FOOD & WINE: THE ESSENCE OF NAPA VALLEY
As destinations go, when it comes to the Napa Valley, wine and cuisine have long been synonymous with this acclaimed location in the heart of Northern California wine country. At Meadowood, the offerings in these disciplines are not only recognized as best in class, but often credited with leading the way—and at the heart of it all stand our people and their devotion to both elevating and evolving all aspects integral to the culture of hospitality.
CHEF ALEJANDRO AYALA
Executive Chef Alejandro “Ale” Ayala oversees the estate’s overall culinary program and is at the helm of Forum—Meadowood’s central, daily restaurant. New menus are introduced every season and are thoughtfully conceived around the land, farms, and wines of the region. Paying tribute to the Napa Valley’s rich agricultural heritage, Forum showcases contemporary California dishes with distinctly Mexican influences, forging a flavorful niche in the culinary landscape of wine country.
In 2025, Chef Alejandro celebrates his thirty-ninth year with Meadowood, making him the longest-serving member of the team. Not only does he exemplify the commitment to community that is part of the Meadowood spirit, but his passion for his craft has propelled him into his role today. Chef’s break into cuisine came early on when, while working in his first role as a dishwasher, one of the Meadowood cooks taught him to make crêpes. One day, the property’s new French executive chef walked into the kitchen to find him carefully preparing a batch. Ayala recalls that the new chef asked, “What’s your job here?” “I’m the dishwasher,” he replied. A week later, the chef invited Ayala to work in the kitchen as a prep cook. “I’ve been cooking ever since,” says Ayala. Nurtured by Meadowood’s chefs and eager to broaden his skills, he steadily cultivated his technique, eventually cooking for both intimate and large-scale events catered by the estate. Chef Ale’s career path has undoubtedly been one of dedication and growth.
BEYOND THE BOTTLE WITH KELLI WHITE
With a distinct heritage as both a gathering place and learning space for the wine community, Meadowood continues to advance the cause of wine education and appreciation. Today, Kelli White, Director of Education at The Wine Center at Meadowood, serves as the lead authority on wine for the estate. An internationally recognized wine expert who began her career working for nearly a decade as a sommelier between New York City and Napa Valley, Kelli published her first book in 2015, the landmark Napa Valley, Then & Now. Most recently, she published the widely hailed Wine Confident, which The New York Times declared one of the top five wine books of 2024.
Kelli’s latest 90-minute tasting experience covers an important topic in today’s wine world: how to unite wellness with wine. In “Beyond Organics,” she explores some of the wine industry’s most important champions of holistic farming. Tackling the complex understanding of what it means to be organic, biodynamic, regenerative, and sustainable, Kelli demonstrates how each of these elements can support longevity in the bottle, for the land, and for our well-being.
We invite you to join us at Meadowood this spring and summer as we highlight the wine and cuisine of the Napa Valley daily at both Forum and The Wine Center and through special events such as curated Wine Dinners, immersive “Dawn Patrol” vineyard tours, and Vintner Chats that feature notable winemakers and luminaries of the wine world.
Contributor — Four Hundred by Design