There’s a new fire in the kitchen!
An introduction to Chef Mitch
Executive Chef Mitch Michelle Peace is right at home at the inn.
Those of us at the Front Desk lifted up our heads and grinned – peals of laughter were rolling out from the kitchen door around the corner, and they were so infectious that we couldn’t help but feel our own spirits lift as they washed over us. Steven chuckled and said, “In all the years I’ve been here, I can’t remember ever hearing so much laughter coming from back there!” This was in October when Executive Chef Mitch Michelle Peace joined the Brewery Gulch Inn team. Now, four months later, Mitch’s delighted laughter is still ringing out strong as she crafts amazing food for our guests, and it still brings a smile to our faces every day.
Mitch’s Duck Confit made this Thanksgiving even more outstanding than normal.
That is probably what we love most about Chef Mitch – she brings such joy into each part of her life, and especially into her food. Her breakfasts are creative and superbly tasty, and her dinner menus for our Wine Hour are absolutely fantastic. The way she treats each dish and ingredient, you can see how much she loves the food itself. We can’t tell you how many times we come into the kitchen to put away dishes, and she demands, “Aren’t these the most beautiful <green beans /greens /carrots /radishes /strawberries /pork chops/etc.> you’ve ever seen?!” We usually have to agree, no matter what she happens to be excited about, because there’s no denying that kind of energy and enthusiasm!
Just look at those potatoes!
And that eggplant tower!
We have so loved getting to know Chef Mitch and her joy better over the past several months, that we decided we simply had to introduce you to her. So we asked her a few questions about herself the other day…
Oh wow. Her Asian ribs are to die for…
You grew up in the Mendocino area. How did your childhood in this part of the world influence your love affair with food?
“I grew up on a farm in the hills and trees of the tiny community of Comptche and learned at a very young age what farm to table meant – because I lived it! I didn’t really understand the concept intellectually as a child, but I saw and understood it as a way of living. I learned how to honor the world around us and appreciate what it has to offer. I learned to have gratitude for each thing we harvest from the natural world, because it is a gift.”
Beautifully poached pears
Who or what is and/or has been your inspiration?
“My mom was always my inspiration. She overcame many challenges as a single mother with 3 young children – I learned first hand what the meaning of TRUE GRIT was just by watching her negotiate life. She instilled in me a deep value for perseverance and determination, and I fully credit her with the drive for success and the insatiable work ethic that have carried me through my adult life so far.
Also, I love the beauty and possibility inherent in food. Just look at vegetables. They’re so incredibly beautiful – the colors, the shapes, the tastes, even the way they are grown! They’re really mind-blowing when you stop to think about them…”
These little Apple Rose Tarts were perfectly adorable and delicious
What drives you most?
“My passion is what drives me. I’m spurred on by the responsibility to create something that starts with a thought, becomes a vision, and grows into the presentation of a dish that nourishes people on all levels, a dish they can admire and in which they can feel the love I have poured out at every step of the process.”
Me: “Let’s get an action shot!” Mitch: “How about some fire?!”
A self-taught professional, Chef Mitch has been running kitchens since she was 17 years old, fueled by her enthusiasm for life and her delight in the food itself. Her career has taken her all over Sonoma and Marin counties, and even overseas at times, and each different post has expanded her skills and expertise. Now we get to be the lucky recipients of her cumulative years of knowledge and experience, as well as of her joyful approach to the culinary arts, and we are just so happy about it.
Now, if you still don’t understand why we’re so excited about Chef Mitch Michelle, come eat some of her food, then you’ll know.
Hilarious, passionate, and full of joy - we love our Mitch!
Words and nearly all the pictures by Laura Hockett