Inside Sonoma

The culture in his village included street vendors who came by the neighborhood nightly with delicacies such as Pho, a Vietnamese staple soup. One of his fondest memories was the sound of their arrival by the clapping of two spoons together as they came down the street. His greatest influence was from his grandmother, who was the town caterer. She would gather the villagers together to make handmade plates, bowls and utensils from bamboo, coconut and anything else nature had to offer.

Mei Ibach was born in small Malaysia fishing village near Singapore where she learned the secrets of cooking fresh, seasonal cuisine from members of her extended Chinese family and native Malaysian cooks while growing up. She gathered her own spices, grow her own vegetable and grill the catch of the day over an open fire. In Sonoma County, she has worked in a variety of Asian kitchens including Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Pacific Rim restaurants.

Rene’s interest in food began as a child while watching his mother cook her authentic German dishes for the family. This interest grew during his teenage years while working at various food establishments throughout Santa Barbara, CA. He attended Santa Barbara City College where he enrolled in the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program and then went on to complete his Culinary Arts training at the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, OR., graduating in 1993.

Deciding to move to Sonoma County, Stark and his wife Terri opened Willi’s Wine Bar in Santa Rosa in 2002. “We have always loved Sonoma County,” he says. “It is as close to living in Europe as a chef can get living in the United States.” Stark says his culinary style has been influenced by mastery of the basics and an immense appreciation and respect for classic cuisine and techniques coupled with the ethnic flavors that he finds ever-exciting. He believes that great food, great fun and a great location are all that are needed to have a successful restaurant. The menu at Willi’s Wine Bar aptly reflects his philosophy, with a global melding of inventive Asian, Mediterranean, French and Californian small plates.

Chef Tison returned to Northern California to join the celebrated Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa from Fairmont sister property, New York’s famed Plaza Hotel.

A 15- year veteran and the youngest appointed Executive Chef of the legendary Plaza, Tison’s nouvelle cuisine has earned extensive critical acclaim. During his tenure in New York, he captured a number of awards including FOOD ARTS “Silver Spoon”, a gold medal at the NY International Food Show Exposition and first prize at the NYC Hotel & Motel Culinary Olympics.

A fourth-generation Sonoma Valley native, Sheana Davis embraces an “eat fresh, eat local” philosophy in her culinary marketing and education company, the Epicurean Connection.

This popular Sonoma Valley caterer and educator recently opened the Epicurean Connection store, which offers Sonoma County products along with an assortment of sandwiches and soups. The store has one table to enjoy a quick lunch or snack.