New Shifting the Lens - J Vineyard & Winery

SHIFTING THE LENS 2024

New cuisines, exciting pairings, and fresh perspectives—Shifting the Lens, our award-winning culinary series, is back for another year with all-new guest chefs and menus that will make you rethink your approach to wine and food pairings.

Each Shifting the Lens residency includes daytime tasting experiences from Thursday to Sunday in the Bubble Room. During Dinner & Dialogue, guests partake in the five-course pairing menu and join an intimate discussion with the guest chef, Winemaker Nicole Hitchcock and other winery leaders about their perspectives on food, wine and culture.

Chef Rashida Holmes

Residency August 29 – September 1

A 2024 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Chef, Chef Holmes has made an indelible mark on the culinary world by putting the flavors of her Afro-Caribbean heritage in the spotlight. In 2019 she opened her pop-up concept, which garnered tremendous media coverage and acclaim. Named Eater’s Best New Restaurant in Los Angeles and Pop-up of the Year by Esquire Magazine in 2021, her personal take on Caribbean classics has also won her new dedicated fans and repeat customers.

Meet Rashida

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Chef Rashida Holmes is a featured chef in the J Vineyards and Winery Culinary program

CHEF DAMARR BROWN

Residency October 17 – October 20

With a wealth of accolades, including Top Chef Season 19 final four, Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef in America 2022, and the 2023 James Beard Award for Emerging Chef, Chef Brown has made a name for himself in the Chicago culinary scene. Bringing Southern traditions and the cuisines of the African diaspora to the table at his co-owned restaurant, Chef Brown believes that food has the power to connect people from a variety of backgrounds, fostering inclusivity and a culture of equity.

Meet Damarr

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Check out the food and wine series at J Vineyards and Winery in Healdsburg, CA

Shifting the Lens is an award winning culinary program in Healdsburg, CA brought to you by J Vineyards and Winery

MEMBERS ENJOY FIRST ACCESS

From first access to event tickets, Club J members receive exclusive benefits for events and experiences.

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SHIFTING THE LENS SUPPORTS SHONE FARM

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm is dedicated to educating a diverse and culturally rich student population and opening agricultural opportunities to all — a cause that aligns with our Shifting the Lens philosophy and one we proudly support.

The culinary series, Shifting the Lens, is a proud sponsor of Shone Farm

Starting in 2023 and continuing this year, J will contribute $30,000 annually to the SRJC Shone Farm Agricultural Education fund, which will sponsor three students in their working internships at Shone Farm for the academic year.

J Vineyards and Winery is a proud sponsor of Shone Farms

With a 365-acre outdoor learning laboratory, the farm provides students with hands-on agricultural experience that cannot be duplicated in the classroom.

Chef Rashida and Chef Damarr at Shone Farm

Shifting the Lens Culinary Series at J Vineyards and Winery has won several awards over the last couple years

A LOOK BACK AT SHIFTING THE LENS

Since 2022, Shifting the Lens has shone a spotlight on cuisines and perspectives historically overlooked in the wine culinary space. With the help of acclaimed guest chefs from diverse backgrounds, Shifting the Lens hit a milestone last year by winning the Sonoma County Tourism Innovation Award, acknowledging our work to develop an inclusive atmosphere and promote a greater level of diversity in all aspects of the wine industry.

PAST RESIDENCIES

CHEF ANA CASTRO

SEPTEMBER 2023

Named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2022, Chef Castro delivered an unbelievable tasting experience that brought the best authentic Mexican cuisine to the Bubble Room. She gave us a peek into her world through flavorful dishes and inspiring Dinner & Dialogue events, infusing every aspect with her warmth and perspective. Click to read more on Press Democrat

The Shifting the Lens Culinary Series boasts award winning chefs and wines at J Vineyards and Winery

KAMPACHI TOSTADA

Mexican cuisine with a raw twist, Chef Castro’s tostada of kampachi, avocado ash and currant tomatoes is paired with Blanc de Blancs’ vibrant palate of Meyer lemon, tangerine peel, orange blossom and quince.

