Jamil Peden, Executive Chef
The Restaurant at Applewood

A west coast native, Chef Jamil spent his early career cooking in Santa Cruz, Seattle, and the Napa Valley. A sous chef position at The Madrona Manor lured him to beautiful Sonoma County where he gained the upmost respect for not only local ingredients, but also more refined techniques. After a few years in Las Vegas as sous chef for Wolfgang Puck and a stint waiting tables he returned to Sonoma County to re-focus. He landed as chef de cuisine at Syrah Bistro and then Petite Syrah where the team received a 3 star review from the SF Chronicle. A stint at Scopa and a co-chef position at Campo Fina was also met with raving reviews. After some personal chef work and an appearance on Chef Wanted on the Food Network he was then hired as the opening chef at Woodfour Brewing Company, garnering a perfect food review from the Press Democrat and Best New Restaurant from the Bohemian. Realizing that being chef in a Brewery was limiting he left to seek a better fit. The Applewood Inn seems to be the perfect setting to further refine his personal style and continue to utilize the bounty of West Sonoma County.

buttermilksoup

Chilled Buttermilk Soup

Serves 4 as starter.

Ingredients:

5 cups buttermilk
½ cup sour cream
1 oz. Ouzo, sambuca or pastis
1 bulb fennel, cored and sliced very thin
2 english cucumbers, sliced very thin
1 small walla walla onion, sliced very thin
1 tsp. Lemon juice
½ bn. chives, sliced very thin
1 tbsp. Bee pollen
½ tsp. Fennel pollen
8 each cucumber blossom
12 each borage blossoms
1 bunch dill, picked off stem but left whole
2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Method:
Mix buttermilk, ouzo, and sour cream in large bowl. Add the onion, ½ the cucumber and ½ of the fennel bulb. Season with salt and let sit in refrigerator minimum 4 hours, and up to 4 days. Ladle evenly into chilled bowls and in another mixing bowl dress the remaining fennel bulb and cucumber with 1 tbsp. Olive oil, the lemon juice and salt to taste. Mound in middle of bowls and garnish with the chives, bee and fennel pollen, borage, dill, cucumber blossoms and the remaining extra virgin olive oil.

The Restaurant at Applewood
13555 Hwy. 116
Guerneville , CA 95446
(707) 321-4346
applewoodinn.com

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