The whole thing started because we couldn’t remember the name of the Executive Chef at Wing & Barrel in Sonoma. One of our listeners that happened to work for Charlie Palmer reached out and suggested that we come for a visit to Appellation Healdsburg and meet the legend in person. We will never forget his name again. Charlie Palmer is an acclaimed American chef, restaurateur, and hotelier, renowned for pioneering Progressive American cuisine and owning multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. Charlie Palmer began his professional career at The River Café in 1983, where he became executive chef at age 23 and earned three stars from The New York Times. He trained notable chefs including Michael Mina and George Morrone. In 1988, he opened his flagship restaurant, Aureole, in Manhattan, showcasing regional American ingredients and his signature Progressive American cuisine, which reinterprets classic European techniques using American artisanal products . Over the years, Palmer expanded his restaurant empire to include Charlie Palmer Steak locations in New York, Las Vegas, Reno, and Washington, D.C., as well as boutique hotels and other dining concepts such as Dry Creek Kitchen, AperiBar, and St. Cloud Rooftop Bar. His restaurants have collectively earned over 20 Michelin stars and multiple James Beard awards. In addition to his restaurants, Palmer co-founded Appellation Hotels, a culinary-first hotel brand, with properties in Healdsburg, Lodi, and planned locations in California and Utah. Each hotel features Charlie Palmer restaurants and interactive culinary experiences. His new cookbook, Wineland, that features many of our friends in wine country, is available now. [Ep 417] www.charliepalmer.com/books/wineland/ Tess Housholder — Sommelier, Appellation Healdsburg Tess Housholder is a Sommelier and hospitality professional based in Geyserville, California, with a background in wine education, hospitality management, and event operations. She was recently featured in Vogue Magazine as a Gen Z Somm to watch. We were excited at the opportunity to speak with a young Somm running a high-profile project in wine country. @tesshousholder