Dry Creek Kitchen

Progressive American Wine Country Cuisine by Legendary Chef Charlie Palmer

Dry Creek Kitchen by Chef Charlie Palmer is set on Healdsburg’s historic tree lined Plaza at the Hotel Healdsburg that combines vibrant American cooking and world class bottlings with the intimate charm of a small town and true wine country hospitality.

Palmer brings his signature style to Sonoma County with ingredients grown and raised by farms up the road and wines by local vintners. Chef Palmer was drawn to Healdsburg for its incredible produce, world-class wines, and a sense of community. The inviting dining room is punctuated by sculptural floral arrangements, floor-to-ceiling windows and oversized doors which open to a lovely patio, evoking wine country’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle.

Palmer received critical acclaim for his signature Progressive American cooking, a style built on rambunctious flavors and unexpected combinations with a deep and lasting infusion of classical French technique. Born and raised in upstate New York and classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Charlie Palmer started his Executive Chef career at The River Café in Brooklyn, NY. In 1988, Palmer made a landmark commitment to creating dishes featuring regional American ingredients at the sublime Aureole, at the time situated in a 19th century town house off Manhattan’s Madison Avenue. After two decades in its landmark location, Palmer’s flagship restaurant took up residence in the spectacular One Bryant Park in Times Square, one of the world’s most environmentally advanced skyscrapers, where it continued its culinary legacy of intense flavors and unexpected combinations matched by an award-winning wine list. In 1999, Palmer opened Aureole in the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, and his modern American steakhouse, Charlie Palmer Steak in The Four Seasons. Over the next 20 years, Palmer combined his creative cooking spirit and flair for business into 15 notable locations spanning the country and a growing collection of boutique hotels.

A frequent guest on NBC’s Today Show, Bravo’s Top Chef, The Rachael Ray Show and more, Palmer is also the author of six cookbooks. He and his family live bi-coastally between New York and Healdsburg, CA, also home to his vineyards—the foundation for Charlie Clay Pinot Noir, a joint venture with vintner Clay Mauritson, now in its tenth vintage.

Chef Wyatt Keith worked at Palmer’s Harvest Table in St. Helena, and quickly climbed the ranks at Dry Creek Kitchen, becoming Executive Chef in 2021. Wyatt’s skill, respect for ingredients, and passion for his craft make him a natural fit for Dry Creek Kitchen. Chef Palmer says, “It’s been great watching Wyatt work hard and grow into the role of Executive Chef. His kitchen and cooking style lends itself naturally to DCK and I’m thrilled to have him as a leader in the kitchen.”

Erin Miller, Wine Director at Dry Creek Kitchen and Marla Bedrosian, Owner at Domaine de la Rivière

We were treated to an exquisite pairing of Dry Creek Kitchen’s signature dishes with local wines, chosen by Sommelier Erin Miller. While many sommeliers have shifted course to become winemakers, Erin has the rather unusual distinction of coming to her new role as a veteran winemaker rather than as a sommelier, and feels that her passion and expertise for making wine will provide restaurant guests with a different perspective. Initially planning to become a doctor, Erin’s path led her to become a vigneron, developing an understanding of the grape growing process and how every decision made in the vineyard affects the final product fueled her passion. Prior to joining the Dry Creek Kitchen team, she worked with Evening Land Vineyards, Twomey Cellars, and Provingage Wine Associates, and continues to make wine with grower friends. We enjoyed her enthusiasm and passion in helping deepen guests’ experience and appreciation of their wine selections by sharing details of the journey of the grape from the vineyard to the table. For an aperitif or night cap, don’t miss Spirit Bar in the adjacent Hotel Healdsburg’s stylish Fireplace Lobby Lounge.

Our beautiful dinner began with a toast and a sampling of signature appetizers, including local Highway 12 Heirloom Melon with Romano-Palmer Coppa and Castelvetrano olive crumble, Belfiore Burrata with summer squash escabeche and heirloom tomato and petite basil, Seared Spanish Octopus with heirloom cucumber, cherry tomato, avocado, pickled Fresno chile, and fingerlime, Palmer Estate Tomato Salad with charred Dry Creek Peach, pistachio, golden balsamic vinaigrette, and toasted focaccia, Forever Oceans Kanpachi Crudo with watermelon, Bricoleur serrano, and petite mint, a feast for the senses! For entrees, we enjoyed Wild Mushroom Rigatoni with toybox tomato, sweet corn, and Bricoleur marjoram, Roasted Mary’s Chicken with caramelized garlic, herb butter, charred lemon, and wilted greens, Seared Liberty Duck Breast with Dry Creek yellow peach, Fregola Sarda, and friseé, Painted Hills Prime New York Strip with potato pave, Bricoleur Vineyards braised radish and leek, and Big Glory Bay Salmon with nardello pepper, fennel dashi, and crisp caper. Last but certainly not least were a dazzling array of desserts: Meyer Lemon Bar with toasted meringue and blueberry-passionfruit coulis, Dry Creek Olive Oil Cake with citrus curd, caramelized pineapple, and mint, Strawberry Shortcake with strawberry mousse, lemon buttermilk cake, and vanilla Bavarian Cream. ☐