Chef Kyle Connaughton uses a Japanese donabe from his collection, at back on the wall, to cook his Tilefish, Blue Foot, and Chantrelle “Fukkura-San” with Leeks, Brassicas From the Farm, Sansho, and Chamomile Dashi Broth at Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Healdsburg’s Single Thread Restaurant has once again been named one of the best restaurants in the world. This week, the three Michelin starred destination leapfrogged 20 spots to #71 on an extended version of The World’s 50 Best Restaurant list. It debuted at #91 last year and was also called at out as the 2018 “One to Watch”, recognizing “rising star” restaurants on the international dining scene
The annual gastronomic roundup includes 120 restaurants in its annual guide, noting restaurants from Europe, India, Asia, South America, North America and Africa. More than 1,000 food industry experts cast their votes each year, providing a snapshot of some of the best destinations for unique culinary experiences. It is also considered a barometer for global gastronomic trends and can make or break a chef.
Restaurants rated #51 through #120 were announced in advance of the June 25 awards in Singapore where the remaining 50 will be announced.
“Being included on the list is such a huge accomplishment for our team. We are humbled and energized by this wonderful news!” said Chef Kyle Connaughton, whose team operates both the luxury restaurant and inn off the Healdsburg Square as well as a nearby 5-acre farm.
Last year’s notoriety catapulted the Connaughton’s to worldwide fame for their elaborate Japanese-inspired kaiseki tasting menu and gracious hospitality. The 52-seat dining room has an open kitchen that’s nearly silent during service, with at least 11 courses that are both culinary and artistic masterpieces.
Also on the extended list from the USA are Atomix (NYC, #119), Thomas Keller’s Per Se (NYC, #115), Estela (NYC, #80), Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare (NYC, #77), Momofuku Ko (NYC, #76), San Francisco’s Saison (#70).
In a new policy, several restaurants around the world will ascend to “Best of the Best” status, taking them out of future contention. Napa’s French Laundry has been given that honor along with the now-closed el Bulli, The Fat Duck, El Celler de Can Roca, Eleven Madison Park, current No. 1 winner Osteria Francescana and the original Noma.
Three Santa Rosa brothers compete on Family Food Fight on ABC with Ayesha Curry. Courtesy of Disney.
UPDATED: Santa Rosa’s Graves Brothers will be moving forward after the first episode Ayesha Curry’s “Family Food Fight!” which debuted on ABC June 20.
It was a nail-biter as twin brothers Kris and Mike Graves and little brother DJ competed, first making “Sunday dinner for mom” with Bearnaise sauced steaks, cheeseburger egg rolls, and Kahlua chocolate chip cake. Narrowly avoiding a cakepocalypse when the center of the cake crumbled, they made it a second elimination round serving up Cajun eggs Benedict with fried chicken, french toast sticks and SOS (S**t on a Shingle in military lingo) comprised of a simple, but comforting gravy on toast.
SOS from the Graves Brothers on Family Food Fight on ABC.French Toast Sticks from the Graves Brothers on Family Food Fight on ABC.Cajun Eggs Benedict from the Graves Brothers on Family Food Fight on ABC.
“This week we had a few missteps in the competition,” said Kris, “but that’s not going to be how it’s going to go in the competitions coming up.”
In the final judging, Curry said the brothers were a perfect example of a team working as a family.
The Graves brothers are hoping to raise money for the Mama Bear Foundation, a grassroots organization that serves local cancer victims in need of financial or physical assistance. The non-profit was founded in remembrance of their mother, Patti, who passed away from uterine cancer in 2005.
“We started cooking when mom was diagnosed,” said Mike Graves, “Sunday night dinner with all of us was the only thing she wanted.” But soon the twins’ competitive nature kicked in and, instead of just hot dogs and burgers, they were preparing dishes like halibut beurre blanc.
Three Santa Rosa brothers (pictured here DJ and Mike Graves) compete on Family Food Fight on ABC with Ayesha Curry. Courtesy of Disney.
