The 2010 VIP Judges
 Meet Supreme Court Justice Dick Kapash
Dick is a retired business executive who, with his wife Edith, founded SOLA Optical in Petaluma in 1979. He is a director and past president of the Cinnabar Theater board as well as current president of his local homeowners association. He has run numerous companies manufacturing and distributing lenses for for both eyeglasses and contacts. Having spent much of his business life traveling internationally and taking pleasure in sampling food from all over the world, his palate is refined to the point where he is ready to lead the judging of the Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off. Dick has led the judging for 6 of the past 7 years and is enthusiastic about returning this year! "I can't get enough of those fine Chili dishes, the recipes are always a refreshing surprise," says Dick “and the chili, salsa and beer keep getting better each year!”
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 Meet Judge Yovanna Bieberich
Yovanna Bieberich is a staff writer for the Petaluma Argus-Courier, a post she's held for the past 8 years. She grew up in San Jose, but traded the concrete jungle for the cow pastures of Sonoma County in 1989. She's a 1990 graduate of Sonoma Valley High School and earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from Sonoma State University in 2000. She began her career in journalism at the Sonoma State Star and the North Bay Bohemian.
"Those were really my formative chili-making years" and ever since then Yovanna has kept an ample supply of fixins for spur of the moment chili making. "I make a fine bowl of chili if I do say so myself," she added. She also sings on the worship team of Petaluma Christian Church.
"C'mon Petaluma! Feed me some chili!"
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 Meet Judge David Glass
In David's words "It is my pleasure to serve as a judge of the Chili Cook-off. This will be a difficult task as I don't believe I have ever tasted an entry that I did not like. They start at really good and go to great. I tend to like it hot but as Harry Truman said if you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.
“I love Cinnabar, Chili, and Salsa so this is not only a must do event but obviously one of my favorite days of the year. I want to thank Cinnabar for all of the work they do in our community with our youth, the school program, and the family entertainment they bring to our community. Every contestant is a winner simply by being here today.”
“I want to wish all of the contestant's good luck, and I truly am just glad to be able to help. I hope you will enjoy this event as much as I do” |
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 Meet Judge Ryan Williams
Ryan Williams works with Petaluma’s Technology and Telecommunications Advisory Committee, Rebuild Petaluma Together, Butter and Eggs, 501st Legion Golden Gate Garrison and supports the Phoenix. He is working with Geneva Financial, LLC as a Senior Asset Expert, and part owner of The North Bay Equity Group, Inc. Ryan is studying to become a Sports Medicine Doctor. He enjoys traveling abroad, deep sea fishing, Sf Giants games, camping and bodybuilding. He also enjoys restoring and driving his classic 76 Bronco. Ryan loves cooking and has a few great chili recipes of his own. He has attended the Great Chili Cook Off the last three years and it is one of his favorite events. “ I love the cook off; I enjoy the themes, costumes and most of all the chili; I love super hot chili…looking forward to the burn and seeing everyone there.. “ |
 Meet Judge Pamela Torliatt
Pamela Torliatt is a fourth generation Petaluman and has served the public for the last 18 years: from 1993 to 1996 as a Petaluma Planning Commissioner ten years as a Petaluma City Councilmember before being elected Mayor of Petaluma in 2006. Mayor Torliatt has been a judge for the annual Chili Cook Off for the past 4 years and loves EVERY MINUTE of it!
Pamela was born and raised in Petaluma and attended local public schools. In 1989, she graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. |
 Meet Judge Michael Hayes
Michael Hayes is a Santa Rosa resident, shadow producer (officially associate producer) of The Drive with Steve Jaxon on KSRO. Michael is an occasional bloggeron various topics (www.sonomablue.blogspot.com) and had a brief tenure as a Math Lecturer at SSU. Michael also taught those 70's Frisbee classes at SSU that so amused Herb Caen. Yeah, he was the guy! While Michael is rather free-spirited he has refined his salsa palate through time by managing several Mexican restaurants and extensive travel throughout Mexico & Central America. Michael also has a totally unsupported claim that Senor Pico De Gallo is a character in his unpublished novel. Hmmm. Despite his free-spirit Michael is a salsa traditionalist. He believes that a great salsa should remind him of an afternoon in Cabo drinking Pacificos watching the whales or a night in Costa Rica eating fresh ceviche. He believes a champion salsa should remind him of a woman of dubious character named Consuelo.
