A former Top Chef Mexico contestant and luxury hotel veteran has been tapped to lead the historic John Ash & Co. restaurant in Santa Rosa.
Chef Sergio Howland, a native of Mexico City, will re-imagine a “more modern John Ash” and create several new dining experiences at the resort, according to owners. Howland was hired following the sale of Vintners Resort (the location of John Ash & Co. restaurant) to Jackson Family Wines and a southern California hospitality group in May 2023.
Howland’s installation is part of a major renovation and refresh of the property and one of the most significant changes to the restaurant since its founder, chef John Ash, sold his stake in the restaurant to the resort’s former owners in 2000.
“As a resort deeply rooted in celebrating the rich flavors and abundant offerings of Sonoma County, chef Howland’s culinary vision will not only pay homage to John Ash’s enduring culture of farm-to-table cuisine, but it will also set a new standard for excellence in food and wine experiences throughout the resort,” said Brian Sommer, general manager at Vintners Resort.
Since the departure of longtime executive chef Tom Schmidt in early March, there’s been significant conjecture on the fate of the fine dining restaurant that’s had only a handful of chefs since its inception.
Over the last several months, the restaurant has been serving a greatest-hits menu of John Ash recipes but has been mostly adrift after losing much of the culinary team, including food and beverage director Robin Ameral, as well as Schmidt’s sous chef, lead banquet chef and a pastry chef. General manager Percy Brandon, well-known in the hospitality industry, resigned in April 2022 after 21 years.
Howland, a graduate of the Culinary School of America, has more than 30 years of culinary experience at high-end resorts, including Napa’s Michelin-starred Auberge du Soleil, Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Palm Beach, Key Biscayne and Cancun and the Four Seasons in Mexico City.
He appeared on the Mexican Top Chef spin-off of 16 “cheftestants” in 2016.
“Since I was in culinary school, I have aspired to work in California’s Wine Country, surrounded by the abundance of local ingredients, artisanal cheese, fresh produce and world-class vineyards,” said Howland. “I am passionate about the imaginative journey of crafting recipes and menus, and Sonoma County offers an expansive canvas of inspiration.”
Howland’s menu will “reflect the region’s changing seasons, celebrating its abundant harvest and incorporate Vintners Resort’s 92-acre estate.” As part of the refreshed culinary program, he also plans to include cooking classes, garden tours, and vineyard dinners.
Chef Ash, considered “the father of Wine Country cuisine,” founded his namesake restaurant in 1980, highlighting seasonal, local and sustainable ingredients. Ash and chefs Jeremiah Tower and Alice Waters put Northern California on the map as a dining destination in the late 1970s and 80s.
Ash continues to write award-winning cookbooks, including the 2024 James Beard-nominated “The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood.”