Whether cooking an early-morning breakfast for the fall harvest crew, packing a picnic basket swollen with gourmet foods for lunch among the vines, or preparing a five-star birthday dinner for former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, Chef Erika Heinemann has become renowned in the Napa Valley for her savvy food and wine pairing expertise and hospitality.

Chef Erika's passion for food and wine is easily traced to a pair of legendary culinary icons and two of her favorite chefs: Thomas Keller, chef owner of the world-renowned French Laundry, for his artistry, commitment to perfection and, ultimately, because "it's all about finesse." Her other major influence is Alice Waters, chef owner of Chez Panisse, because of her contributions to the culinary arts including her dedication to sustainable farming and the philosophy of serving only the highest quality products.

Chef Erika first came to the Napa Valley after graduating with honors from the California Culinary Academy (CCA) in San Francisco. While attending CCA, she honed her skills at San Francisco’s elegant Waterfront Restaurant, where she trained as both garde-manger and pastry line cook. Following her tenure at the Waterfront and after graduating from CCA, Chef Erika trained under Chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, hailed by the New York Times as the "most exciting dining experience in the U.S.''

In 2001, Chef Erika began specializing in food and wine pairing as executive chef for Duckhorn Wine Company in St. Helena. While at Duckhorn, she developed one of the first consistent food and wine pairing programs in Napa Valley. Four years later she launched Savvy Wine Food, with a mission to be "the" go-to source for wineries wanting to differentiate themselves through customized food and wine pairing programs, education and one-of-a-kind events.

In 2011, seeing an opportunity to bring her passion and talents back home, Chef Erika relocated Savvy Wine Food to Santa Barbara, California.

Chef Erika received her bachelor’s degree in mass communications, with an emphasis in broadcast journalism, from San Jose State University (Calif.). She makes her home in beautiful Santa Barbara, Ca., with her husband, twins, and, without question, the best fed cat in Santa Barbara wine country.