Although the nation’s economic woes are sure to impact Napa Valley’s legendary wine auction, they have not put a damper on volunteer spirit or the willingness of all who lend support to wine country’s biggest charity event.

Take the chefs preparing Saturday night’s dinner for auction bidders, for example.

Manning the stoves is an exceptional team of nationally renowned chefs, who will prepare hors d’oeuvres and the  multi-course dinner built around Napa Valley wines for the evening’s bidders.

Janet Trefethen, whose family owns and operates Trefethen Family Vineyards and is chairing Auction Napa Valley 2009, said this year’s mix of local and nationally known chefs was selected because they “have been longtime friends of our family and supporters of Napa Valley.

“Doing good and having fun don’t have to be mutually exclusive — and we’re hoping that at this year’s fundraiser, they’ll be in direct proportion to each other — so we’ve put together a stellar auction and an incredible dinner menu for Live Auction attendees,” she added.

The culinary team is committed to helping raise funds for local charities, added Meadowood Napa Valley’s executive chef Vincent Nattress, who, along with his culinary team, not only creates part of the meal but also coordinates the entire culinary logistics of the visiting chefs.

“We are going to do our best to raise needed funds for our hospitals, children’s health care, after-school programs, affordable housing and numerous other programs — while offering those whose bids provide those funds with the hospitality for which the Napa Valley is known,” Nattress declared. “Our team of chefs is part of the draw for the food and wine lovers who come from around the world to support Auction Napa Valley, and we thank them for partnering with us on this fundraiser.”

Valley chefs taking part this year include:

Deanie Fox, Ubuntu: Named “Best Pastry Chef” recently by San Francisco magazine, Fox spent much of her spare time from an early age baking for friends and family. Having held several restaurant positions in the front of the house, she turned her passion into a career by enrolling in the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Fox assumed her first position out of school as pastry assistant at San Francisco’s Rubicon. From there she became pastry assistant at Manresa, chef David Kinch’s award-winning restaurant in Los Gatos. Just six months later she was promoted to pastry chef, a position she held for the next 3 1/2 years before becoming executive pastry chef at Ubuntu, where her husband, Jeremy, is executive chef.

Christopher Kostow, Meadowood Napa Valley: A Michelin-starred chef before the age of 30, Kostow has always had a passion for food, but it was only after earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy that he realized his calling. Relocating from New York to San Diego in 1999, he set out to enter the world of fine dining and caught the eye of Trey Foshee, named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 1998. The intensity and discipline of the kitchen was a welcome challenge, and Kostow worked his way up the ranks during a three-year tenure. To gain more experience, he left his position at George’s for a trip through France. He landed in kitchens far and wide, from a Paris bistro to Michelin-starred Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier. After returning to the states, the Chicago native moved to San Francisco where he worked as sous chef with Daniel Humm at the award-winning Campton Place Restaurant. From there, he became top toque at Chez TJ in Mountain View for two years, garnering the restaurant many accolades including two Michelin stars and a coveted spot on Food & Wine’s list of “Top Ten Dishes of the Year” in 2007. Upon arriving at Meadowood in February last year, Kostow maintained two Michelin stars and was nominated for Best Chef, Pacific, by the James Beard Foundation.

Vincent Nattress, Meadowood Napa Valley: Nattress’ love of wine country brought him to wine country in 1993. He began working for Charles Saunders at the East Side Oyster Bar in Sonoma, then became winery chef and hospitality coordinator for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. In 1996, he became chef at Robert Sinskey Vineyards, where he developed the successful Guest Chef Series of cooking classes. In 1997, Nattress founded Vinous Food & Wine, providing consulting chef services for wineries and wine collectors. Simultaneously, he worked as the chef and kitchen manager for three PBS television series, including the James Beard Award winning “Jacques Pepin's Kitchen: Encore with Claudine.” He also worked as production chef on two of Pepin’s books.  In 2001, Nattress and his wife, Tyla, opened Roux, an intimate, fine dining restaurant in downtown St. Helena that focused around a multi-course tasting menu. He closed Roux in January 2004 and joined Meadowood Napa Valley as executive chef in April of the same year.

The remaining four chefs have taken part in previous wine auctions here. Heading up culinary teams at restaurants from Chicago to San Francisco, they include:

Charlie Trotter, Charlie Trotter’s: Trotter and his eponymous restaurant have been recognized by a variety of national and international institutions. In 1995 Charlie Trotter’s was inducted into the Relais & Chateaux and in 1998 was accepted as a member by Traditions & Qualité.  It received Five Stars from the Mobil Travel Guide, Five Diamonds by AAA and ten James Beard Foundation awards, including Outstanding Restaurant (2000) and Outstanding Chef (1999). Wine Spectator named it The Best Restaurant in the World for Wine & Food (1998) and America’s Best Restaurant (2000). Chef Trotter is the author of 15 cookbooks, three management books and is the host of the PBS cooking series, “The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter.”   Chef Trotter also operates Trotter’s To Go, a take-out gourmet retail shop, produces a private line of organic and gourmet products and last year opened Restaurant Charlie in The Palazzo Hotel Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Dean Fearing, Fearing’s at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas: The creator of “Elevated American Cuisine – Bold Flavors, No Borders” with his namesake restaurant, Fearing’s, chef/partner Dean Fearing has developed one of the hottest restaurant concepts across the country. Named “Restaurant of the Year” and “Table of the Year” by Esquire Magazine and then receiving continued praise from The New York Times, Newsweek, Texas Monthly, among others, and a James Beard Foundation nomination for Best New Restaurant, Fearing’s has created quite a buzz. After 20-plus years at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, he opened Fearing's in August 2007 at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. Fearing was winner of the James Beard Foundation Restaurant Award for “Best Chef in the Southwest.”

Joachim Splichal, Patina Restaurant and Patina Group: Hailed as one of the nation’s “Legendary Chefs” by Bon Appetit and named Bon Appetit/Food Network “Restaurateur of the Year” in 2002, Joachim Splichal is acknowledged as a major contributing force behind the growth of Los Angeles into one of the world’s premier dining capitals. Joachim and Christine Splichal opened their flagship restaurant Patina in 1989. Today, Patina Restaurant Group has grown to include a world-class catering division and an array of award-winning restaurants. In 2003, Patina left its home in Hollywood for a new location in Walt Disney Concert Hall, emphasizing Splichal’s commitment to both downtown LA and performing arts and cultural centers. Other West Coast locations include Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, eat on sunset in Hollywood and the bistro-style Pinot restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange County and Las Vegas. During the ’90s, Splichal owned and operated Pinot Blanc in St. Helena and, for several years this decade, ran Julia’s Kitchen at Copia.

Joseph Humphrey, Murray Circle at Cavallo Point: As executive chef at Cavallo Point in Sausalito, Joseph Humphrey oversees all cuisine at Murray Circle, Farley Bar, Cavallo Point's on-site cooking school, and banquet service for meetings, groups and special events. Prior to Cavallo Point, he was chef at The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley, which earned a two-star rating in the “2008 Michelin Guide to the San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country.” Before joining Meadowood, Humphrey was executive chef at Auberge du Soleil. Previous engagements included working with Julian Serrano to open Picasso and the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and working with Dickie Brennan at the acclaimed Palace Café in New Orleans.

Pastry chef Fox shares with Register readers her recipe for roasting strawberries, while Dallas chef Fearing — who’s cooked for auction attendees on several occasions in the past — agreed to publishing his recipe for maple soaked beef tenderloin with jalapeño grits. These dishes and more will be served with some 600 bidders, media and members of the sponsoring Napa Valley Vintners at Saturday night’s charity event.