Charlie Palmer is a chef first and foremost, and one with a lauded career. But his more recent title is co-founder and CEO at Appellation, the new culinary-first hospitality brand. The freshly opened Appellation Healdsburg property will be the site for Palmer’s signature event, Pigs & Pinot, marking its 19th year on March 20–21.
As usual, it will bring together an impressive roster of culinary talent. But this year is even more notable, with some head-spinning programming like the legendary father-and-son chef duos, including Charlie and Reed Palmer, Jean-Georges and Cédric Vongerichten, and Emeril and E.J. Lagasse (the youngest chef to lead a two Michelin Star kitchen). The event’s Gala will also feature its first-ever all-female winemaker lineup, spotlighting trailblazing Sonoma leaders. All events, from tastings to seminars to behind-the-scenes culinary moments, benefit the Palmer Family Education Foundation.
Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?
Charlie Palmer: I’ve always believed that food is one of the most powerful ways to bring people together. I grew up in upstate New York, surrounded by farms and a deep appreciation for ingredients at their source, which naturally led me to the kitchen…
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America and spending formative years cooking in France, I developed a foundation rooted in technique, seasonality and simplicity. That experience shaped not only how I cook, but how I think about hospitality. Over time, my focus expanded beyond standalone restaurants to a bigger idea: creating destinations where food isn’t just an amenity, but the driving force of the experience.
Did you ever have an ‘aha’ moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.
When I first tasted aligoté, which is the only white wine grape grown in Burgundy besides chardonnay. My first thought was, why haven’t I tasted this before? And my second thought was, I’ve been missing this my whole entire adult life drinking Burgundy.
What is your favorite thing to drink at home?
As we approach spring and summer here in wine country, my go-to is sauvignon blanc, and more recently, Gruner Veltliner. And I know it’s against the rules, but a lot of times I’ll put an ice cube in it, especially in the hot tub.
Where do you like to go out for a drink?
I’m a Negroni guy, and my take on it is with half Aperol, half Campari. When I’m home in Healdsburg, Lo & Behold makes a great Negroni, as does our ‘bar chef,’ Jess, at Dry Creek Kitchen and our bar crew at Andy’s Beeline, our rooftop bar at Appellation Healdsburg.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?
If not storming, anything that’s white, fresh and delicious, but I always think in the tropics that rosé is the way to go.
Pigs & Pinot at Appellation Healdsburg, 101 Dovetail Ln., pigsandpinot.com.
