PRESS

Evolution at a Napa Valley Favorite

- JAMES MOLESWORTH

Since its opening in 2007, Napa Valley's Press delivered a classic steakhouse experience and built an extensive Napa Valley-only wine list heavy on Cabernet Sauvignon. The formula for success was simple, and Press became beloved by locals and visitors alike.

But in mid-2018, owner Leslie Rudd died. And by then, the wine list was showing signs of attrition as diners plundered the cellar of its older and hard-to-replace vintages. Rudd's daughter, Samantha, who had no formal role in the restaurant previously, was thrust into the owner's role.

"It surprised me what a tough business a restaurant is," says Rudd.

"Curtains are open every night. If you fumble, everyone sees it." Among her first moves was to hire chef Philip Tessier as a consultant in June 2019. Tessier is no stranger to Napa, having worked with chef Thomas Keller in both Yountville's Bouchon and the French Laundry. (New York's Le Bernardin and Per Se are also on his résumé.) But Tessier, the first American to lead a winning team at France's prestigious Bocuse d'Or cooking competition, wasn't sure whether an American steakhouse was the right fit for him.

"At that time, it was in dire straits," says Tessier of Press. "Leslie had recently passed. They had gone through six chefs in two years. I thought, I'll do this consulting for a few months while I was looking to open my own place in Yountville."

Then COVID-19 hit, and Tessier's plans for his own place were derailed. Rudd decided to offer Tessier the full-time role at Press, a move she knew would result in a massive shift in the kitchen, but one she was confident in.