Chef Todd Knoll
A 20-year wine country veteran, Chef Knoll worked for both Jordan Winery and the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco. A member of the Sonoma County Mycological Association, Chef Knoll is an enthusiastic forager and hunts for mushrooms, sea lettuce, and seaweed in Sonoma County. He even harvests his own salt from local seawater – a passion he shares with Chef Bellec, as they both grew up in coastal towns – Chef Bellec in France and Chef Knoll in Hawaii. “The feeling here at Bricoleur Vineyards is so inviting, I feel at home already. The collaboration and support here are amazing,” said Chef Knoll. “We share the same philosophy on wine & food pairings, too. Using textures and flavors, we want to match or contrast good food and good wine. It shouldn’t be over-thought. It should be fun!” Chef Knoll is making the most of the estate’s sustainably-farmed garden.
Embracing the “estate to plate” approach at Bricoleur Vineyards, he’s working with Bricoleur’s farmer, Mikey de Paolo, to plant pumpkins for fall, saffron for winter, mushrooms, and herbs like lemon grass.