Category: Chef 2023

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.

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.

Chef Phi Nguyen never dreamt of a life in the kitchen. It wasn’t until he immigrated from Vietnam in 2016 and accidentally landed himself in a High School culinary class where he realized his deep love for all things culinary. Under the close guidance of his dedicated culinary arts teacher, he began to see his own skills blossom and evolve along with his curiosity for the concept of farm-to-table.
Post-graduation, Chef Phi accepted his first professional kitchen job at the Double Tree Hotel in Rohnert Park, CA. It was there he spent 2 years refining his kitchen skills and learning what a career in hospitality could look like. Through participation in local Sonoma County culinary competitions in combination with industry exploration, he felt officially opened up to the world of good food. After 2 years at The Double Tree, Phi moved up to working at the Montage in Healdsburg, CA, introducing him to the dynamics of luxury hospitality. After one year at Montage, Farmhouse Inn welcomed Phi as a Chef de Partie where he would learn to expertly prepare high-end French breakfast. Inspired by the modern French influence at Farmhouse Inn, Phi dove into his role and quickly grew from Chef de Partie to Chef Tournant, to now, Resort Chef.
Ever-inspired by the terroir of the region and his evolving relationships with local farmers, Phi continues to do what he does best at Farmhouse Inn; make elevated food from the heart and lead his team to delicious victory. Be sure to keep an eye out on all of the initiatives Chef Phi is cooking up at Farmhouse Inn this season, starting with a Winemaker Garden Series, Pool-side cooler packages, and so much more.

Max has been pursuing everything that makes the perfect cup for 15 years and loves talking with people about coffee as much as he loves roasting coffee.

Chef Heather is the Executive Chef for Sonoma Family Meal, a nonprofit that cultivates the community and creates opportunities by providing job training, quality emergency meals and support for the local food ecosystem. At Sonoma Family Meal, Chef Heather oversees the production of over 700 meals per week for the community. Chef Heather comes from a varied background, having been everything from a glaciologist to a lunch lady to serving A-list celebrities at Skywalker Ranch. She worked for 9 years at San Francisco’s epic Farallon restaurant, opened Nick’s Cove with her husband, Matt Weinberger and has been a cornerstone of Sonoma Family Meal since 2018.