Kathleen Hill: Local honors, barkeep finds new home, Tyler Florence at film fest

Waikiki nominated

Karen Taylor Waikiki, owner of El Molino Central in the Springs, has been nominated for the second time as Best Chef West for the 2019 James Beard Awards, announced Feb. 27. She also produces Primavera tamales available in stores everywhere.

Musical bar stools?

'Bob the Bartender,' aka Bob Kralovec, the former bartender at Saddles Steakhouse, left that establishment when the new owners took over from founder Suzanne Brangham and has popped up all around town ever since.

A Petaluma resident, Kralovec joined the team at Mint & Liberty and left after a few weeks. Now his drink fans can find him Monday and Tuesday and Friday and Saturday evenings behind the Plaza Bistro bar. Or even at Schellville Grill waiting on tables on Sundays.

Elaine Bell Catering named to Top Ten Caterers

Local girl makes good. Sonoma-grown super caterer Elaine Bell was just named to the Best 10 Caterers in California. She and her crew join Wolfgang Puck and Tres L.A. of Los Angeles, Pierre's Catering of Westlake Village, Dash and a Handful of Palm Springs, Toast Catering of San Diego, Omni Catering of Santa Barbara, Taste Catering of San Francisco, Paradise Catering of Monterey and As You Wish Catering of Tahoe.

Having cooked for her parents and five siblings growing up here in Sonoma, Bell wanted to be a professional flutist but ended up cooking more and more. She started her business here in 1981 and grew to larger and larger facilities, culminating in owning a building in Napa Valley's airport business park.

To start, she carted her Kenmore gas range from her kitchen to Beaulieu Vineyard vineyard. Her husband was enologist there and engineered her first gig. In 1987 Dagmar Sullivan asked her to create a wedding venue at their private estate, Beaulieu Garden. Bell says, 'I created a very successful wedding venue and managed it for 22 years. I was also catering at many other wineries and venues' eventually.

Elaine Bell Catering has catered charitable events in Sonoma Valley such as the Boys & Girls Clubs Sweetheart Ball, La Luz's Noche fundraisers, and Speedway Children's Charities' Grand Marshal's banquet. At the same time, she can do a small dinner party as well as dinners for hundreds for some of the largest corporations in Northern California, all at the same time.

Congratulations, Elaine Bell.

Ovello Salumeria and Mercato opening

Wondering what has been going on behind the papered-over windows next to Curves that once housed Fiorini's Bakery and then Studebaker Cheesecake?

Michelin-starred Italian chef Andrea Marino has been warming up to open his Ovello Salumeria and Mercato this spring, which will add a welcome stop for many locals.

Last Monday Marino prepared a dinner for the Sonoma Valley Woman's Club monthly meeting at a modest price of $15 that many members raved about, from salumi (or charcuterie) to tiramisu.

Marino received one Michelin star 10 of the 15 years he owned his Antiné restaurant in Barbaresco in the Piemonte region of Italy where he grew up before working his way through 20 restaurants around Europe. Marino is married to Sonoma internist, Dr. Doreen Marino, who helps with marketing of Andrea's culinary endeavors.

Covenant Winery and Shir Shalom host wine and food tasting

Congregation Shir-Shalom will host Covenant Winery's cofounder and winemaker, Jeff Morgan, for a wine and food tasting on Sunday, March 10 at Burlingame Hall.

Morgan will present wines made with grapes grown in Northern California and Israel. Robert Parker wrote that, 'Jeff Morgan continues to make one of the finest kosher wines on Planet Earth.'

Tasters sample six wines paired with appetizers made by Wendy Hoffman, Celia Canfield and Sydney Randazzo using recipes in 'The Covenant Kitchen' cookbook. $20 advance, $25 at the door. 252 W. Spain St., Sonoma. More info at info@shir-shalom.org or get tickets online at shir-shalom.org.

Nibs & Sips

Sweet Pea Bakeshop has expanded its menu to include sandwiches of smoked salmon, ham and cheese croissant with apple and poppy seed slaw on sweet potato bun; a breakfast sandwich on a brioche bun; and a Buddha Bowl of roasted veggies, brown rice, egg whites and quinoa; a Korean barbecue beef gyro, mango chicken curry salad in a pita and potato leek soup.

Bump Wine Cellars will host a solo show of the artwork of Janet Yelner for a month beginning with an opening reception, Sunday, March 3.

Yelner will show several styles of her work, including large painting and collage; mixed media on canvas, and small, framed and matted works using fabric and ink. Yelner studied art at Sonoma State University, and has enjoyed art residencies and workshops along the way.

Yelner's husband, private chef Bruce Yelner, will make three hors d'oeuvres to be passed. Free event. Bump wines $10 a glass. 3 to 5 p.m. 521 Broadway, Sonoma.

The Epicurean Connection has leased a warehouse on Eighth Street East for cheese education, hoping to open in May with classes by local and other cheesemakers and chefs, according to owner Sheana Davis. She will host a pop-up sale at Cook Vineyard Management Store on Eighth Street East on Friday, March 1 to feature Roelli Dunbarton Blue cheddar blue from Wisconsin, Herbed Tome aged sheep milk cheese rubbed with edible flowers and herbs from Blackberry Farm in Tennessee. She recently returned from Dubai where she and cheesemakers from around the world gave classes and tastings of American cheeses.

Muscardini Pink Rosato and sushi

Yes, indeed. Experience Michael Muscardini's new Rosato di Sangiovese and pinot grigio paired with chef Ed Metcalfe's Sushimoto sushi on Saturday, March 10 at Muscardini Cellars in Kenwood.

Metcalfe will prepare salmon poke won ton cups, Hamachi ceviche cucumber cups, Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls, and spicy shrimp stuffed cremini mushrooms to go with Muscardini's refreshing wines. Wine and sushi flight pairing $25 public, $15 wine club members. 1 to 4 p.m. 9380 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood. 933-9305.

'Uncrushable' dinners with Tyler Florence

The Sonoma International Film Festival has lots to offer this year including two fabulous dinner events at Ramekins Culinary Center. At both events, five guests have the opportunity to make a premium donation to sit with famed television chef and Marin resident Tyler Florence.

Michael Howell and Lia Rinaldo, founders of Devour in Nova Scotia, Canada, return with a modified but exciting Chefs & Shorts event on Thursday, March 28 at Ramekins. Chefs & Shorts means that chefs cook food in short films screened during the dinner, which can be a wild experience. This year's chefs include triumphant local TV chefs Marcellus Coleman of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, Cole Dickenson of soon-to-open Layla at MacArthur Place, Michelle Gayer who worked with Charlie Trotter and Eduardo Garcia, founder of Montana Mex. More on the chefs and menus next week will be featured along with Howell.

Then on Friday, March 29, SIFF presents 'The Uncrushable Dinner' with Tyler Florence, also at Ramekins for a one-of-a-kind 'Dinner and a Movie' evening where Florence will show the trailer of his 'Uncrushable – From Ashes to Hope – The Story of the 2017 Wine Country Fires' film followed by dinner and wines from Simi, Ravenswood, Robert Mondavi and the Prisoner Wine Company.

Each evening's tickets are $250 with an SIFF Soirée Pass, $275 with a Cinema Pass, $300 general public, and $500 for each of five seats with Tyler Florence. Sonomafilmfest.org/page464.html.