The County Bench made it a priority to assemble the best team possible pulling talent from every facet of the restaurant and service industry ultimately putting together a phenomenally talented team that includes: Executive Chef Bruce Frieseke, Chef de cuisine Ben Davies, Wine Director Chris John, Certified Sommelier Matt Dulle, and Mixologist Paul Ammerman. This symphony of talent is orchestrated by the Chandi Family.
Finding the best people was imperative to our success because local people + local ingredients + timeless technique = The County Bench Kitchen + Bar.
Executive Chef Bruce Frieseke
Beginning his career as a line cook at Siena restaurant in Santa Rosa, Bruce acquired an appreciation for fresh herbs and freshly handmade pasta, as Bruce says, “It was an amazing introduction to the restaurant industry.” After Siena Bruce landed at Willow Side Café, where his passion for food and cooking really exploded. Conquering new challenges and experiencing new adventures, each restaurant empowered Bruce to feel like a chef. Bruce decided he wanted a new adventure, to do something offbeat, so he left for France. Once there he ended up working as a pastry chef for a restaurant while going to school. The French restaurant industry was an eye opener for Bruce. He was working six days a week and nearly 90-hour weeks. After coming back to the states Chef Frieseke worked in San Francisco, but eventually came back to Sonoma County to work for Bella Vineyards and Manzanita restaurant in Healdsburg. Each new recipe, technique, country and kitchen experience has brought Executive Chef Bruce Frieseke to where he is today – The County Bench Kitchen + Bar.
Chef de cuisine Ben Davies
Ben Davies started his culinary journey at 15 washing dishes at a local bakery and later found himself working for multiple pizza places around town. He took a minor detour when he went to college at Chico State as a mechanical engineer major. Ben realized this was the wrong path and attended California Culinary Academy. After finishing, in 2005, Ben landed a job at Mirepoix in Windsor. Here he learned to make everything by hand and wasn’t allowed to use any equipment until he could do the task without. With some time away Ben came back to Mirepoix in 2009. Left to his own devices Ben led the restaurant to a Michelin Star. Before earning a star of his own, Ben gathered experience at Meadowood – starting in 2007 two days after they received two Michelin Stars. 2008 presented Ben with an opportunity to take the plunge into a new opening restaurant, Murray Circle. This is where Ben learned how to break down whole animals and was pushed harder than ever before by Joseph Humphrey. During his time there he was yet again part of a Michelin Star winning staff and maintained the star after becoming Sous Chef. Ben took jobs as Chef de Cuisine at Petite Syrah with Josh Silvers in 2011 and Spoonbar in 2012 with Louis Maldonado. Silvers and Maldonado taught Ben that family comes first and that accolades mean nothing if you have no one to share them with. Accompanied by a focus on family, Ben decided to hang his hat at The County Bench + Bar, the sixth restaurant Ben has opened in his already impressive career.