Ethan Speizer Instagram Location: Napa, California As Executive Chef of Ashes & Diamonds Winery since 2018, Ethan Speizer celebrates the seasons of the Golden State by utilizing the bounties provided by its local purveyors. He combines his love for Mediterranean cooking with his Eastern European Jewish heritage to define his simple, yet piquant, California cooking style. Experience Having grown up in the Napa Valley, Ethan Speizer’s culinary influences are deeply rooted in the riches of NorCal restaurant lore, characterized by an emphatic belief in honoring immaculate local ingredients by cooking with minimal intervention or manipulation.After graduating from UC Davis and refining his craft at several Bay Area restaurants (Oenotri, Inn on Randolph, West Coast Wine & Cheese, Nuri), Ethan’s culinary pursuits took him to San Sebastián, Spain, and Calabria, Italy, where he worked in kitchens and ate his way through the regions, ultimately reaffirming his commitment to simple, technique-driven cooking and using a wood fire whenever possible. Education Ethan received a Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics from UC Davis. About Food & Wine Food & Wine, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for anyone passionate about the culinary world. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel and home coverage, we inspire and empower people everywhere to discover, create, and devour the best in food and wine. Learn more about us and our editorial process.