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 Meet Judge John Ash
John Ash is a nationally renowned chef, author, and food and wine educator. He founded his restaurant, John Ash & Company, in Northern California’s wine country in 1980 and it continues to be critically acclaimed today. John served for many years as the Culinary Director for Fetzer and Bonterra Vineyards and is now on the faculty of the Professional Wine Studies Program at CIA Greystone, where he is also chair there for a new program for home cooks called The Sophisticated Palate.
His 3 books, American Game Cooking, From the Earth to the Table and Cooking One on One have received the James Beard Award, IACP award for Best American Cookbook and the Julia Child Cookbook of the Year Award. A veteran of television, he had his own shows on the Food Network for nearly 3 years. For the past 23 years he has hosted The Good Food Hour, a food and wine radio talk show on KSRO (1350 AM) in Northern California.
John is a passionate voice on sustainable food issues, serving on the Board of the Chef’s Collaborative, a national organization of chef’s committed to sustainable and ethical food issues. In 2008 John was voted “Cooking School Teacher of the Year” by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
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Meet Judge Teresa Barrett
Teresa Barrett is in her fourth year on the City Council. This is her second year as a chili cookoff judge, although she is a former competitor in the event! Teresa and her family have lived in Petaluma over 30 years where she has been active in the schools and throughout the community. Judging salsa is a tough job, but she has been preparing for over a year now and is confident that she is up to the task! |
 Meet Judge Steve Jaxson
Steve Jaxon is currently the host of KSRO's "The Drive", Sonoma County's only live daily talk show featuring a mix of politics, comedy, and live music. Steve has been a voice on Sonoma Country radio for more than 20 years from his work on popular morning shows on KREO and KHTT, to the hundreds of commercials he has voiced and produced through his company Vicario Productions. He is also the host of a 2 hour weekly show: "Swingin' With Sinatra" that airs in the U.S. (including Santa Rosa), Canada and Europe. |
 Meet Judge Craig Stammler
Craig was born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in San Francisco and now resides in Petaluma. He has over 30 years experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry and has worked in some of the more prestigious Italian restaurants in the greater Bay Area. Craig capitalized on his first venture, Cucina Bella Catering offering full service dining for small quaint private dinner parties to grand gala events - and built on that to eventually create Bella Luma Caffe'; a Focaccia Bar / Panini Grill with 24 flavors of Italian gelato and an outside beer and wine garden. He is co-founder, with his wife, of "Blues and Jazz on the Plazz", a FREE summer music series spanning from May to August, Saturdays from 2-5PM, now in its 5th season. Craig is very active in the community, enjoys being the "godfather" of Helen Putnam Plaza and will definitely bring some spice to the judging panel. |
 Meet Judge Michael J
Michael J is a 25 year broadcast veteran, having been in Sonoma County for 3 years now. He started as the Afetrnoon Personality on KJZY and was moved to Mornings on sister station Real Country, K106.3 last April. MJ is a chili and salsa advocate and has often been quoted with the quip "Next to music there is nothing that lifts the spirits and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili." |
 Meet Judge Francis Rivetti
British/American independent journalist and Petaluma-based blogger Frances Rivetti writes about the good stuff of life here in the south county on her popular on-line journal: Sonoma Country Life.
Raised on hearty stews and shepherd's pie in her native UK, two decades of tasting American-made Chili has made a convert of this hobby winemaker and mother of three strapping lads who can be found frequently whipping up a big batch of spicy SoCo chili for hungry backyard winemaking barbarians!
 Meet Judge Katie Vrooman
Katie is your mid-day DJ on KRSH, The Krush 95.9, and the station Promotions Director. Born in Mendocino County and raised in Sonoma County, she’s a North Bay girl through and through. After 4 years in San Francisco working in the promotions department for KFRC, she’s glad to have found her way back to Wine Country Radio, where she first interned almost 10 years ago. When not listening to music, or getting out in the Sonoma County music scene, she loves to enjoy good food and wine with friends.
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