A Michelin Green Star Dinner Rooted in Santa Barbara Wine Country
Jul 14, 2026
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Sustainability has moved from marketing buzzword to operational strategy across the food and beverage industry, and few credentials signal that shift more clearly than the Michelin Green Star. On Thursday, July 23, 2026, three holders of that philosophy will gather in one place for a single evening: acclaimed Chef Kevin Fink of Austin's Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, Chef Daniel Kim of Monte's by Endwell Hospitality, and Donnachadh Family Wines will present a one-night-only collaborative dinner at Rincon Hill Farm in Carpinteria, California.
This isn't a celebrity pop-up dressed in "farm-to-table" language. All three partners have Michelin Green Star recognition on the line, and the menu is being built around whatever the eight-acre regenerative farm harvests that very week.
Three Partners Whose Work Begins With the Land
The collaboration unites operators who share a genuine philosophy rather than a photo opportunity. Donnachadh Family Wines, a husband-and-wife-owned estate, has built its reputation on organically farmed vineyards and low-intervention winemaking in the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara. Rincon Hill Farm, the eight-acre regenerative farm that supplies much of the produce served at Monte's, provides the backdrop and the ingredients.
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Guests will begin at 5:00 PM with a guided farm tour, followed by canapés and a seated, multi-course family-style dinner collaboratively created by Kim and Fink using ingredients harvested from the farm. Each course is paired with organically farmed estate wines from Donnachadh.
"At Donnachadh, we've always believed the best wines begin with healthy soils and thoughtful farming, so partnering with chefs and a farm that share that philosophy felt incredibly natural. I've had the chance to watch Kevin build something really special in Austin over the years, and I'm so excited to welcome him to Santa Barbara," said Vilma Mazaite, General Manager of Donnachadh Family Wines.
Kevin Fink: From Austin to the Sta. Rita Hills
Fink is the chef and founder of Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group in Austin, Texas, where his flagship restaurant, Emmer & Rye, earned Bon Appétit's Best New Restaurant honor in 2016 and later a Michelin Green Star in 2024 for sustainability. He has since been named a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: Southwest and Best Chef: Texas, and his restaurant Hestia was named Robb Report's #1 Best New Restaurant in America.
"Building a menu straight off Rincon Hill Farm's harvest is exactly the kind of challenge I love. It means the menu comes together around whatever's coming out of the ground that week, and working with Vilma to pair it with wine made with the same philosophy and respect for the land makes the whole experience feel incredibly intentional," said Chef Kevin Fink.
Daniel Kim's Regenerative Kitchen at Monte's
Kim leads Endwell Hospitality's West Coast culinary projects, including Monte's, drawing on his experience in Michelin-starred kitchens including The Restaurant at Meadowood, Providence and Le Cirque Las Vegas. Prior to joining Monte's, Kim served as Executive Chef of Hibi in Los Angeles, where his modern Korean cuisine earned Michelin recognition within months of opening.
At Monte's, he has worked closely with the team at Rincon Hill Farm to create menus that reflect the farm's regenerative harvest — a philosophy that helped earn the restaurant a Michelin Green Star just three months after opening.
"The best meals begin long before they reach the table," said Chef Daniel Kim. "Our cooking begins with the incredible work happening every day at Rincon Hill Farm, so collaborating with Kevin and pairing that harvest with Donnachadh's wines feels incredibly natural. It's inspiring to bring together people who share the belief that caring for the land is the foundation of exceptional food and wine."
Why It Matters
For restaurant operators, hospitality managers and beverage directors watching where premium dining is headed, this dinner is a clear signal: sustainability credibility is becoming the differentiator at the top of the market. The Michelin Green Star has evolved into a genuine business asset — a way to command a $250 price point per person and sell out limited seating on the strength of provenance and philosophy alone.
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There are practical takeaways here for the trade:
Provenance sells. A menu built "around whatever's coming out of the ground that week" turns supply-chain constraints into a storytelling advantage, not a liability.
Partnerships extend brand reach. Cross-market chef collaborations — here, an Austin group meeting a Santa Barbara estate and a Montecito restaurant — expand audience and press without new real estate.
Ticketed one-night events are high-margin marketing. They generate revenue, deepen guest relationships and create content long after the plates are cleared.
For procurement directors and foodservice buyers, the through-line is equally instructive: aligning with organically farmed, low-intervention producers is increasingly how operators earn recognition — and the loyalty of guests who care where their food and wine come from.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
