Chateau Ste. Michelle Announces the Passing of Beloved and Legendary Culinary Director Chef John Sarich

Woodinville, Wash.

It is with deep sadness that we share that on Sunday, October 5th we lost a beloved and legendary member of the Chateau Ste. Michelle family, our Culinary Director John Sarich. John passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his family after battling a rare and aggressive form of thyroid cancer. John was a devoted father to his sons Biagio and Dominic and our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

“John was a beloved and legendary member of the Chateau Ste. Michelle family and Washington wine and culinary community,” says Ted Baseler, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates President and CEO. “John spent the last three decades inspiring and educating people around the world with his passion for food and wine through his TV shows, cookbooks, and Chateau Ste. Michelle culinary events. He had a tremendous talent and infectious enthusiasm for helping people learn about and enjoy the pleasures of wine and food. John approached his work and life with great kindness, humor and generosity and will be greatly missed.”

John’s career started at Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1976, the summer the winery first opened its doors. He started as a winery tour guide and then moved into sales as a wine and food consultant for chefs up and down the Pacific Coast. In 1980, John took a hiatus from the winery to pursue his dream of owning a restaurant. He founded Seattle’s highly acclaimed Adriatica Restaurant and later opened Dalmacija Ristoran in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. While at Adriatica, John was selected by Esquire magazine as one of the country’s “hot new chefs,” and listed by The Seattle Times as one of the city’s top five chefs.

After returning to Chateau Ste. Michelle as Culinary Director in 1990, John conducted the winery’s cooking classes, Chef dinners, and special events, all designed to further the enjoyment of wine and food. John traveled the globe presenting training seminars for wine and food professionals and aficionados. John also hosted popular cooking TV shows, including the Emmy-nominated TV show Taste of the Northwest for four years and the nationally syndicated TV show Best of Taste: Travels with John Sarich with episodes on location in Europe, Asia and across the United States. John was also an accomplished author, and produced five cookbooks: John Sarich’s Food & Wine of the Pacific Northwest, John Sarich at Chateau Ste. Michelle, Best of Taste, Entertaining Simply – Celebrate the Season, and Chef in the Vineyard.

Chateau Ste. Michelle will create a culinary scholarship in John ‘s name to support future culinary professionals.

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For further information:
Lynda Eller
media@ste-michelle.com