Octopus sizzled over open flame and whole lambs turned on an aspen-wood dome as Graton Resort & Casino threw open the gates on its first-ever Savor Sonoma festival, a two-day food and wine celebration that drew Top Chef alumni and Sonoma County’s own culinary stars to Rohnert Park. The inaugural event ran Friday and Saturday, and by all accounts it delivered on its live-fire promise, with chefs cooking whole proteins over open flame in front of a crowd that lined up for a taste of nearly every station.
According to The Press Democrat, the festival’s flagship Live Fire & Vine event took place Saturday poolside at the Graton Resort Hotel, featuring local restaurants, wineries and breweries alongside chefs cooking over open fire. Aarón Sánchez, the chef and restaurateur known for his longtime appearances on MasterChef and Chopped, headlined the festival and served small plates of grilled chicken with congri, tomato, peach salad and crystal mojo sauce. Sánchez, who owns Johnny Sánchez restaurant in New Orleans, joined a lineup that paired nationally recognized culinary talent with some of Sonoma County’s best-known chefs, per the same account.
Top Chef alumni Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio, who co-own Voltaggio Brothers Steak House, cooked paella for the crowd, while chef Marcus Samuelsson, associated with Top Chef Masters, also appeared at the festival. Roy Ellamar, Graton Resort’s executive chef who leads the newly opened rooftop restaurant AYA, prepared bluefin tuna for guests. Nyesha Arrington grilled a Santa Maria tomahawk ribeye steak in Rohnert Park, and Jeremy Whitcomb prepared a vegetarian paella with Jimmy Nardello peppers, the outlet’s report notes.
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Sonoma County’s own dining scene was well represented alongside the visiting names. Charlie Palmer, founder of the Charlie Palmer Collective and associated with Dry Creek Kitchen and Folia Bar & Kitchen, appeared at Savor Sonoma; Palmer opened the culinary-driven Appellation Healdsburg hotel in late 2025, with Folia Bar & Kitchen now run by his son, Chef Reed Palmer, according to Appellation Hotels. Dustin Valette, who is associated with Valette and The Matheson, also appeared at the festival. Valette, a third-generation Healdsburg native, serves on the National Advisory Council for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which oversees the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund that benefited from the weekend’s proceeds, according to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation…