Charles has an enduring fascination, appreciation and respect for food. From his earliest exposure to cooking as a teenager, making breakfast for 200 in a small San Francisco café, to his eventual creation of Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar, Charles brings 25 years of experience in some of the most creative & innovative restaurants in the country.

A native of California, Charles cut his teeth at such San Francisco landmarks as Phil Lehr’s Steakhouse, Harris’ Steakhouse & Ernie’s, before moving to Napa Valley with his wife, Katie, and daughter, Arianna. Here, Charles’s appreciation and respect for food coalesced with an intimate understanding of wine in the heart of California wine country. Not only did Charles work alongside such restaurant icons as Cindy Paulson of Mustard’s Grill & Todd Humphries of Martini House, but he also worked at the acclaimed Meadowood Resort, and the finest sparkling wine producer in California, Domaine Chandon.

Over the years, Charles has consistently learned the same time-honored truth about food; one that Mediterranean cultures seem to know implicitly because it is the way they live their everyday lives. “Start with the best ingredients possible, naturally raised and locally sourced. Treat these ingredients with care and respect. Stay true to traditional recipes and let the finished product shine!” Couple this guiding principle with thoughtfully-selected Mediterranean wines, served by a gracious and knowledgeable staff in a beautiful dining room and you have the hallmarks of Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar.