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In this episode of The Good Stuff presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk to Mark (Executive Chef & Co-Founder) & Terri (Hospitality Director & Co-Founder) Stark, of Stark Reality Restaurants.

Mark and Terri Stark are the husband-and-wife team behind Stark Reality Restaurants, a collection of eight locally loved restaurants in Sonoma County. They opened their first, Willi’s Wine Bar, in 2002, introducing the small plates concept to Santa Rosa. Over the next two decades, they steadily expanded their footprint with Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar in Healdsburg (2003), Monti’s Rotisserie (2004), Stark’s Steak & Seafood (2008), Bravas Bar de Tapas (2012), Bird & The Bottle (2015), Grossman’s Noshery & Bar (2020), and most recently Augie’s French in 2023.

Mark and Terri met while working for the California Cafe Restaurant Group in Palo Alto—he was a regional chef, and she managed catering. They married in 1999 and moved to Sonoma County soon after, where Terri’s family has lived for four generations.

In 2017, the original Willi’s Wine Bar was lost in the Tubbs Fire. The Starks rebuilt and reopened it in 2019 at a new location in Santa Rosa’s Town & Country Center. Less than a year later, they opened Grossman’s just as COVID-19 lockdowns began—a reflection of their persistence and resilience.

Mark, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, oversees the kitchens, while Terri, who studied hospitality at the University of Oregon, runs front-of-house operations. Together, they’ve created distinct restaurant concepts that reflect their culinary creativity and deep local roots.

Their restaurants have earned a range of honors, including San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 recognition and Michelin Bib Gourmands. They were also named semifinalists for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateurs.

The couple also founded Stark Reality Restaurants in 2006 to formally manage their growing team, which now includes more than 400 employees. They’ve offered health care to full-time staff from day one and are especially proud of the longevity and growth of their team. Many employees have been with them for ten years or more, and most of their chefs started as cooks or dishwashers. Terri calls it “stocking our own pond.” Mark puts it simply: “At least 20 employees who started out washing dishes and bussing tables now own their houses—more than anything else, that is our greatest accomplishment.”

Each restaurant features a carefully selected wine list tailored to the menu and ambiance. Augie’s French leans toward French imports alongside Sonoma wines; Bravas emphasizes Spanish varietals; and Willi’s Wine Bar balances local and international offerings. Across the board, Sonoma County wines remain a key focus. For the Starks, it’s never been just about food and service—those are a given. Their goal is to create an experience that keeps people coming back. With eight restaurants and a loyal following, that philosophy continues to pay off.

Restaurants:

• Willi’s Wine Bar (Santa Rosa): Introduced the small plates concept to the area, offering international flavors in a casual setting.
• Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar (Healdsburg): Combines East Coast seafood traditions with South American influences, featuring an array of small plates.
• Stark’s Steak & Seafood (Santa Rosa): A modern steakhouse known for its in-house aged beef and classic cocktails, housed in a historic building.
• Bravas Bar de Tapas (Healdsburg): Offers authentic Spanish tapas and was inspired by the Starks' culinary explorations in Spain.
• Monti’s Rotisserie (Santa Rosa): Features wood-fired meats and Mediterranean-inspired dishes in a relaxed atmosphere.
• Bird & The Bottle (Santa Rosa): A modern tavern that blends flavors from various American culinary traditions, including Southern, Asian, and Jewish cuisines.
• Grossman’s Noshery & Bar (Santa Rosa): A Jewish deli-inspired eatery offering traditional favorites with a contemporary twist.
• Augie’s French (Santa Rosa): The latest addition, paying homage to classic French bistro fare, named after culinary legend Auguste Escoffier.

The Wine:

Across their Stark Reality Restaurants, Mark and Terri Stark have curated wine lists that match each restaurant’s style and highlight Sonoma County wines. Augie’s French features mostly French wines alongside Sonoma selections. Bravas Bar de Tapas focuses on Spanish varietals, and Willi’s Wine Bar offers a broad range of local and international wines to pair with their small plates. Each list supports the food and showcases the diversity of Sonoma County wines.

And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!

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GUEST:

Philip Tessier

Under Study-A Culinary Playground

Cafe, Patisserie, Baker, Butcher Counter

595 St. Helena Hwy

St. Helena

Under-Study | Napa Valley | A Culinary Playground & Marketplace

Get you questions answered two ways

Phone 9-11 at 707-636-1350

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Dennis with the weekly Farmers Market Update....Check out all about them for other days and other cities

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ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

In this episode of The Good Stuff presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk to Rick Hutchinson, Owner, President, and Winemaker for Amphora Winery.

A native of Sonoma County, Rick Hutchinson found his way into winemaking at just 20 years old, working on the bottling line at Sebastiani Winery. One step into the cellar and he was transported—those rich, fermenting aromas reminded him of the late-summer canning days of his youth, when his mother’s kitchen was filled with the scent of jams and jellies.

That moment sparked a lifelong passion. Rick went on to learn the craft under renowned winemakers like Doug Nalle and John Kongsgaard, gaining deep familiarity with the vineyards and terroir of Sonoma County—especially the bold Zinfandel and Petite Sirah of Dry Creek Valley.

While honing his winemaking skills, Rick also discovered an unexpected artistic talent. A pottery class led him to create his own amphorae—ancient clay vessels once used to store wine. That blend of art and craft would soon become the foundation for his own winery.

Amphora

In 1997, Rick founded Amphora Winery—starting with three tons each of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, a few barrels, and a lot of passion. He made those first wines in the basement of an old redwood barn in Dry Creek Valley. Thanks to early support from friends and colleagues, his debut vintages nearly sold out before they were bottled.

The name Amphora and its iconic label come from Rick’s handmade clay vessels, and that connection is more than symbolic. Amphora specializes in fermenting and aging wine in traditional Italian terracotta, one of the few wineries in California doing so.

By 2006, demand outgrew the original barn, prompting a move to a repurposed cold-storage building in the Timber Crest complex. The new, temperature-controlled space gave Rick the freedom to expand Amphora’s offerings beyond Dry Creek staples.

Today, Amphora produces a diverse lineup of small-lot wines—from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Syrah to lesser-known varietals like Teroldego, Mourvèdre, Alicante Bouschet, Vermentino, and sparkling rosé. Through it all, Rick has stayed true to his winemaking philosophy: work with hands-on growers, source the best grapes, and craft balanced wines that let each varietal and vintage speak for itself.

And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!

Host Clark Wolf talks with Carmen Snyder, Executive Director of Farm Trails, Ellen Cavalli, Program Manager of Farm Trails, & Preeti Mistry, Chef/Podcaster/James Beard Award Winner, about the 52nd Gravenstein Apple Fair! In addition, they discuss the "Apple Alley" & zero waste focus of the fair, ticket packages, the VIP experience, kid friendly activities, food/libations vendors (what Clark calls "Farmer's Market Fair Food") as well as Preeti's "Queer Soup Night" & James Beard Award!

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GUEST: David Nayfeld...Author

Book: Dad....Whats For Dinner...Lifesaving Recipes to Avoid Meltdowns

Have Fun in the Kitchen and Keep Yor Kids Well Fed

Plus Steve and John had Fathers Day Menus....Grilled Cheese Variety