RANDY LEWIS

Executive Chef
Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates

Sonoma County is an inspiring place for an executive chef to work. Randy Lewis donned the chef's hat at Kendall-Jackson Wine Center largely because of the bounty in natural foods that flourishes just outside his kitchen door, in the Culinary Gardens at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center.

Of course, Sonoma's most inspiring natural product is wine. Randy fashions his creative menus around the fine wines of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, playing the flavors in food off those in wine, making each one better than it could be standing alone.

Guests who dine at the Wine Center have understandably come to expect a regal meal prepared by a chef who is accustomed to exceeding expectations. Randy operated his own restaurant, Indigo, in New Orleans when, in July 2001, he was named one of America's 10 Best New Chefs by Food & Wine magazine.

He also worked at Norman's in Coral Gables, Fla., under renowned Chef Norman Van Aiken. During 2001 he taped four episodes of "Ready…Set…Cook" for Food Network television.

Indigo occupied part of a former Louisiana indigo plantation. Indigo is a plant that yields a blue dye. The menu left little doubt Randy grew up in the South. He served up surprising new facets of Southern cuisine, uncovering the excitement found in under-appreciated regional ingredients. A favorite recipe starts out with some pickled okra and "four pounds meaty ham hocks."

At Indigo, Randy also ensured food and wine made a graceful match by designing the wine list himself.

"Southern cuisine pairs well with wines," he said. "But I never wanted to box myself in with one style. I am always searching for new ingredients, new styles, new discoveries."

While he brings his Southern heritage to the Kendall-Jackson kitchen, a new landscape of prime local products and a new world-wide collection of wines do more today to determine the character of his cuisine.

"Sonoma County is a great place to work," Randy said. "You have cheeses of every kind, fresh fruit, bread, olive oil, pasta, and everything else. It's a rich environment for a chef."

The inspiration begins just outside Randy's door in the Organic Culinary Gardens, a main draw for visitors to the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center. The Gardens showcase wine-friendly produce from around the globe, a food-and-wine pairing exhibit and a series of heirloom plots to preserve the natural heritage of our foods.

"It's a great learning experience," he said. "When you have a great bottle of wine, you want to create something great to go with it."