northern california bistronomy center

My husband and I enjoyed a full day experience at NCBC. We started with a tour of the organic garden with the chance to pick produce for lunch and dinner as well as learn from the master gardener. I liked that she was very approachable and happy to answer my gardening questions. I appreciated learning about how to plant to reduce pests naturally. Since we've been they finished putting a bocce court in that area as well which would be super fun. After making some fresh salads there was time for some exploring of the property as well as wine tasting from a local family vineyard. Dinner preparation was great because we didn't have recipes. Instead teams worked on preparations of the proteins, with input from Chef Nick. He was a great coach, and just as interested in hearing our ideas as imparting his own. I loved having access to a real French chef in creating some dishes. He even liked my innovation of a pepita arugula chimichurri for the steak. Dinner was on the deck as the sun set. It was definitely a real get-away and the best part was having access to these experts who were so approachable and interested in what they were doing. It would be great for groups, as well as a good team building opportunity as they have a small conference room facility. Remember it is a farm though- so dress accordingly and expect some dirt on your shoes at the end of the day!

We spent a gorgeous summer day in the gardens, kitchens and setting of the Northern California Bistronomy Center ("NCBC"). The facility is located in northern Napa Valley, a scenic drive over the hill from either St. Helena or Calistoga. We began with an introduction to the day and the NCBC staff, and an overview of the property. One of the most impressive parts of the day was the chance to spend time in NCBC's gardens (they supply fresh produce to Chef Nick Ronan's restaurants in San Francisco - he was also our chef for the day's cooking class.) Far more interesting than the farmer's market visits we've made in connection with cooking classes in other locations, this walk with their master gardener included an explanation of organic farming techniques, taste testing of various varieties of the produce being grown, and the chance to hand pick produce for the day's cooking.After moving back to NCBC's kitchens (both indoor and outdoor kitchen workspaces are available), we were introduced by Chef Nick to the "bistronomy" cooking experience. This was a real treat -- rather than following rote recipes, Nick encouraged each team of 2-3 to develop our own flavor profiles and dishes using the fresh produce and herbs we'd just picked, along with beautiful proteins and other supplies he provided. The chance to learn from a professional chef was worth the trip in itself. We cooked a terrific multi-course meal, which we then enjoyed (along with wine pairing) on the deck overlooking the pool and the hills beyond. The day provided a great escape, and a nice change of pace from wine tasting and other usual Napa Valley excursions.