakville Grocery when it opened in 1980, where he brought arugula to the West Coast, sold wild mushroom by the pound, cream top milk in bottles and America's first world class goat cheese, Laura Chenel Chevre.  He was brought to New York in 1982 where he was fed weekly by the legendary James Beard whom he'd befriended (pre Facebook) in San Francisco.  He helped form and launch The American Institute of Wine and Food with Julia Child and Robert Mondavi (and many others), chaired six International Conferences on Gastronomy and formed many of its key elements.

Traveling extensively, Wolf lectures and gives seminars to chef's associations, food professionals, cooking and food service students and industry groups from California to Paris on subjects ranging from food trends, specialty foods, restaurants and marketing to restaurant real estate and finance.

Wolf is active in educational and business activities on two coasts, splitting his time between Manhattan and a hundred year old logger's cabin in the redwoods by the Russian River in Northwestern Sonoma, California.  Websites include www.clarkwolfcompany.com and www.clarkwolf.com .

Dorothy Cann Hamilton
Founder and CEO The French Culinary Institute

An entrepreneurial educator and gastronomic visionary, Dorothy Cann Hamilton is one of the most influential forces shaping the American culinary landscape today. Her lifelong passion and relentless pursuit of culinary excellence across the globe inspired her to found The French Culinary Institute in 1984. The school has since expanded its programming into other cultural and hospitality disciplines and evolved into The International Culinary Center in 2005 with campuses in New York City, the San Francisco Bay area and Parma, Italy. Hamilton has helped launch more than 15,000 careers, including many of America's most prominent chefs such as Bobby Flay, Dan Barber and David Chang. She was also the creator and host of Chef's Story, a 26-part television series, which debuted on PBS in April 2007. A winner of multiple awards, Hamilton is a Chair Emeritus of the American Institute of Food & Wine and past Chair of the board of the James Beard Foundation, and she was most recently inducted into the Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America by the James Beard Foundation and nominated for the Entrepreneur Award of Excellence by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Hamilton has made several television appearances, including Fox News, ABC News Now, CBS Sunday Morning and LXTV.

George Faison
Partner & Chief Operating Officer of DeBragga and Spitler

George Faison, Partner & Chief Operating Officer for DeBragga and Spitler, has always had a passion for great meat, meaning meat that is unspoiled, unaltered, often wild, and sustainable. His career, spanning more than twenty-five years working with the finest, purest ingredients, mostly meats, is an extension of his dedication to the animal, developed as a youth in Texas. He has served the greater good of the food industry as a leader of organizations, including the National Association of Specialty Food Trade and the American Institute of Wine & Food. George has been honored for achievement by his peers with both the Food Arts magazine Silver Spoon Award, and the 'Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America,' The James Beard Foundation. In 2005, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Bon Appétit magazine.