Meet Chef Dominic Orsini of Silver Oak Cellars, Napa Valley
Rows after row of grapes, verdant land, blue skies and good living. The Napa Valley in California lives and breathes a type of symbiotic balance the dynamic environment interacting with people, active living combined with abundant access to quality foods and dining experiences, and all infused with mindful moments spent enjoying a life among the vines of the region.
Recently I caught up with Chef Dominic Orsini, Winery Chef for Silver Oak Cellars in the Napa Valley. We’re teaming up in July at the 8th annual Napa Festival del Sole, a 10-day celebration of music and dance, food and wine. . .and wellness.
As a special event, during the Festival, Chef Dominic will orchestrate the symphony on our plates with foods that showcase his culinary style: “simple, attractive, fresh, and soul-satisfying.” And I’ll harmonize, by presenting remarks course-by-glorious-course about the healthfulness of the ingredients and qualities of the overall meal experience featured on this afternoon of dining. There I’ll be reflecting with guests about the parallels of our meal to the traditional Mediterranean diet that research has shown not only to be health-promoting, but one that is also delicious. Chef Dominic and I and the guests will share food, drink, entertainment and healthy conversation in the company of new friends.
In planning our event, I thought it would be a fun time to tap Chef Dominic’s culinary mind to share with us some of his ‘secrets’ to his creative kitchen housed on a vineyard amongst the acres of vines and organic vegetable gardens.
Where Chef Dominic found his culinary passion.
Inspired by the “fresh vegetables and ‘real’ cooking” of his Italian grandfather’s garden and the kitchen of his Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother, Chef Dominic knew early in his career that he wanted to be a wine country trained chef. And he trained professionally at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America.
The essential tool for the home cook?
Counter Space! Surprised? I was. Chef Dominic assures us that he’s not suggesting we have to have a big kitchen. Rather: “I suggest that whatever counter space you do have please don’t clutter it with knickknacks or too many appliances.” Great advice from someone who knows!
On what’s important when plating a meal for his dining guests at Silver Oak?
“The actual plate that I will be putting my food on has a huge influence on how the food will look.” At Silver Oak, he uses bone china white plates with a modern style. “I find myself wanting to keep my food tight, tall and petite when I am putting food on these dishes.” And when he does use some pops of color in the plates, he uses warm earth tones and keeps the foods to “just two or three items with simple bold colors.”
How he integrates the season and the organic gardens of Silver Oak Cellars into his cuisine.
Chef Dominic amplifies his commitment to the gardens and the grounds when he adds, it’s all about “time and place.” You could hear his enthusiasm and sincerity when he told me, “My food and style of cuisine are driven by the environment and ingredients of Napa Valley, and the rhythms of nature. Not just what’s in the garden, but the weather.” If it’s hot outside “and above 85 degrees? Then you will see more raw food ingredients and chilled soups from my kitchen. When it is cold and rainy, I like to serve heartier fare.” Now, that’s attention to the seasonal microclimate!
His challenge to us?. . .getting organized.
“Plan, prepare, be ready to cook what you are going to cook. When you ‘wing-it’ with your food, you can taste it.” Enough said.
Right now. His favorite ‘now’ recipe. . .and as it turns out, for a long time, is Wood Oven Pizza. He’s been making pizzas for most of his professional career and the wood oven at Silver Oak Cellars brings it to another level for Chef Dominic. “I just love the artistry and heritage of it,” he reveals.
He not only cooks like he means it, but he walks the talk with his approach to Napa Valley living. . . he maintains a healthy lifestyle, too.
To balance his life that is professionally centered around food, Chef Dominic rides his bike in the Napa Valley as much as his busy schedule allows. And even though winters in Napa are mild by comparison to other parts of the country, he likes to hit the slopes on a snowboard when the snow begins to fall.
Do share! If we’re going to fully appreciate the healing lifestyle of Napa Valley and on of its celebrated chefs, surely we need a recipe. And Chef Dominic delivers with his
Crispy-Skin Chicken Breast with Seasonal Arugula and Peaches.
To learn more about the Festival del Sole, visit www.festivaldelsole.org. Check out Silver Oak Cellars at www.silveroak.com. And be sure to keep up with Chef Dominic @ChefOrsini on Twitter and Instagram.
Wendy Bazilian (www.wendybazilian.com) is a doctor of public health, registered dietitian and freelance writer in San Diego. She is a nutrition consultant to the spa industry and Co-Founder of Bazilian’s Health Clinic with her husband and business partner, Dr. Jason Bazilian. Dr. Wendy is author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet (Rodale). Find her on facebook at
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