California Cuisine, Sonoma County, Yosemite

Episode 14 of the California Now Podcast offers a culinary history lesson of sorts as Hunter Lewis, editor in chief of Food & Wine magazine, explains what California cuisine is, how it took shape four decades ago, and where visitors can experience it today. Lewis and podcast host Soterios Johnson discuss some of the pioneering chefs who made the Golden State one of the best dining destinations on the planet—including Alice Waters, Jeremiah Tower, and Nancy Silverton—and then pivot to talk about the next generation of chefs who carry the torch for intensely local cooking.

After that, acclaimed rock climber Kevin Jorgeson checks in and shares some of his favorite things to do and places to go in his native Sonoma County, including spots in Petaluma, Sebastopol, and Santa Rosa. The episode ends with author Ann Marie Brown, who helps listeners hack their next visit to Yosemite National Park. Her best suggestion: Get out of your car and experience the park the way it was meant to be seen—on your feet.

Guests

• Hunter Lewis, editor in chief of Food & Wine magazine
• Kevin Jorgeson, acclaimed rock climber and one of the stars of The Dawn Wall
• Ann Marie Brown, author of 14 books about California’s outdoor wonderland

Resources

Hunter Lewis discusses the origins of California cuisine, and how travelers can experience it today. 

• Alice Waters
• Chez Panisse
• Jeremiah Tower
• Michael McCarty
• Jonathan Waxman
• Mark Peel
• Nancy Silverton
• The Last Magnificent
• Richard Olney
• Paul Bertoli
• Elizabeth David
• Judy Rodgers
• Zuni Café
• Katianna Hong
• The Charter Oak
• Jon Yao
• Rustic Canyon
• Travis Lett
• Gjelina
• Gjusta
• Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market
• Santa Monica Farmers' Market

Kevin Jorgeson shares some of his favorite places to go and things to do in Sonoma County.

• Santa Rosa
• Jenner
• Salt Point State Park
• Fort Ross
• Klamath
• Peter Lowell’s Restaurant
• Sebastopol
• Seared
• Iron Horse Vineyards
• Russian River Brewing Co.
• HenHouse Brewing Company
• Atlas Coffee Company

Ann Marie Brown helps listeners navigate their way around Yosemite National Park.

• Yosemite National Park
• Half Dome
• Yosemite waterfalls
• El Capitan
• Yosemite Valley Floor Tours
• Bicycle rentals in Yosemite
• Tioga Pass
• Tuolumne Meadows
• Glacier Point
• Sentinel Dome
• Pothole Dome
• Clouds Rest Trail
• Giant sequoias in Yosemite

About the Host

Soterios Johnson, formerly the local host of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition on radio station WNYC, moved from New York City to Davis, Calif., in 2016 and is just getting to know his surroundings. By combining his journalistic instincts with his personal curiosity, Johnson will use the California Now platform to develop a deeper understanding of his adopted home.