Family Food Fight, which will show throughout the summer on Thursday nights, pits eight families from different parts of the country against each other as they create multi-course meals for— you guessed it—families. Television personality and cookbook author Ayesha Curry, who also happens to be married to basketball phenom Steph Curry, hosts the show with celebrity chef judges Cat Cora and Graham Elliot. The winning family will take home $100,000.
“Cat Cora wanted to adopt the three of us,” said Kris Graves. “We reminded her of her boys.”
The new ABC series—a take-off of an Australian game show—is unabashedly frothy summer television, sandwiched between a putt-putt golf-themed game show called Holey Moley (produced by Steph Curry) and a sexy, action-packed Pacific Island drama called “Reef Break.” The reason behind the brothers’ appearance on the show, however, is anything but funny.
For the Graves brothers, cooking is “all about family.” On the ABC show, they’ll be making “comfort food with class,” inspired by their own family dinners.
“The three of us in one kitchen made it a dangerous setting for the whole show,” said Kris, laughing. “We were like an equilateral triangle, but Mike’s the short side,” he said, referring to the seven-inch height difference between the two twins.
While the brothers are veterans of television game show classic Family Feud as well as a long-forgotten Food Network cooking challenge, firefighter Kris is the one with the acting bug and impetus for appearing on television. After a month of filming Family Food Fight, he’s now moving to Southern California to pursue that dream. “Kris just loves attention,” said Mike.
DJ, who is in commercial lending, and Mike, who works as a sales manager, aren’t planning to make any life changes after their TV stint but said that they’ve created relationships with some of the families on the show that will last a lifetime.
“Families were from all across the country. They all had different stories to tell, came from different backgrounds,” said DJ. Some, the Graves said, they really clicked with. Others, well, not as much. They weren’t there to make friends, after all, just sear some darn good steak.
“We’re trying to win our own Triple Crown,” said Kris of the $20,000-plus wins on the previous two game shows.
A Wine Country getaway doesn’t often come cheap, but these six Sonoma County hotels—which can all be booked for less than $200 a night—offer a chic retreat that goes far beyond your average Motel 6. The best part: you’ll have extra spending money to bring home all the wine.
Long summer days and warm nights are here – cue the urge to escape the office! Here are some unique Sonoma-made or Sonoma-based items to keep you feeling comfortable and stylish during your summer travels. Click through the gallery for details.
Interior designer and Olive + Rose proprietress Chelsea Miller takes a holistic approach to home design. Miller, who grew up in Petaluma and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise in San Francisco, believes a home’s decor should be focused on individuality and comfort, reflect the history of the building, and create a welcoming spot for guests to gather.
Her most recent home design project involved a challenging structure: a rundown fixer upper she and her husband, Andrew Miller, purchased in the Montgomery Village area of Santa Rosa.
“We couldn’t believe that nobody wanted this house. It was the summer of 2016 and everything was flying off the market,” says Miller of the 1950’s ranch home. The renovation process revealed a worse-than-expected condition, but the couple was able to unearth and accentuate the home’s unique attributes.
The yard was full of treasures planted long ago that had become obscured by a mass of overgrown ivy. The Millers removed the ivy to reveal roses, jasmine, tulip magnolias and an olive tree. The home’s interior redwood siding, painted white, really beckoned during the house-hunting process, and Miller’s design (mostly modern and natural elements) played off the ordered look of the horizontally-lined backdrop. Pine vaulted ceilings were kept as they were, striking a warm and pleasing contrast to the white walls.
Miller says her husband felt an obligation to be “good stewards of the house,” which they estimate fell into disrepair in the mid ’80s. Miller said she wanted to “listen to the house,” and design to honor its original character.
Miller’s use of white makes for a crisp and quiet canvas for surprise spots of pattern and color from carefully chosen elements: ceramics, original artwork, blankets and more.
“Instant gratification and emotional buys are my jam. I love buying things I’m not supposed to. I’ll always find art, pottery and textiles,” says Miller who opened her own retail space—Olive + Rose on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa and online—to offer unique finds to enhance a home or to give as gifts.
Miller believes individual expression is essential in design, and she recommends her clients fill their places with meaningful pieces like original art and well-made objects. She encourages clients to buy the best pieces they can afford, even if they have to go slowly.
