Antonio Ghilarducci, the son of owners Mike and Gia Ghilarducci will be permanently joining the team at the Depot Hotel as Executive Chef.  As a young boy Antonio often helped his father in the kitchen and often returned over the years to work special functions.

Antonio graduated high school in 2000 from Justin-Siena in Napa and moved to San Jose to study at San Jose State University.  Before long, Antonio began working in the kitchens at the university, cooking for faculty and students there.  Cooking quickly became more important than academics and he left both to study at San Francisco City College in the Culinary Arts Department.  This is the oldest cooking school on the West Coast and the same school that his father attended thirty years earlier.  He graduated among the top five in his class in 2002 and obtained his Associates Degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies.

From Farm to Table

"I want to help people discover their unique preferences in fine wines so they become their own experts," says Jeff Cox, author and owner of From Farm to Table.

Jeff Cox has a very colorful background in wine and food, especially when it comes to writing. During his time as managing editor of Organic Gardening magazine in the 1970s, Jeff planted a vineyard on his property, learning to grow the vines, prune them, harvest the grapes, and make wine. In 1983, he put this hard-won information into a book, From Vines to Wines, that has become the standard work on the subject of do-it-yourself winemaking - from planting the grapes to aging the wine. It sold well over 100,000 copies and continues to sell well today.

Sondra Bernstein:

Just like a plump ripe fig, the girl & the fig food is fresh, healthy, and bursting with flavor. With a seasonal menu featuring garden vegetables, herbs, and an abundance of creativity, the rustic Provençal-inspired cuisine allows earth's true and natural flavors to shine.

Janine Falvo's passion for food stems from a family deeply rooted in culinary tradition. Today she enjoys being the Chef de Cuisine of Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar for The Lodge at Sonoma. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, her childhood years were filled with memories of berry picking, seasonal harvest canning and celebratory holiday feasts. After years of showcasing her culinary prowess to her family and friends at such gatherings, she decided to hone her skills and make a career out of her life long passion.

Catherine Bergen:

Over the past six years Catherine Bergen local culinary entrepreneur and founder of Made In Napa Valley®, has brought locals and visitors to a new level of cooking and entertaining with her premium-quality pantry foods inspired by the abundance and beauty of the Napa Valley.

She has developed over 70 intensely flavored gourmet food products which are made in small batches using the very best, all-natural ingredients. This attention to quality and freshness helped Made In Napa Valley win the National Association for The Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) 2004 Outstanding Product Line award, the most coveted in the specialty food business; as well as ongoing press accolades and two listings on the coveted "O" list in Oprah Winfrey's O Magazine.

 

Leslie Rudd: Entrepreneur with the Heart of Napa Valley

Leslie Rudd is an entrepreneur and philanthropist with a real heart for the Napa Valley. Already a proprietor of Dean & DeLuca, Rudd Winery, Edge Hill Estate, PRESS restaurant, and Distillery 209, he recently adopted the historic Oakville Grocery in an effort to restore the beloved destination for wine country visitors.