2016 Russian River Valley

Blanc De Blancs

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J Vineyards and Winery boasts phenomenal dishes and wines

CHEF TU DAVID PHU

MAY 2023

An Emmy Award nominee, Top Chef contestant, James Beard Award nominee and a San Francisco Chronicle “Rising Star Chef,” Chef Phu kicked off Shifting the Lens 2023 with a burst of flavor, panache and community. He brought guests into his world through his incredible Vietnamese tasting menu and shared the stories and inspiration behind every dish.

Chef David Tu was a featured chef in the J Vineyards and Winery Culinary program known as Shifting the Lens

campuchia style bbq liberty duck

Chef Phu’s Southeast Asian-style duck with honey, ginger and scallions, rests atop bearnaise, and is complemented by STRATA Pinot’s spicy hints of clove, aniseed, dark cocoa and allspice.

2021 Russian River Valley

Strata Pinot Noir

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Chef David Tu created beautiful dishes as part of the 2023 Shifting the Lens program

CHEF SHENARRI FREEMAN

SEPTEMBER 2022

Recently deemed “New York City’s Buzziest New Chef” by Vogue, Chef Freeman made an instant impact when she brought her soul-food inspired, plant-based cuisine to the Bubble Room for Shifting the Lens. She shares our belief that an exceptional meal goes far beyond pleasing the palate — it has the power to heal us and connect us with something larger than ourselves.

Shenarri Freeman was a featured chef in the J Vineyards and Winery Culinary program.

Jerk oyster mushroom

Chef Freeman’s inventive play on vegetarian jerk features an oyster mushroom on a bed of faro and pine nut ricotta, sprinkled with pickled radish. Paired with Vintage Brut, the wine offers white raspberry, plum and hazelnuts.

2015 Russian River Valley

Vintage Brut

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Shifting the Lens Culinary Series was proud to feature Shenarri Freeman

CHEF PREETI MISTRY

AUGUST 2022

Two-time nominee of Best Chef of the West by the James Beard Foundation, Chef Mistry used nuanced flavor combinations inspired by their upbringing on traditional Indian cuisine as a platform to evoke introspection, connection and emotion throughout Shifting the Lens. With ingredients like green garbanzo beans, stone fruit and sprouted mung puri with hibiscus pani, Chef Mistry’s menu uniquely represented a world beyond the dinner table.

The Shifting the Lens Culinary series in Healdsburg, CA features award winning chefs and of course food and wine pairing

Burnt Masala Quail

Chef Mistry highlights burnt masala quail with tamarind and pickled melon relish with the crisp minerality of J Brut Rosé. The wine’s notes of mandarin orange, ripe raspberries and crème fraîche are a superb complement to the captivating flavors of the quail.

Russian River Valley

Brut Rosé

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J Vineyards and Winery features an award winning culinary program in Healdsburg, CA

CHEF JENNY DORSEY

JULY 2022

The first of our guest-chefs in residence, Chef Jenny Dorsey brought unexpected flavor combinations and a narrative arc that memorably launched our Shifting the Lens culinary series. As the co-founder of the award-winning non-profit Studio ATAO (“All Together At Once”), Chef Dorsey believes that by embracing food as a vehicle for emotional expression, we are able to connect with ourselves and each other with a renewed depth and sense of vulnerability.

J Vineyards and winery offers guests unparalleled culinary experiences paired with award winning wines and chefs

Dungeness Crab

Chef Dorsey chose Russian River Valley Pinot Gris to pair with her fresh Dungeness crab with pea tips and pickled shiitake mushrooms resting atop corzetti pasta. The wine’s layered notes of stone fruit, green apple and food-friendly acidity made it a perfect match for this dish.

2020 Russian River Valley

Estate Pinot Gris

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