One of the most highly regarded chefs in America today, Charlie Palmer received critical acclaim for his signature Progressive American cooking, a style built on rambunctious flavors and unexpected combinations with a deep and lasting infusion of classical French technique.
Born and raised in upstate New York and classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Charlie Palmer started his executive chef career at The River Café, Brooklyn’s legendary incubator for the American food movement, where he earned a prestigious three stars from The New York Times and trained a legion of other young cooks who have gone on to become some of America’s leading chefs. In 1988, Palmer made a landmark commitment to creating dishes featuring regional American ingredients at the sublime Aureole, at the time situated in a 19th century town house off Manhattan’s Madison Avenue. After two decades in its landmark location, our flagship restaurant took up residence in the spectacular at One Bryant Park in Times Square, one of the world's most environmentally advanced skyscrapers, where it continued its culinary legacy of intense flavors and unexpected combinations matched by an award-winning wine list. Aureole is in the throes of scouting for a new Manhattan home, and can still be enjoyed thanks to a progressive virtual model, Aureole at Home.
In 1999, Palmer made an early investment in Las Vegas, opening Aureole in the Mandalay Bay Resort as well as his first foray into the modern American steakhouse, Charlie Palmer Steak in The Four Seasons. For this pioneering spirit and culinary trailblazing, he was inducted into the Las Vegas casino community’s “Gaming Hall of Fame.” And over the next 20 years, Palmer combined his creative cooking spirit and flair for business into 15 notable locations spanning the country and a growing collection of boutique hotels.
Palmer, a longtime board member of Citymeals-on-Wheels was named by The James Beard Foundation as “Best Chef in America 1997” and “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America” 1998. For his unwavering support of the Culinary Institute of America, he was named to the Board of Trustees, serving as Chairman of the Board from 2013-2016, and presented with an honorary doctorate in April 2018.
A frequent guest on NBC's Today Show, Bravo’s Top Chef, The Rachael Ray Show and more, Palmer is also the author of six cookbooks. He and his family live bi-coastally between New York and Healdsburg, CA, also home to the his vineyards—the foundation for Charlie Clay Pinot Noir, a joint venture with vintner Clay Mauritson, now in its tenth vintage.
Chef Shane McAnelly is singularly qualified to helm the kitchen and culinary program at Dry Creek Kitchen. After spending two years on the east coast, Chef McAnelly returns to Healdsburg as Executive Chef of Dry Creek Kitchen to create a critically-acclaimed culinary experience and deepen his relationships with the best purveyors, farmers, ranchers and fishermen in the area. An expert in the provenance and flavor profiles of local ingredients, McAnelly’s culinary prowess is demonstrated throughout the menus at Dry Creek Kitchen.
Known for his inventive-yet-approachable dishes, McAnelly grew up in the culinary melting pot of Oakley, Calif. As a child, Shane spent time baking with his mother and grandmother, mastering the art of cheesecake at the age of 13. He took to the stoves right after high school at nearby Danville’s Blackhawk Grille, where he immersed himself in kitchen culture, moved quickly up the line, and ultimately decided to make a career out of cooking.
Shane received a degree in Culinary Arts at the Diablo Valley College in 2002, continuing on at Blackhawk Grille as senior sous chef. In 2005, he started at Garibaldi’s restaurant as sous chef, and eventually chef de cuisine, where he developed the menu to reflect Bay Area seasonality and discovered a newfound respect for local farmers and purveyors–building steadfast relationships along the way. In July 2010, he was appointed executive sous chef as part of the opening team at Zero Zero and is credited with developing its acclaimed ingredient-driven pizza and pasta-focused menu. To this day, pasta remains one of his favorite foods to cook; he has always been drawn to the limitless variety of shapes and ingredient combinations, and loves introducing diners to lesser-known types of pastas.
In April 2011, Shane was named executive chef at Va de Vi restaurant in Walnut Creek, a restaurant consistently named to the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Bay Area Top 100” list throughout his tenure. After two years, he set his sights north, relocating with his family to open Chalkboard restaurant in downtown Healdsburg. Joining the town’s vibrant and growing culinary community as executive chef, Shane was essential in bringing Chalkboard to life in the form of its bright, modern space, dedicated restaurant garden, and its menu reflective of his years invested in cooking the best regional ingredients. In 2017, Shane opened a second Healdsburg restaurant, The Brass Rabbit, focusing primarily on wood grilled meats and vegetables in an ode to classic Americana.
Shane currently lives with his wife, daughter, son, dog and three cats near Healdsburg and continues to feed his passion for farm fresh and locally-sourced food, by seeking out the most niche and hyper local ingredients found in Northern California.
Jon Macklem, a Nebraska native, joined Dry Creek Kitchen as Wine Director in November 2023 and became General Manager in August 2024. His hospitality career took off during college, working in restaurants across Iowa and Colorado. In Denver, under James Beard Award-winning Chef Alex Seidel, Macklem's passion for wine was ignited, thanks to two pivotal mentors. He later advanced to Assistant Beverage Director at Boulder’s renowned Flagstaff House, where he managed its Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning list.
At Dry Creek Kitchen, Macklem curates a world-class wine list with a special emphasis on Sonoma County. Outside of the restaurant, he stays active with hiking, biking, skiing, and swimming, while cheering on his beloved Iowa Hawkeyes and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hailing from Nevada, Taylor Kelley has been working under celebrated master chef Charlie Palmer for more than five years, where she began as Food Service Manager at Charlie Palmer Steak in her hometown of Reno. Following her promotion to lead Pastry Chef by Chef Palmer, Taylor made the move to Healdsburg to join the Dry Creek Kitchen team in April 2022.
With access to the bounty of wine country and abundance of fresh and locally sourced produce, Taylor’s creative culinary approach infuses an array of fruits and wine, as well as a number of ingredients not previously available during her tenure in Reno, allowing her to challenge the palette and curate new flavor profiles. Taylor is best known for her love of chocolate, often designing and showcasing big display pieces, as well as having a passion for educating the next generation of pastry chefs through her deep knowledge of the Charlie Palmer Collective brand.
When not busy developing the next dessert or slow baking the perfect creamy cheesecake, Taylor spends her time exploring the region and tapping like-minded foodies and wine lovers across Sonoma County for inspiration.
Born and raised in Napa, California, Adam is the youngest of nine in a family deeply rooted in the hospitality industry. His career began at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, which his sister helped open over 15 years ago. Nearly every family member has worked there at some point. Afterward, Adam joined Montage during its opening phase, where he served for just over a year.
A little over a year and a half ago, he began working at Dry Creek Kitchen as a server. When longtime General Manager Dan Prentice retired, Adam moved into management. Having lived in both Napa and Sonoma, Adam settled in Sonoma three years ago and has since fallen in love with the area.
