Category: Chef 2023

Lo & Behold Bar + Kitchen opened in Healdsburg in January of 2022 and was dubbed “an instant Healdsburg icon” in the Press Democrat. Recently named one of Healdsburg’s Best Restaurants by Sonoma Magazine and voted Best Bar by the Healdsburg Tribune Readers poll, Lo & Behold has continued to endear itself to locals and tourists alike for it’s approachable price point, eclectic menu of global comfort food and cultivated cocktails, and warm and welcoming hospitality. Lo & Behold is owned and operated by three local restaurant industry veterans, Chef Sean Raymond Kelley (formerly of Underwood Bar & Bistro in Graton), and Tara Heffernon and Laura Sanfilippo, whom together have left their mark on the Sonoma County cocktail scene via Spoonbar, Duke’s Spirited Cocktails and now Lo & Behold. The space boasts a lively dining room, bar and lounge area inside, and a large garden patio out back.
Sean Raymond Kelley, Owner & Executive Chef of Lo & Behold Bar + Kitchen in Healdsburg. A Las Vegas native, Sean has been proud to call Sonoma County his home for 30 years. A veteran with 25 years experience in the kitchen, Sean has worked at a number of Sonoma County institutions, most notably as the Chef at Underwood Bar & Bistro in Graton for 10 years. As a graduate of Tante Marie’s Cooking School in SF Sean has a strong foundation in French technique via Northern California. His food is inspired by his trips across the globe with a particular love for the foods of South America and Asia. Helping his grandmother cook her extravagant holiday dinners as a kid solidified his love of cooking and seeing the joy of friends and family gathered around a table enjoying food is a strong motivator to this day.

Gustavo Martinez and his brothers are local restaurateurs, and will soon open their newest venture, TLAHCO Mexican Grill, in Santa Rosa.
Martinez moved from Mexico to Lake Tahoe in 1996, where he worked as the head chef at Hiro Sushi restaurant in Kings Beach for 14 years.
In pursuit of his dreams of restaurant ownership, Martinez sold his truck, many possessions, and his land in Mexico to open his first restaurant, Paradise Sushi in Petaluma. Today his restaurant group has grown to three Paradise Sushi venues and one Paradise Sushi + Hibachi restaurant in Santa Rosa.
TLAHCO Mexican Grill offers a simple menu of authentic Mexican fare, with all ingredients obtained fresh daily. The name pays homage to the taco’s origins in Mesoamerica; the word taco comes from the Nahuatl word ‘tlahco’ which means “half or in the middle”, referring to the way it is formed.
Mr. Martinez lives in Santa Rosa with his wife Maria Isabel. They have five children.
Gustavo looks forward to debuting TLAHCO Mexican Grill’s Al Pastor and Carne Asada Tacos to attendees at this year’s North Coast Food and Wine Festival and to welcoming visitors to newest establishment.

Executive Chef Ronald Andrade is responsible for supervising all culinary concepts and operations at Timber Cove Resort. The resort’s onsite restaurant, Coast Kitchen, offers picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean and serves a delectable array of fresh, seasonal dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hailing from Ecuador, Chef Andrade received his culinary education in his home country, mastering various culinary styles, notably Ecuadorian cuisine.
Previously, Andrade held the position of executive chef at Coast Kitchen from 2018 to 2020. Following his tenure at Timber Cove, he relocated to Miami, Florida, where he assumed the role of executive chef at Grove Bay Hospitality Group and subsequently at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. In 2022, Chef Andrade returned to California to lead the Coast Kitchen team once more, showcasing his dedication to crafting menus inspired by the seasonal bounty of the California coastline.

Chef Tony Ounpamornchai has always been fascinated with flavors and cooking. He has over 30 years of experience cooking in Asian cuisine. His inspiration for his cooking took him to Sonoma County where he is the founder and Executive Chef for SEA Thai Bistro, SEA Noodle Bar, Raku Ramen & Rolls, and newly opened Mandarin Kitchen.
Mandarin Kitchen, Chef Tony’s latest concept is an innovative Asian fusion that combines the luxury and decadence of Asian Cuisine. Chef Tony has infused flavors from his global travels- to Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and more into his dishes at Mandarin Kitchen. “Passion for cooking could be tasted in every bite” said Chef Tony.

Born in San Francisco and raised in the charming town of Kenwood, Chef Eric’s culinary story is woven into the vibrant fabric of Sonoma County’s rich food culture. His passion for cooking was sparked during his teenage years, inspired by his aunt in San Francisco, whose culinary expertise left an indelible mark on him.
After high school, Eric’s journey took him across Australia and Central America, where he embraced a variety of roles, including his first experiences in professional kitchens. These adventures broadened his culinary horizons, introducing him to the diverse flavors of Spain, Italy, and Central America, which continue to influence his cooking today.
Eric refined his craft at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco, mastering classic French techniques. From there, he immersed himself in the city’s dynamic restaurant scene, contributing to celebrated establishments like The Boxing Room (Absinthe Group) and the iconic Farallon.
Guided by the philosophy that great ingredients deserve to shine without unnecessary complexity, Eric celebrates simplicity and authenticity in every dish. His love for open-fire cooking and dedication to sourcing the finest local products reflect his deep connection to Sonoma County’s abundant agricultural and culinary treasures.
Join Chef Eric as he brings the best of Sonoma County to your table, combining tradition, innovation, and a genuine passion for food.

