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Images in this gallery were shot in 2013-2014 while the artist was a priciple contributing photographer for Touring and Tasting magazine.

I toured six representative resaurants in the Santa Ynex Valley with the editor-in-chief of Touring and Tasting magazine over two or three weeks. While maintaining my "focus" as the photographer, I was not able to taste more than a few bites of the fine food and wine offered at each stop. Nonetheless I enjoyed the necessarily fast pace of learning to shoot under tight time pressure with little or no preparation and no chance to re-shoot.

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"Bob's Well Bread" is my favorite, in fact obligatory, stop on US 101 between Santa Barbara and San Louis Obispo - a fresh loaf or three of bread and a delicious cappuccino made in the old copper machine plus a quick hello to Bob and Jane. Bob had been a very successful producer of the TV show "Jeopardy", from which he gained an appetite for a life more connected to the land. Opening the bakery in 2014, Bob soon gained a devoted following for his commitment to fine bread as a life experience. "Bob's Well Bread Cafe" quickly became a gathering point along us 101 and drove a revitalization of the town of los Alomos, California.

"Sides Restaurant"

"Ballard Inn & Gathering Table"

"Root 246" was, for a few years, one of the prime dining experiences in the Santa Ynez Velley. As part of the Chumash Band Casino enterprise, Root 246 was a showpiece attracting big spenders with 3" steaks and poached salmon, all exquisitely cooked to order and served with ranch feast panache. I had the priviledge of photographing (and eating) from a private chef's table in the kitcen, from which I was able to capture the essence of this quitely frantic temple of big plates.

Copyright © 1994-2023 Duncan Dwelle.  Last updated on  2023.02.03  @ build 3.14.01