Decorating slowly is the key, which is the inverse of Miller’s biggest design dislike: the fast design and “homogenized look of real estate flippers.” Miller says designing a house for profit results in “the cleanest aesthetic at the lowest price point,” a look that’s “so thoughtless.”
Miller’s design sense was also informed by her years in retail, some of which were spent working in Tennessee and North Carolina, a major buying and manufacturing hub for the home decor industry.
In addition to the home decor scene, Southern hospitality made a big impact on Miller, and she sees it as an important dimension of a well-designed home. Even for a gathering to watch a football game, southerners freshen their homes and hosting is done “with intention,” Miller says. “No one eats on paper plates. Something is always made from scratch.”
Miller likes to “freshen” her house naturally by opening windows and then adding handmade soaps and candles. Her criteria in choosing these items is, again, scrutinizing. Smells must be subtle and natural and ingredients must be biodegradable. The packaging of the candle matters, too, as the look impacts the visual space.
Miller says these additional efforts make guests feel important. She adds that it’s great to give a thoughtful gift when visiting someone. “Practicing thoughtfulness, which impacts others, is good for you, too.”
Miller paraphrases a popular quote that further illustrates her approach to design and living, “The way you do one thing is the way you do everything. If you’re generous in one way, you’re generous in all ways.”
West Handmade Burgers in Boyes Hot Springs, Sonoma. Robbi Pengelly/Index-Tribune
Making cheap hamburgers comes at a high cost, according to Garrett Sathre, the owner of the recently opened West Handmade Burgers in Sonoma (technically Boyes Hot Springs).
A born and bred Sonoman, he’s a passionate advocate for grass-fed, sustainably-sourced organic beef. He also understands that $20 for a burger, fries and a milkshake is out of touch for everyday eaters.
That’s why he spent two years working with nearby Stemple Creek Ranch to source a great burger and try to keep surging costs at bay. It wasn’t an easy process, but he’s done it.
Instead of just buying ground beef, Sathre and his wife, Nicole Benjamin, purchase a whole cow each week from Stemple Creek. They flip patties for lunch and dinner daily and sell high-quality cuts of beef from a small refrigerator at the front of the restaurant. It’s your one-stop beef shop.
West Handmade Burgers in Boyes Hot Springs, Sonoma. Heather Irwin/PD
“It’s a one-cow philosophy,” says Sathre of his purchasing, “and this is the best meat on the planet. To get the best meat on the planet, you have to pay a premium. Look, this is the same meat that Chez Panisse is using.”
The restaurant offers five plays on their grass-fed burger — plain ($9 includes homemade sauce, onions, tomatoes, butter lettuce and homemade pickles and ketchup), cheeseburger ($10.50), a Point Reyes Blue cheese burger ($14), a smoked cheddar and fried onions West Burger ($13.50) and the luxurious Truffle Burger ($15).
“It was a light-bulb moment for me,” he says of selling the meat as well as making burgers.
Similar to Bel Campo Meat Co. in Marin and San Francisco, West Handmade Burgers is both butcher shop and a restaurant. They sell at least 50 pounds of ribeye, New York strip, coulotte, tri-tip and filets a week.
“It really does take people to change their shopping habits to think about where they get their meat, fish and bread,” he says, promoting the idea of specialty stores rather than supermarkets.
Truffle Burger at West Handmade Burgers in Boyes Hot Springs, Sonoma. Heather Irwin/PD
What’s the Difference?
Grass-fed/grain-finished means the animals eat grains at the end of their lives to produce more fat in the meat. Grain-fed cows typically eat soy and corn in concentrated feed lots. Most people are used to grain-fed meat’s fattier taste, and it can be a learning curve to get used to the leaner, more intense flavor of grass-fed meat.
“I get so bummed out seeing conscious eaters eating junk.” said Sathre, referring to other burger spots that don’t use grass-fed meat. “This should be important to everyone.”
He claims there are so many “shades” of grass-fed beef, organic and antibiotic meat that most consumers don’t know what they’re eating. He believes that local cows allowed to graze on grasses are the pinnacle of both sustainability and a good product. Grass-fed beef contains less fat and is typically considered healthier.
