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Forbes
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Chefs Share Top Picks From Healdsburg Wine & Food 2025
Chefs at the Welcome Reception Between vineyard-lined hills and Michelin-level bites, Healdsburg Wine & Food 2025 brought together some of the biggest names in food television—from Top Chef alums to Food Network favorites—for a weekend of cooking, sipping, and celebrating the best of California wine country. But behind the polished demos and photo ops, what dishes actually stood out to the chefs themselves? I asked a handful of TV chefs what they couldn't stop eating (or drinking) all weekend—and their answers prove this year's festival wasn't just for show. Sushi By Scratch at Grand Tasting Chef Dustin Valette, the Healdsburg native behind The Matheson and Valette, didn't hold back. 'Wow! That is almost impossible to say!' he said when asked about his favorite bite. 'I loved Maneet's interpretation of meatballs—such an amazing spin. Though the sushi from Sushi by Scratch was legit!' The meatballs, a recurring favorite among chefs throughout the weekend, were made with tandoori-spiced chicken, tikka sauce, parmesan, and a roasted corn slaw. As for the best sip? 'That's hard... all of them? I think the best was the Dan Kosta Grail Pinot Noir. It was amazing.' Hunter Fieri pouring Hunt & Ryde wine The Top Chef Season 4 winner and chef-owner of Girl & the Goat kept things local and family-focused. Her favorite wine came from Hunt & Ryde Winery, a boutique Sonoma County label founded by Guy Fieri and named after his sons, Hunter and Ryder. Hunter was on-site pouring throughout the weekend, while Guy hosted the Big Bottle Party Saturday night. As for food, Izard gave top marks to Lee Anne Wong's chicken and white truffle dumpling with Point Reyes Quinta cheese—a delicate but rich bite served during Saturday evening's event. Maneet's Meatballs Oakland pitmaster Matt Horn—chef and founder of the acclaimed Horn Barbecue—shared a list of favorites that spanned styles and chefs. 'Duskie's BLT and burger—both honest and beautifully executed. No pretense, just pure flavor,' he said, referring to chef Duskie Estes. The BLT was enjoyed during an outdoor concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards, where an assortment of food trucks lined the lawn. He also called out Maneet Chauhan's now crowd-favorite chicken tikka meatballs ('soulful, bold, and unforgettable') and Dustin Valette's day boat scallops en croûte, which he described as 'refined, layered, and perfectly composed.' His top pour? WhistlePig's The Boss Hog IX: Siren's Song—'complex, commanding, and worthy of the moment.' Domenica Catelli's eight-layer spring lasagna Top Chef alum and owner of KoKo Head Cafe in Honolulu, Wong shouted out several standout bites. She kicked things off with from the opening night reception—a bright, layered dish of hand-rolled pasta, mushroom béchamel, spring peas, asparagus, and crispy prosciutto that felt like a love letter to the season. At the Grand Tasting, Wong herself served up one of the weekend's most-mentioned dishes: butter chicken meatballs from Maneet Chauhan. And at the Big Bottle Party, she couldn't get enough of Viet Pham's Nashville-style hot chicken tenders topped with crème fraîche, soft herbs, and California caviar trout roe. Viet's Hot Chicken Lee Anne Wong's kampachi Chef Viet Pham—of Pretty Bird Hot Chicken and Iron Chef America—kept it fresh and light. 'Two of my favorite bites and sips would have to be the welcoming cocktail with basil from Zancudo at the HWFE welcome center, and Lee Anne Wong's kampachi tartare with granita at the Grand Tasting.' The cocktail, called The Only One, was an herbaceous, lime-forward mezcal drink that walked the line between zippy and smooth. Wong's kampachi, served over pineapple shave ice, 'was so refreshing, and it paired beautifully with a lot of the wines.' Crista's miso black cod Chef and hotelier Crista Luedtke—of boon eat + drink and BROT in Guerneville—had a long list of favorites, including Antonia Lofaso's ravioli with brown butter and California caviar, Lee Anne Wong's kampachi with pineapple shave ice, Duskie Estes's truffle agnolotti, and Farmer T's salad from the Kendall-Jackson luncheon. The salad was harvested from the property's culinary garden. The luncheon was hosted by Kendall-Jackson Executive Chef Tracey Shepos Cenami, Master Culinary Gardener Tucker Taylor, and Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard, and also featured NBA alum Joakim Noah and ESPN Andscape senior writer Marc Spears. 'Of course, I loved my miso black cod with shiitake dashi—but I'm not sure I can count mine,' she joked. Favorite sips included Aperture's Chenin Blanc, a spritz from Rue De Rêve, and a sparkling rosé from the Foley portfolio. Duskie and John's Bellwether Farms ricotta agnolotti A mainstay of Northern California's food scene and chef-owner of Catelli's in Geyserville, Domenica Catelli praised the Kendall-Jackson lunch menu for its garden-driven creativity. 