Why We Love Sonoma

It’s no secret that we’re passionate about Sonoma, California, where our founder Chuck Williams opened the first Williams-Sonoma store and the history of our company began. In addition to its farm fresh cuisine and world renowned wines, what we really love about the area are the locals: the chefs, winemakers, artisans and producers who make Sonoma so special. In fact, we spent a whole season exploring the wine country, meeting as many people as possible and discovering new destinations for dining, tasting and more.

This weekend, we’ll return to Sonoma to reopen Chuck’s original location as a landmark store and cooking school. Naturally, we’ve asked the local community to join us! Some of the valley’s best chefs have signed on to help celebrate our homecoming and teach cooking classes at the Williams-Sonoma store (see a full schedule below). Here’s what they had to say about it.

Sondra Bernstein, Proprietor, the girl & the fig “I have had the pleasure of meeting Chuck on several occasions, serving him and talking about some of his early memories of being in Sonoma. I think I fell off my chair the first time the Williams-Sonoma food buyer inquired about our food products for inclusion in their catalog. It was a pivotal moment for us. Williams-Sonoma has created a worldwide reputation for being the irrefutable expert in food and entertaining. Williams-Sonoma belongs in our town. I love that this location is more of a boutique store and that it will be an original, just like how it began.”

Duskie Estes, Chef/Co-Owner of Zazu Kitchen + Farm and Black Pig Meat Co. “We are so excited to be a part of Williams Sonoma’s homecoming back to its original spot. They have always showcased Sonoma’s style and sensibility. I can’t wait to have a place to go get all of our kitchen needs. They have 100% supported our efforts at Black Pig Meat Co. to use only the best pasture raised pigs. Welcome home! Now open the damn doors.”

Cindy Pawlcyn, Chef/Owner, Mustards Grill and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen “Chuck Williams is one of my culinary heroes, and I was honored to bake a pineapple upside-down cake for his 80th birthday. When Williams-Sonoma opened in [my hometown] Minneapolis, it was a big-time treat for me to get to the store.”

• 10/7: Chef Jen Demerest of Harvest Moon Cafe
• 10/13: Executive Chef Billy Reid of HopMonk Tavern
• 10/14: Chef/Owner Duskie Estes of Zazu Kitchen & Farm
• 10/20: Chef and Culinary Instructor Jason Kupper
• 10/21: Chef Dustin Valette of Dry Creek Kitchen
• 11/3: Executive Chef Todd Thompson of The Red Grape
• 11/11: St. Francis Winery – Wine Pairing Dinner
• 12/12: Chef Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards Grill