Hospitality leaders from Chicago and New York have come together to launch Café Vivant and Somm Cellars Menlo Park, two complementary concepts redefining the relationship between regenerative farming, dining, and fine wine in California.
The project, which opened its doors on October 28th, brings together Executive Chef Jared Wentworth, one of Chicago’s most acclaimed culinary figures whose genre-defying restaurants—Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s, and The Dining Room at Moody Tongue—collectively earned multiple MICHELIN stars under his leadership, with Moody Tongue becoming the world’s first two-MICHELIN-starred brewery; alongside New York sommeliers and co-founders Jason Jacobeit (former Wine Director, James Beard Award-winning Bâtard) and Daniel Jung (former Head Sommelier, Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning Tribeca Grill); and Executive Pastry Chef Almira Lukmanova, an international talent with experience at three MICHELIN-starred Jungsik (New York), two-Star The Modern (New York), and three-Star Sketch (London).
Together, the team unveils a first-of-its-kind restaurant and a groundbreaking model of regenerative hospitality—reviving Heritage breed chicken in America while setting a new benchmark for responsible farming, animal welfare, and ecological stewardship.
At the heart of Café Vivant is a singular mission: reclaiming the lost flavor and quality of Heritage breed chicken. The restaurant spotlights slow-grown, pasture-raised birds prized for their robust genetics and complex taste. Because sourcing true Heritage birds is nearly impossible at scale in the U.S., the team established its own 80-acre regenerative farm in Pescadero, where they raise several Heritage animals including chickens, guinea hens, rabbits, pigs, and sheep alongside heirloom produce. While the farm forms the backbone of Café Vivant’s supply, the team also works with a select group of neighboring farms that share their commitment to regenerative agriculture. Together, these efforts create Café Vivant’s closed-loop ecosystem where kitchen scraps nourish the soil, livestock sustain biodiversity, and every ingredient on the plate tells a story.
Under Wentworth and his partner, Chef de Cuisine Emily Phillips (Chicago’s MICHELIN-starred Moody Tongue, Longman & Eagle, Balena, Vivere), the menu celebrates the terroir of the Santa Cruz Mountains with dishes that balance precision, patience, and sustainable practices:
- Heritage Chicken for Two: Whole New Hampshire, Delaware, or proprietary Pescadero Black chickens (raised 120–140 days) roasted and carved tableside, served with foraged mushrooms, root vegetables, and natural jus.
- French Pearl Guinea Hen: Roast breast with binchotan-grilled eggplant, black sesame, and dukkah alongside a confit leg “pot pie”.
- Crispy Fried Quail: Buttermilk-brined, fried crisp, with duck-fat cornbread, Heritage-pork gravy, and fermented hot sauce.
- Rabbit Pâté: Farm-raised rabbit and pork fat pâté with spicy Chicago-style giardiniera and focaccia tartines.
- Heritage Chicken Nuggets: Seasoned Heritage chicken thigh finished with golden Kaluga caviar and dill pollen aerated ranch for a twist on a classic.
- Heritage Chicken Ice Cream Sundae: Vanilla bean ice cream studded with triple-fried chicken skin crumbles, served with honey toast brioche, hot sauce caramel, bell pepper–raspberry jam, speculoos–tahini crunch, milk chocolate–miso ganache, marshmallow fluff, and a crisp orange tuile.
A 3,000-BOTTLE WINE PROGRAM:
Jacobeit and Jung have curated a 3,000-bottle cellar featuring over 700 pre-2020 California vintages, some dating back to the 1930s, all in pristine, museum-quality condition. With a depth rarely seen outside private cellars or auctions, the list balances historic verticals and global benchmarks while spotlighting the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, for which Café Vivant now holds the world’s most comprehensive collection.
- Ridge Vineyards: Over 120 bottlings, including 15 from the 1970s and 68 of the iconic Monte Bello.
- Hanzell Vineyards: Estate Pinot Noir vintages from 1966–1982.
- Beaulieu Vineyard “Georges de Latour”: 1959–1985.
- Château Montelena (1978–2001), Robert Mondavi (1966–1974), Mount Eden Vineyards (1970s), and verticals from Bryant Family, Harlan Estate, and Opus One (1979–2001).
A complementary cocktail menu channels the farm’s surrounding ecosystems, forest, farm, and sea, expressed through foredged farm ingredients like bay laurel, mountain peach, and coastal botanicals, and includes a well-rounded selection of non-alcoholic options.
Next door to the restaurant, Somm Cellars brings Jung and Jacobeit’s award-winning Manhattan bottle shop to the West Coast, pairing fine-wine retail with chef-driven plates and an on-site market. Guests can sip or shop rare bottles, premium beers, pre-batched cocktails, and made-to-order coffee and tea; enjoy charcuterie and small plates; and browse premium offerings such as farm-raised Heritage proteins, fresh eggs, local cheeses, heirloom produce, and housemade terrines. A rotating “farm residency” highlights regional producers through market retail each week.
Designed in collaboration with Studio Banaa, the 5,000-square-foot space features a floating gridded ceiling that visually unites both concepts, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling wine storage, a glass-enclosed rare-wine room, and warm minimalist finishes that reflect the precision and generosity of the team’s craft.
Café Vivant is located at 720 Santa Cruz Ave, Menlo Park. Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday 5 p.m. to close.
Somm Cellars Menlo Park is located at 720 Santa Cruz Ave, Menlo Park and is open daily: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
