It’s easy to take celebrity educator, chef and Sonoman John Ash for granted. The father of Wine Country cuisine, tireless author and world-traveling culinary teacher and proponent of sustainable seafood (as well as all-around nice guy), Ash garners crowds because he’s a always been a Chef’s Chef, not a schticky TV personality.
Last weekend, Ash was named Educator of the Year at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Cooking for Solutions, a three-day event featuring more than 90 chefs (including Alton Brown and The Chew’s Carla Hall). BiteClub got a chance to attend Ash’s DIY smoked and cured salmon class, using sustainable Verlasso farmed salmon from Chile and catch up on his latest adventures, which include a recent trip to Japan with SRJC’s Mei Ibach, upcoming classes at Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, a three-day culinary adventure through Sonoma County and an upcoming demonstration on June 1 at the Windsor Farm Market, where he and Ibach will feature street foods of Asia and discuss Ash’s most recent book, Culinary Birds: The ultimate poultry cookbook (a James Beard Award nominee).
So here’s to John, whose always got a place in our heart and at our table. Find out more about John, and see his upcoming schedule at chefjohnash.com.
