Chris Kostow, Napa Valley, California

With an impressive three Michelin Stars and a breathtaking backdrop in California wine country, it doesn’t get much better than Kostow’s modern, local cuisine at Meadowood. Kostow, who describes his cuisine as “thoughtful,” is a natural talent, but honed his technique by cooking at the Michelin-starred Le Jardin des Sens in Provence. If you're planning a wine-tasting trip to Napa any time soon, Meadowood is a spot that can't be missed.

Date-night dinner: Slow-cooked salmon with vegetables from our garden at St. Helena Montessori School.

Favorite way to sweat: Working out with Mitch, a trainer at Health Spa Napa Valley.

Food splurge: Pre-made cookie dough cookies hot from the oven.

Christopher Kostow is Executive Chef at The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley, California. Under Chef Kostow, The Restaurant was awarded three stars from the Michelin Guide in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2013, Chef Kostow was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: West.”


Christopher Kostow

Born Christopher Kostow
1976
Highland Park, Illinois
Cooking style California, French, and New American
Education Apprenticeship
Spouse Martina Kostow
Current restaurant(s)[show]
Christopher Kostow is Executive Chef at The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley, California. Under Chef Kostow, The Restaurant was awarded three stars from the Michelin Guide in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2013, Chef Kostow was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: West.”
Contents [hide]
1 Life & career
2 Restaurants
3 Awards
4 Television appearances
5 References
6 External links
Life & career[edit source | editbeta]

Chef Kostow grew up in Highland Park, Illinois, and earned a degree in philosophy from Hamilton College in New York. He worked under Trey Foshee at Georges at the Cove in San Diego before moving to France to immerse himself in French cuisine through apprenticeships, after which he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. In San Francisco, Chef Kostow worked under Daniel Patterson at Elizabeth Daniel and Daniel Humm at Campton Place Restaurant before accepting his first executive position at Chez TJ in Mountain View. Chef Kostow has been at The Restaurant at Meadowood since 2008.
Restaurants[edit source | editbeta]

The Restaurant at Meadowood, Napa Valley, CA
Chez TJ, Mountain View, CA
Campton Place Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
Elizabeth Daniel, San Francisco, CA
La Terrasse, Côte d’Azur, France
Chez Georges, Paris, France
Georges at the Cove, La Jolla, CA
Awards[edit source | editbeta]

2013 “Best Chef: West,” James Beard Foundation Award
2013 Three Michelin Stars, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Michelin Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2013[1]
2013 #2 on Bon Appétit magazine’s “The 20 Most Important Restaurants in America”[2]
2012 Three Michelin Stars, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Michelin Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2012[3]
2012 “Regional Champion,” Time Magazine[4]
2012 “Chef of the Year,” Eater SF Awards 2012[5]
2011 Three Michelin Stars, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Michelin Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2011[6]
2010 Four Stars, San Francisco Chronicle[7]
2010 Two Michelin Stars, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Michelin Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2010[8]
2009 “Best New Chefs,” Food & Wine[9]
2009 Two Michelin Stars, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Michelin Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2009[10]
2008 Two Michelin Stars, Chez TJ, Michelin Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2008[11]
2007 One Michelin Star, Chez TJ, Michelin Guide San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2007[12]
Television appearances[edit source | editbeta]

2010 Iron Chef America[13] vs. Cat Cora in “Battle Oatmeal,” on the Food Network, Episode IA0820H[14]
2010 Food(ography), on the Cooking Channel Season 1, Episode 14
References[edit source | editbeta]

^ 2013 Michelin star recipients (Bay Area)
^ "The 20 Most Important Restaurants in America"
^ 2012 Michelin star recipients (Bay Area)
^ Time Magazine
^ Eater SF Awards 2012
^ Lucchesi, Paolo (October 26, 2010) 2011 Michelin star recipients (Bay Area) [1]
^ Bauer, Michael (February 18, 2010) Four-Star SF Chronicle Review
^ 2010 Michelin star recipients (Bay Area)
^ F&W Best New Chefs 2009
^ 2009 Michelin star recipients (Bay Area)
^ 2008 Michelin star recipients (Bay Area)
^ 2007 Michelin star recipients (Bay Area)
^ Iron Chef America Season 8
^ Video of Iron Chef America: Cora vs. Kostow, "Battle Oatmeal"
External links[edit source | editbeta]

http://www.therestaurantatmeadowood.com/