This Pro Chef Went Undercover During a Winery Event

Tablescape at the Bella Vineyard event

By Chef David Sucio

As a Chef it’s nice to be on the other side of things. So, last friday evening, I went undercover as a guest for an event at Bella Vineyards in Healdsburg called “Harvest Dinner”. It was nice to relax and be taken care of by true professionals.

I had a beautiful meal prepared by Chef Amy Brown, owner of Marla Bakery in San Francisco. The dinner highlighted the best of early fall through great hospitality brought to us by Field Day Catering & wonderful wines created by winemaker Ryan Schmaltz of Bella Vineyards.There was even a full moon which set the mood right to enjoy live music, and company alike.

Beautiful View of Bella Vineyards

Driving up from the Bay Area to Sonoma valley is always a blessing. I have done it before, however I quickly realized Bella winery is tucked away in Healdsburg just a little further than my usual travels take me. I was taken aback by the look and feel of the countryside upon my arrival to the winery.

Bella Winery Harvest Dinner on October 7, 2022. Photographed by Bryan Meltz.

Once I got settled we got a glass of Ru Brut with a splash of Sloe Zin Fizz. Not your usual activity at a California winery but definitely a welcomed approach to the first sip impression. What followed was a bite of a goat cheese and squash tart, setting off my appetite into a world of curiosity and want for more.

Chef Brown cooks from a school bus turned kitchen

Amy Brown took center stage as our chef for the evening. She was born and raised in San Francisco. After college she spent a year in Italy working in a bakery. As her 20 year career progressed she assumed many roles. She was the head pastry chef at Nopa restaurant before opening Marla Bakery alongside her husband Joe Wolf. With this tenured background I had a feeling dinner was about to be serious!

Where’s Chef David Sucio? Find him left of center – Photographed by Bryan Meltz.

Dinner was seamless, which in my experience as a chef can be challenging, given the dropping temperatures and cooking outside in the elements. As soon as the first course hit things got real. Time stopped. For the rest of the night nothing mattered but the food and meeting new friends.

The first course was a fall salad of frisee with bacon lardons, and a mustard vinaigrette. This dish was the definition of Fall. A temporary recording of time and place. The 2021 Essence Grenache & Syrah Blend for this course was bold, and told a tale of the wines to come.

The pork rillette and menu at the event.

The intermezzo course was a familiar favorite that brought back a few memories of the holidays cooking with Chef friends. The pork rillette was as perfect as the toasty bread it was quenelled on, and the tart apple jelly that cut that unctuous pork into submission. Just enough to rest on the palate alongside the 2019 Rock’s Edge Zinfandel.

Just before the Bella Winery Harvest dinner began on October 7, 2022 – Photographed by Bryan Meltz.

The main that followed was a petit tenderloin basted with butter paired with tender pomegranate molasses glazed carrots. The wine accompanying was a blend of a 2015 Barrel 32 Zinfandel And A 2019 Black 10 Zinfandel. Although created on very different dates., the food and wine spoke elegantly of the terroir of the land and the character behind those who created it.

Cheers to the full moon who sat above in the galaxy’s bleachers and cheered us on while we bonded over crafts as old as time.

Entertainment at the Bella Vineyards Harvest Event

About Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves:

Bella Vineyards is located in the Dry Creek Valley within Healdsburg, California. They are a family run operation that have been harvesting grapes in the Sonoma valley for generations. They focus on small lots of Zinfandel with over five vineyards stretching as far as the Russian River Valley. The wine caves hold special events including wine tastings paired with snacks and boutique pop up holiday markets.

For wine lovers, you can tour the caves or have a tastings .The also have Backyard Experiences.

Tasting room within the Bella Vineyard cave – photo from the Bella Vineyard website

More about Chef David Sucio:

Chef David Sucio studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University In  Providence, Rhode Island And has been cooking since 2004. He’s worked at The Restaurant At Meadowood and The Charter Oak in St. Helena, CA. He is most recently the host of Sucio Talk Podcast. He was born in Puerto Rico, raised in New England, and now resides in Oakland, California. Sucio Talk Podcast is a platform where Sucio talks to friends & hospitality professionals about the past and present status of food service. A raw, uncensored account of what it’s like to dedicate your life to the craft of cooking and hospitality. The show is meant to inspire a young generation of food professionals to keep the craft alive through hard work & dedication.

Note: all photos are from Chef David Sucio unless otherwise noted

Entrance to the Wine Cave at Bella Vineyards – photo credit Robert Holmes