“I just want people to get a taste of this,” he says.
As for the first month of business, Sathre says, it’s been a whirlwind. In addition to the usual learning curves, the restaurant’s front windows were vandalized. “We’re finally catching our breath. The first week and a half is just a blur. You ask if everyone is OK,” he said. “Now we’re making the restaurant into a living, breathing thing.”
Best Bets: Uh, the burger?
The menu is really simple. They have hamburgers. You can get them plain or fancy. You can get a vegan patty. You can get a double patty. You can add bacon. We asked for ours medium rare, because grass-fed tends to get dry.
Ours was just a shade past medium rare, but still juicy and flavorful. Tomatoes are still a little green, and it seems a shame to even offer them up, since ours got tossed. The most perfectly crisp lettuce. Sweet ketchup. Splurge on the Truffle Burger with mushrooms and truffle cheese.
Sathre said he’s going to be adding some new specialty things to the menu in the coming weeks, including a lamb and harissa burger, salmon burger, bison burger and salads.
Fries: Regular ($2.50) or Truffle Parm ($3.50). Excellent fries, not too greasy, need seasoning. They’re still working to get the truffle fries perfected, using truffle salt and truffle cheese along with a hint of truffle oil. I’d like them more truffly, but the cheese is really good.
Thirsty? Shakes are made with real ice cream, real chocolate. Hard not to finish one. Beer and wine available along with sodas.
Sunshine, checkered blankets and wicker baskets full of freshly prepared grub — yes, it’s picnic season and you’re ready to nosh on your favorite sandwich under a shady tree. But instead of going to your usual crowded public park, why not add some wine to your basket and dine by the vineyards?
Among Wine Country’s hundreds of wineries, there are several offering gourmet food experiences that go beyond the typical wine tasting. Elevate your dining alfresco game and check out our list of the best Sonoma County wineries for picnics – bring your own food, or let some of these wineries provide it for you. Click through the gallery for details.
Living in a place that just about everyone wants to visit has its pros and cons. For some reason, it’s easy to forget to take advantage of the benefits – especially when it comes to local hotel offerings.
Sonoma’s MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa has long been a favorite among locals and visitors. The historic wine country property recently received a facelift and now boasts updated rooms and common areas, a new restaurant, bar and coffeeshop. Click through the gallery for a peek inside plus tips on what to see and do in the surrounding area.
Wine Country roots run deep. There’s a fascinating story to be told about how this area became one of the premier wine growing regions in the world. But the hows and whys have a knack for getting lost when you’re happily sipping and swirling away — few are those who can remember the details the sommelier or tasting room server shared.
Prolific Napa Valley entrepreneur and vintner Jean-Charles Boisset is on a mission to make wine lovers a little more savvy. His latest business venture, 1881 Napa – the first wine history museum in Napa Valley – invites visitors to explore the history of the region through a self-guided tour.
“Napa Valley has a powerful place in American wine history and 1881 Napa puts the region in perspective on the world stage,” said Boisset in a press release.
As to be expected from a man known for his flamboyant style, Boisset’s new museum is equal parts informative, entertaining and extravagant. And there’s wine tasting, too. Click through the gallery for a peek inside.
1881 Napa, 7856 St. Helena Highway, Oakville, 1881napa.com. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made here.
Outdoor dining at the Girl & the Fig in Sonoma. (Courtesy of the Girl & the Fig)
Just in time for prime patio dining season (and for us to enjoy these unusually warm pre-summer nights), online reservation service Open Table has released its annual roundup of the 100 best al fresco dining restaurants in America. This year, one Sonoma County restaurant – The Girl and the Fig in Sonoma – and two Napa Valley spots made the list. Click through the gallery for more details and check out our list of the top Sonoma County restaurants for outdoor dining.
The Open Table list, which highlights restaurants that offer “stunning views, delicious menus and incredible outdoor dining experiences worth the trip,” is generated by diners using the reservation service. Honorees are determined after analyzing more than 12,000,000 reviews of more than 30,000 restaurants across the nation.
