A Culinary Collaboration

At Bear, the restaurant tucked within the scenic grounds of Stanly Ranch in Napa, the story of each dish begins long before it hits the plate — with the relationship between a farmer and a chef.

Executive Chef Anthony Stagnaro and Farm Director Nick Runkle collaborate closely to craft a dining experience rooted in the land, season by season. While Runkle tends the Grange — Bear’s on-site garden — with an eye toward flavor, balance and biodiversity, Stagnaro and the team transform the harvest into striking dishes that honor each ingredient’s essence.

According to press materials, at the helm of Bear’s kitchen is Stagnaro, whose culinary vision has guided the restaurant since day one. With over two decades of experience, Stagnaro honed his craft under the mentorship of acclaimed chefs like Michael Voltaggio and Dominique Ansel, rising through the ranks to serve as both sous chef and executive chef. Today, he’s pioneering a refined take on farm-to-table dining with what he calls “elemental cuisine”— a philosophy rooted in simplicity, where each dish is built around one standout ingredient sourced from trusted local growers. His approach celebrates the purity of flavor, letting the land speak through every plate.

Runkle, on the other hand, is the hands — and heart — behind the fields at Stanly Ranch. As farm director, Runkle spends his days planting seeds, pruning vines and mapping out future harvests, all while shaping the foundation of the ranch’s culinary identity, according to press materials. Before bringing his expertise to Napa, he worked alongside the crops director at the famed Blue Hill at Stone Barns and collaborated with the innovative Row 7 Seed Company. It was through these deep-rooted connections to soil and seed that he and Stagnaro were invited to join Row 7’s Grower & Chef Experimental Trials Network — a partnership that now fuels the hyper-seasonal approach to dining at Stanly Ranch.

To ensure the restaurant’s success and focus on fresh daily produce, their mornings start early.

“We keep an order guide posted on the wall, and each night after service, the sous chefs and cooks meet to review what’s needed for the following day,” Stagnaro explained. “By 7 a.m. the next morning, the farm team picks up the list and harvests accordingly.”

This harvest isn’t as simple as picking lettuce when it looks ready; Runkle and his team know the subtle differences between produce, including the ideal time to harvest for maximum flavor.

“The white Hakurei turnips we grow stay sweet and juicy even as they grow larger, unlike radishes, which can become spicier and more fibrous when they get too large. We like to harvest both turnips and radishes when they’re still small — about the size of a nickel,” said Runkle. These vegetables are harvested daily for the Bear’s vegetable plate.

Runkle also plants more unique seasonal ingredients. Mint, for instance, is its own adventure on the property.

“We’re currently growing four types of mint: Chocolate mint, orange mint, classic spearmint, and apple mint. Alongside those, we have lime balm, lemon balm and mandarin balm — fragrant herbs that also belong to the mint family,” said Runkle. The subtle flavors can be used for a variety of dishes, but also cocktails, like the perfect mint mojito.

Together, Stagnaro and Runkle collaborate in a natural, effortless way by meeting every morning — often multiple times a day — to brainstorm and align on everything from planting to plating.

“Because Nick and the farm team are part of the culinary team, they are involved in all chef-related meetings, service discussions and anything that impacts the guest experience. It’s a fully integrated relationship that makes the food stronger from the ground up,” Stagnaro continued. “It’s a simple, efficient system that keeps the kitchen and the farm in sync by ensuring the ingredients are as fresh and intentional as the dishes they’re used in.”

Stagnaro estimates that currently about 20% of Bear’s ingredients come directly from the farm.

“The rest is sourced as locally as possible, though it varies depending on the season,” he said. However, he sees this changing in the future.

“We hope to cut that number as much as we can, harvesting 50% directly from our own land and sourcing the remaining 50% as locally as possible. It’s an exciting step toward deeper sustainability and connection to our food,” he added.

Deciding on what to grow in the future is also a special process. About three months before the next season, Stagnaro and Runkle think through everything — flavor, texture, what ingredients were difficult to source locally, and what worked well that they should expand upon.

“We also take a hard look at what didn’t work and discuss how improvements can be made or whether it’s time to move on from an ingredient entirely,” said Stagnaro.

The innovation process for new dishes is also unique. When Stagnaro begins thinking about new dishes, it always starts with the season and how they want the guests to feel. Whether it’s light, bright and green in spring or auburn-tinted and warm in fall, the emotional tone of the plate matters.

“The first tomatoes, honeynut squash, or fava leaves of the season often spark inspiration. Spending time with Nick during these transitions helps bring clarity to the creative process,” Stagnaro said. “From the bloom of spring flowers to the turning of fall leaves, nature always plays a central role in shaping what ends up on the plate.”

They choose seeds months in advance, sometimes even saving them from past harvests. It all begins in the greenhouse, where the seeds are started, and then the young plants are moved to the Grange to grow and take shape.

Throughout this process, Runkle and Stagnaro remain closely connected — observing, learning, and adjusting together. During these moments, Stagnaro imagines how to make these ingredients from the farm, or from nearby farmers, truly shine on the plate.

Together, they’re reshaping the landscape of California fine dining with a focus on elemental cooking. This practice blends age-old techniques like open-fire preparation and natural fermentation with contemporary culinary precision.

Their partnership extends far beyond the farm rows; each crop is selected with a specific flavor experience in mind, ensuring the journey from soil to plate is intentional and seamless. The pair combines creative vision with seasoned know-how. What they create is more than food — an ongoing dialogue between the land and the kitchen, a reflection of Northern California’s seasonal soul and agricultural heartbeat.

Bear is located at Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection, 200 Stanly Crossroad in Napa. For more information, visit aubergeresorts.com.