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Chefs and Restaurants

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In the 1970s, several pioneering leaders in the restaurant industry, including chefs and restaurateurs, dedicated themselves to preparing and serving food created with fresh, seasonal, local, and sustainable ingredients. In partnership with farmers, ranchers, farmers markets and other small distributors, these chefs revolutionized California’s food scene and planted the culinary seeds of what has become known as “California cuisine.”

Photograph of 3 chefs with their arms around each other: Cindy Pawlcyn, Alice Waters, and Brad Ogden
Photograph of chefs Cindy Pawlcyn, Alice Waters and Brad Ogden (Cindy Pawlcyn Papers, D-696)
Postcard from 1990 of the Fog City Diner in San Francisco at night. The doors and a light-up "Fog City Diner" sign are in the center foreground
Postcard, Fog City Diner, San Francisco, 1990
The Fog City Diner, founded in 1985, paved the way for new interpretations of common ingredients in everyday dining. (Cindy Pawlcyn Papers, D-696)
An illustration of red and purple grapes hanging from branches is in the center foreground. The illustration is enclosed by a black, rectangle border and the background color is cream colored.
Postcard from Alice Waters to Margrit (Biever) Mondavi and Robert Mondavi, 2006 (Front)
The postcard reads the address for the Chez Panisse Cafe & Restaurant at the top left corner. The message written in black pen in the center reads "Dear Margrit and Bob, It was so beautiful to see the two of you at the Great Chefs Dinner and to sit net to you Margrit. Sadly, all of us who were honored were not able to sit together at the same table. We could have shared amazing moments. Thank you for your warmth and generosity. With great affection, Alice."
Postcard from Alice Waters to Margrit (Biever) Mondavi and Robert Mondavi, 2006 (Back)
Thank you note to the Mondavis from chef Alice Waters, who was honored at the annual Great Chefs Dinner at the Robert Mondavi Winery. (Robert G. Mondavi Papers, D-533)
A newspaper article from the Sacramento Bee. 3 men in white chefs coats are standing next to each other with an alien statue in between them. The image is in the top right with the headline on the left reading "Sacramento Kitchen heroes shine in Mondavi spotlight"
Great Chefs for a Day, newspaper clipping, The Sacramento Bee, 1989 (Gary Jenanyan Papers, D-676)
White booklet cover with a grape icon repeated throughout the background. The title at the top reads "The Great Chefs at the Robert Mondavi Winery" and a larger grape plant is in the center
Cover for booklet on The Great Chefs at the Robert Mondavi Winery, ca. 1987 (Gary Jenanyan Papers, D-676)
Banquet menu which acknowledges that Pawlcyn "has revitalized traditional 'American Diner Food' to fine cuisine
Menu, Yosemite Chefs’ Holiday, 1987 Menu created by banquet guest Chef, Cynthia “Cindy” Pawlcyn. The menu acknowledges that Pawlcyn “has revitalized traditional ‘American Diner Food’ to a level of fine cuisine.” (Cindy Pawlcyn Papers, D-696)
"Celebrity Chef - Gary Jenanyan Warm Oysters with Watercress Sauce" is written in bold, uppercase font at the top. Text below it reads "the featured winr in this recipe was Robert Mondavi 1985 Fume Blanc "20th Anniversary" A paragraph of the recipe instructions is written at the bottom.
Recipe card for Warm Oysters with Watercress Sauce (Gary Jenanyan Papers, D-676)
Letter from Margrit and Robert "Bob" Mondavi to Gary Jenanyan thanking him for the celebratory dinner he prepared. "Robert Mondavi Winery" is written on the header with an illustration of various fruits on the bottom right
Letter from Margrit and Robert “Bob” Mondavi to Gary Jenanyan, 1995
Thank you note from the Mondavis to Chef Jenanyan, who prepared a celebratory dinner for Robert Mondavi’s 75th birthday. (Gary Jenanyan Papers, D-676)
Book cover of Inside the California Food Revolution by Joyce Goldstein with Dore Brown, featuring a close-up of a green artichoke with the title centered in a black circle at its core.
Inside the California Food Revolution by Joyce Goldstein with Dore Brown, 2013. Chef and James Beard-award winning author Joyce Goldstein explores the development of California cuisine.
Food Writing