
The best alternative to dress to the nines, drink hella wine and seize a few of your maximum Instagram-worthy content material is a commute to a winery. And in the event you’re truly feeling like engulfing your self within the revel in, a commute to Sonoma is indubitably a should . J Vineyards & Vineyard, tucked within the Russian River Valley is aware of that very best. That’s why they introduced a three-part culinary residency this summer time in collaboration with Cooks Jenny Dorsey, Preeti Mistry, and Shenarri Freeman. With every chef debuting menu takeovers at J’s Bubble Room in Sonoma County, the purpose is to inspire dialog and illustration within the meals and wine trade.
Kicking off July 2022, the 3 cooks started rotating thru two-week culinary residencies with Winemaker Nicole Hitchcock the place visitors were in a position to have interaction at once with the cooks to be informed extra about their tale, ingenious procedure and inspiration for each and every dish.
Deemed “New York’s Buzziest Chef” Chef Shenarri “Vegetables” Freeman can be gracing J Vineyards & Vineyard along with her abilities — and it’s now not an revel in she’s taking calmly.
“My preliminary inspiration for operating with J Vineyards & Vineyard on Moving the Lens was once that it’s a
woman-led collection,” she tells ESSENCE. “I really like operating with different girls within the trade, studying from them and studying about their tales. Moving the Lens to me approach converting the scope of the way we see the sector thru meals. It is a truly distinctive alternative to deliver our backgrounds and cultures in combination on a plate.”
And whilst she’s super-versed in meals, she’s excited to be informed extra about wine pairings.

“I’m going into this revel in with an open center and an open thoughts,” she says. “I’m having a look ahead to increasing my wisdom about wine pairings to assist raise my meals. As a chef, I feel it’s vital for us to be informed out of doors of the kitchen and stay our palettes curious.”
The nickname “vegetables” could also be great self-explanatory, with Freeman striking in combination an absolutely vegan menu. “After this revel in with Moving the Lens, I need other people to take into account that vegan meals isn’t one-dimensional,” Freeman stocks. “I need other people to stroll out of this dinner and recognize the variety of greens. The meals that I’m cooking nowadays is a sworn statement of this. My meals has its personal tale to inform, one plate at a time.”

Whilst visitors are inspired to come back as they’re — the wealthy environment of the winery inspire colourful hues, free-flowing silhouettes and remark equipment. And in case you wish to have to compare the customized packaging curated by way of every chef for his or her residency — you will have golds, pinks and hanging blues to make a choice from. It doesn’t matter what you put on (a handy guide a rough scroll throughout the vineyard’s web page will display the variety of patron studies), simply be in a position to take pleasure in one of the very best wine California has to provide.
The Moving the Lens Cooks’ Sequence residencies are scheduled as follows:
- August 18-21; August 25-28: Chef Preeti Mistry, two times nominated by way of the James Beard Basis for “Very best Chef of the West,” is the previous proprietor of Oakland’s Juhu Seashore Membership and Navi Kitchen. Mistry could also be identified for competing on Best Chef Season 6 and is the co-author of The Juhu Seashore Membership Cookbook.
- September 29-October 2; October 6-9: Lately dwelling in New York Town, Chef Shenarri “Vegetables” Freeman is a plant-based chef, holistic researcher and well being and wellness recommend. Recognized for her soulful Southern cooking, Freeman has been just lately profiled within the New York Instances, Bloomberg, and Trend.
Take a look at tickets for your self right here.