Born and raised just outside of Detroit, Michigan, Chef Danny Girolomo is the Executive Chef for the award-winning Wit and Wisdom by Chef Michael Mina in Sonoma, California.
His career began working for Max and Erma’s restaurant group, where he worked for several locations opening and training new hires in our region. He was then given an opportunity to work for Pine Lake Country Club, where his true passion developed.
Chef Girolomo married in 2011 and soon moved to Sonoma County, California, with his wife to escape the snow, where he was accepted at the Culinary Institute of America. He then worked at FARM at Carneros Inn under Andrew Budnyj. Chef Andrew really instilled his discipline, attention to detail, sense of urgency, and passion for farm-to-table cuisine. In 2017, Girolomo began at John Ash and Co. as sous chef, where he found himself elevating the tasting menu based on their four onsite vegetable gardens and greenhouse and where they obtained their first Michelin recommendation. In 2019, he worked at Barndiva, where he quickly moved up to Chef De Cuisine, overseeing two restaurants; one was French-influenced, and the other was a Mediterranean-inspired gallery for events and holidays.
Chef Girolomo joined Wit and Wisdom in 2020 as part of the opening and promoted to Executive Chef in May of 2022.

My passion for meat, especially charcuterie, was born while working at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. Tutelage with Michael SULLIVAN taught me how to transform and sublimate pork products. It sparked a desire to produce artisanal charcuterie that has never left me.
I continued my training with Daniel BOULUD in New York before crossing the Atlantic to join the crew of chef Alain DUCASSE in his most famous restaurant, Louis XV in Monaco. While holding on to my goal of creating my charcuterie, I trained myself in all culinary positions to understand the basics of cookery. My time there allowed me to work with high-quality seasonal ingredients to create refined Mediterranean cuisine for our clients.
With Gilles VEROT in Paris, I was finally able to master the subtleties of charcuterie production. As a sous chef, I acquired the techniques to master this fine art of meat processing. My quest to learn more brought me to work in a high-end butcher shop, Dierendonk, in Belgium. While there I worked with his team to familiarize myself with cutting whole pigs, beef, and lamb.
Finally, I traveled to Tenuta di Spannocchia, perched in the hills of Italy’s Tuscany, where I observed the breeding, feeding, slaughtering, and finally the manufacturing of Italian charcuterie using ancestral traditions. I owe my utmost gratitude to Maestro RICCIO, who passed on to me his vast knowledge of traditional Tuscan charcuterie.
To gain maximum experience in the art of charcuterie, I took the time to learn, observe, taste, and work long hours with brigades formed around the world. The techniques, the different approaches that I have been able to study, have allowed me to refine my knowledge and confirm my desire to bring all these achievements back to my country of origin.
I chose to move to Sonoma County, an area I had discovered many years ago during an internship I did in San Francisco. Here I found a European mentality of respect for the environment and traditional agriculture practices. After over ten years of culinary experience with French, Italian, and American influences, I have created Maison Porcella to showcase my exceptional charcuterie products for our esteemed clientele.

Fiorello Anthony Bonviso has been passionately crafting gelato with wholesome ingredients, incomparable flavor and unsurpassed density since 1982. His childhood love for gelato sent him on an innovative quest to create a product with unparalleled texture. We invite you to indulge in the experience and discover for yourself how Fiorello’s Artisan Gelato is “Happiness easily shared”.
Website: https://fiorellosgelato.com

Austin’s Southern Smoke Style BBQ is a unique blend of Mississippi style grilling techniques and mouth-watering Central Texas flavors. All created in the mind of pit-master & Mississippi Native, Kris Austin.

Sol Food is an authentic Puerto Rican eatery in Marin & Sonoma counties with locations in San Rafael, Mill Valley and Petaluma. We started in 2003 at the Farmers’ Market in downtown San Rafael, serving our classic rice, beans, chicken and plantains. We are committed to serving authentic recipes using fresh, delicious ingredients.

Around here we make delicious, healthier, dairy-free butter and cheeses using milk from plants not animals. We choice to use clean, simple ingredients that seamlessly perform for all your cooking, baking and entertaining needs. Better for you, better for our world.

Chef/Founder Jamilah Nixon focuses on creating vibrant food for spirited people. Her dishes are full of textures & flavors reflective of her California upbringing, Mexican & Creole heritage, and her time spent living on shrimp farms in Thailand.