Kohler Presents: A Weekend with Jackson Family Wines

Executive Chef and Cheese Specialist
Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens

Tracey Shepos Cenami grew up in an Italian family where food was central to daily life, with every meal treated as a special occasion. Her passion for the kitchen took hold at age 15 while working as a dishwasher at a summer camp, where she discovered the energy and creativity of professional cooking. She went on to pursue culinary work throughout high school before attending the Culinary Institute of America in San Francisco.

Tracey began her professional career under the mentorship of Chef Michael Romano at Union Square Café in New York City, where she developed a deep appreciation for seasonal ingredients and thoughtful execution. She later cooked in several of San Francisco’s most celebrated restaurants before becoming a founding chef for multiple restaurants and catering companies.

Drawn to wine country and the creative possibilities of food and wine pairing, Tracey spent eight years as Executive Chef for Stark Reality Restaurants in Sonoma County, leading the opening of five restaurants and building a highly successful catering program. In 2012, she joined Kendall-Jackson, where she is now Executive Chef and Vice President of Culinary for Jackson Family Wines, overseeing culinary programs across more than 48 wineries worldwide. Based at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens, she has built an award-winning food, wine, and cheese program rooted in estate-grown produce, local seafood, and artisanal cheeses.

Tracey is the author of Season: A Year of Wine Country Food, Farming, Family, & Friends, named the 2019 IACP Cookbook of the Year. She is a frequent Food Network competitor, with multiple appearances and wins on Guy’s Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay, Tournament of Champions, and Alex vs. America. Outside the kitchen, she enjoys time with her family, outdoor Sonoma living, and giving back to her community through organizations including Sonoma Family Meal, the Guy Fieri Foundation, and Les Dames d’Escoffier.

Master Sommelier and National Director of Wine Education
Jackson Family Wines

Larry O’Brien has over 30 years of experience in the restaurant and wine businesses. His wine career hardly seems likely as it began as a teamster casual worker for a beer and wine wholesaler in Youngstown, Ohio. While the beginnings were humble, Larry earned opportunities at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, Emeril’s in New Orleans and Orlando, and Station Casinos and Resorts in Las Vegas.

In 2010 Larry joined Jackson Family Wines, a career-defining opportunity. He travels extensively and works closely with Jackson Family’s distributor partners to deliver sales results for both retail and restaurant accounts.  

Larry represented the United States in the prestigious international sommelier competition Meilleur Sommelier du Monde Concours Mondial in 2000 after winning the title of Best Sommelier in America earlier that same year. In 2001 he became one of approximately 190 Master Sommeliers in the world and the first Master Sommelier in Florida. He has sat on the board of directors of the Court of Master Sommeliers. He has served as a judge for the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs’ Jeuene Sommelier Competition at the national and regional levels. He has participated as a wine judge, with other internationally recognized experts, at the Star Wine International Wine Competition and the TEXSOM International Wine Awards, formerly the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition.

If he had the skill, Larry would give up all this wine drama for a chance to join the Professional Bowlers Association.