'Stephanie Izard's dishes were SO good, and the spicy handroll dip—with hamachi, tuna, and ice lettuce—was glorious.' She also gave love to Lee Anne Wong's dumplings at The Matheson, the Henriot bubbles at the VIP opening, and Duskie and John's Bellwether Farms ricotta agnolotti with artichokes and truffle butter. Antonia Lofaso's Ravioli Two-time Tournament of Champions winner and longtime Chopped judge Maneet Chauhan was especially taken with Stephanie Izard's three-sauce chicken, served at the Grand Tasting—a bold, flavor-packed bite that stood out to her. She also praised Antonia Lofaso's brown butter ravioli with chives and California caviar, a dish that emerged as a crowd favorite. When it came to wine, Chauhan gravitated toward the Chalk Hill portfolio, noting it as one of the weekend's highlights. Shifting The Lens Dinner at J Vineyard Healdsburg Wine & Food 2025 was a food lover's playground—full of big bites, bold pours, and surprise chef sightings. But if you really want to level up next year, add the à la carte events too. Other standout bites from the weekend included a rapid-fire, 10-minute omakase from Michelin-rated Sushi by Scratch at the Grand Tasting—an unexpected twist in the middle of the plaza—and the incredible lineup of wines being poured from across the region. Pit master Matt Horn served brisket at a backyard-style luncheon, while James Beard semifinalist chef Michael Reed hosted a multi-course dinner at J Vineyards. That one was part of Shifting the Lens, a rotating series that brings fresh voices to the Bubble Room. Pro tip: you don't have to wait until next year for that one. But for everything else—keep your eyes peeled for next year. You won't want to miss it. Healdsburg Wine & Food Grand Tasting
New York Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Simple Shrimp Salad to Welcome Summer
Good morning. The weather was cool in Los Angeles after a heat wave, and we took our dinner almost outside amid the trees and greenery of the patio at A.O.C., on West Third Street. It was a reminder that eating in California is not like eating anywhere else. Part of the magic came from the chef there, Suzanne Goin, an owner of the restaurant, who cooks with a simplicity that is not at all simple. (Part of it comes from her partner, Caroline Styne, who runs the floor like a crackling stage play and offers amazing wines.) Great chefs are alchemists who can turn humble ingredients into gold. Goin starts with gold and makes it into something more precious: say, as just one example, a salad of delicate, impossibly sweet lettuces paired with slices of firm, ripe avocado, moons of blood orange, new sugar snap peas and a light, fragrant, perfectly balanced basil-buttermilk dressing. The New York newspaper people consuming this assemblage looked at one another. The consensus: Are you kidding me? I thought: This is how I want to cook all summer long. I want to find the best ingredients, and to use them with care. I know that won't be easy. The produce where I generally stay won't be great until later in the summer. But I'm going to try. This weekend, I'm thinking I could start out with this great old recipe from Mark Bittman, for a spicy shrimp salad with mint (above). You could make it with supermarket ingredients and have a good meal. But if you happen to have access to wild shrimp — I'm hoping for some mantis shrimp out of Montauk, at the eastern end of Long Island — and to fresh mint from the windowsill, to some arugula from the farmers' market, you'll be rewarded with a meal of seasonal perfection. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meghan Markle Shared an Exciting Update on 'With Love, Meghan' Season 2 & the One Guest Who's Already Confirmed
In the first season of With Love, Meghan on Netflix, Meghan Markle hosted some exciting guests. From close friends like actress Abigail Spencer to cooking legends like Roy Choi, Markle's kitchen was filled with new or old friends in each episode. And, as she revealed in a recent appearance at the TIME100 summit on April 23, season 2 will have a lineup that's just as promising, if not more. More from SheKnows Prince Archie Is About To Have an Adorable Connection to His Cousin Prince Louis When asked about her dream guest on the show, Markle said she's mostly satisfied and grateful to everyone she's already had. 'I will say, I've been so fortunate that even before the series had aired, in talking about what the premise was and how conversational and more relatable we wanted it to be, I was able to get legends like Alice Waters, who I just love her so much, and we've now become friends,' Markle revealed. For those who don't know, Waters is an award-winning chef, restaurant owner, and author, and is known by many as the originator of 'California Cuisine.' Markle then revealed the first confirmed guest of season 2. 'We haven't revealed things about season 2 and [Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos] will come here later, but I can apologize in advance for saying that José Andres is going to be on season 2,' she said. 'We love José so much.' Not only is Andres a Michelin Star-winning chef, with restaurants like Jaleo, Bazaar and Zaytinya, Andres is also the founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that provides fresh meals following humanitarian, climate, and community crises. He's also hosting a new show alongside Martha Stewart on NBC, titled Yes, Chef! 'I've been fortunate to have the people I want to have on the show,' Markle continued. 'I've been really lucky, we have a great, great lineup.' 'And if I think of someone else, I'm going to have to figure out a way to tell you so you can put that out there,' Markle then joked to her interviewer, Jessica Sibley, CEO of TIME Magazine. Also in the interview, Markle confirmed that season 2 has already been filmed. 'Season 2 is coming,' Markle said. With no release date announced yet, all we can do is wait! Before you go, click to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry's milestones since leaving the royal family. Best of SheKnows Everything We Know About Reese Witherspoon's Son, Deacon Phillippe 23 Best Teen Movies From the 2000s That Gen Z Adores 38 Times Carmen Electra's Head-Turning Red Carpet Fashion Left Us Flustered & Enchanted
