Chef Profiles
Cindy Pawlcyn
Cindy Pawlcyn has pioneered fresh, local, seasonal, sustainable wine-country cuisine since opening Napa Valley’s legendary Mustards Grill in 1983. A master chef of national acclaim, she is the founder/owner of three of Napa Valley’s most beloved restaurants: Mustards Grill, the popular and eclectic Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, and the vibrant Brassica Mediterranean Restaurant & Wine Bar.
Born in Minneapolis, Cindy grew up in an accomplished culinary family where fresh ingredients were integral to every meal. “One of my earliest culinary memories is being spoon fed walnuts and honey by my dad,” she says. She also recalls, “sitting in the backyard garden with a salt shaker while my dad picked perfectly ripe tomatoes hot off the vine.”
“My father had a green thumb and instilled in me a love of garden-fresh flavors,” she says. “I’ve had a garden everywhere I’ve lived – from the herb window box in Chicago to the half-acre organic culinary garden at my Napa Valley home.”
Cindy began working at a local cooking school at age 13. She ran a catering business through high school and went on to earn a degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Her training also includes courses at Le Cordon Bleu and La Varenne in Paris.
In 1979, Cindy moved to San Francisco to work at MacArthur Park restaurant. Drawn to the paradise that is Napa Valley, she was soon tapped as the opening chef for world-renowned Meadowood Resort. Cindy has been a partner in the creation of over a dozen iconic San Francisco Bay area restaurants, including Fog City Diner, Bix, Roti, Betelnut, Buckeye Roadhouse and Tra Vigne, in addition to her own Napa Valley establishments.
Cindy has authored four well-received cookbooks: The James Beard Award-winning Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook; Fog City Diner Cookbook; Big Small Plates and Cindy Pawlcyn’s Appetizers. Her fifth, Cindy’s Supper Club, will debut in spring 2012.
An inductee of Who’s Who of Cooking in America and the DiRoNa Hall of Fame (Distinguished Restaurants of North America), Cindy has been nominated twice for the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef in California, appeared in the first season of Bravo’s "Top Chef: Masters” in 2009, is the recipient of the Robert Mondavi Award for Culinary Excellence and of the Fine Beverage and Food Federation’s Career Achievement Award. She has earned high acclaim from the most exacting critics, and more importantly, has a devoted national and local following.
Cindy Pawlcyn's Recipes
- Brussels Sprouts and Caramelized Onions
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- This side dish is perfect for any winter meal. This wonderful vegetable pairs equally well with fowl, pork and beef. Cindy prepares this recipe with C... Read More
- Celery Root Soup with Walnut Pepper Relish
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- This celery root soup is straightforward and simple. Celery root is available in most grocery store produce sections and it helps make this soup a lit... Read More
- Chicken Roulade with Walnut and Currant Cornbread Stuffing
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- Cindy stuffs this roulade with a Walnut and Currant Cornbread Stuffing. The roulade technique is what elevates this dish to a special occasion, b... Read More
- Cindy Pawlcyn’s Candied Walnuts
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- These make an addictive snack, great hostess gift, and are wonderful added to salads. Or try them with Cindy Pawlcyn’s Walnut Torte for a delici... Read More
- Madeira and Chanterelle Mushroom Sauce
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- A very simple, elegant sauce to add to your culinary repertoire, serve this with Cindy Pawlcyn’s Chicken Roulade with Walnut and Currant Cornbre... Read More
- Nocino Caramel Sauce
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- This rich sauce can be used in a multitude of ways—over ice cream, with pineapple upside down cake or Cindy Pawlcyn’s Walnut Torte. Nocino... Read More
- Tunisian Poached Fish with Olives, Preserved Lemons, Capers
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- This is the ideal recipe for a light yet fulfilling meal and is perfect for all seasons. The halibut delicately takes on the rustic flavors of the hot... Read More
- Turkish Walnut-Garlic Spread with Hot and Sweet Peppers and Pomegranate Syrup
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- Entertain guests with this perfectly balanced flavorful spread. With every bite there is a zesty balance of hot, sweet, and tangy that will keep your ... Read More
- Walnut and Current Cornbread
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- For cornbread lovers, this is good enough to eat all by itself. Use it for Walnut and Currant Cornbread Stuffing, or your favorite stuffing recipe. Sl... Read More
- Walnut and Pepper Relish
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- This relish, as Cindy points out, can have multiple applications—on sandwiches, as a tapenade or even as a dip. This is great as a garnish for p... Read More
- Walnut Bruschetta with Gorgonzola and Grilled Pears
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- This is the most wonderful early winter taste treat! Or swap in your favorite sliced stone fruit to enjoy this tasty bite in the summertime. You can u... Read More
- Walnut Cookies with Chocolate Ganache
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- Chef Cindy Pawlcyn loves these walnut cookies. They are made with her favorite nut, and paired with luscious dark chocolate. Read More
- Walnut Currant Cornbread Stuffing
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- Add this to your collection of favorite stuffings! Whether with turkey, as part of Cindy Pawlcyn’s Chicken Roulade with Walnut and Currant Cornb... Read More
- Walnut Focaccia with Gorgonzola
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- Walnut and gorgonzola focaccia is a great, flavor packed hors d'oeuvre. It's best served warm or at room temperature. Read More
- Walnut Torte
- By Chef Cindy Pawlcyn
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- Garnish this with toasted walnuts and your favorite store-bought caramel sauce. Chef Pawlcyn also shares some tips on how to dress up the torte f... Read More
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