Wine Road Podcast - Episode 259: Savor Sonoma at Graton Resort & Casino: Carey Sweet on AYA, Live Fire & Vine & Sonoma County Wine

Savor Sonoma at Graton Resort & Casino: Carey Sweet on AYA, Live Fire & Vine & Sonoma County Wine

Wine Road: Wine, When & Where Podcast
Host: Katie Ambrosi
Guest: Carey Sweet — longtime Sonoma County wine and food writer and Public Relations Manager at Graton Resort & Casino

Episode Summary

What's new at Graton Resort & Casino, and what can wine and food lovers expect from Savor Sonoma Live Fire & Vine?

In this episode of the Wine Road: Wine, When & Where Podcast, Katie Ambrosi sits down with longtime Sonoma County wine and food writer Carey Sweet at Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, California.

Carey shares her journey from covering the Sonoma County culinary scene as a journalist to joining the team at Graton, along with an inside look at the resort's major expansion, its growing culinary program, the new AYA restaurant, and the upcoming Savor Sonoma food and wine celebration on August 21–22, 2026.

We also dive into the Live Fire & Vine Festival, featuring nationally known chefs cooking over live fire alongside a Sonoma County wine village, plus Graton's on-site farming program, sustainability efforts, upcoming restaurants and entertainment, and what makes Graton an increasingly important part of the Sonoma County food and wine scene.

In This Episode

Katie and Carey talk about:

• Carey Sweet's career covering Sonoma County wine, food, restaurants and hospitality and her transition from journalism to public relations at Graton Resort & Casino
• The major expansion underway at Graton, including a new smoke-free casino space
• AYA, Graton's new flagship restaurant led by Chef Roy Ellamar
• Chef Ellamar's California coastal cuisine with Asian, Hawaiian and Filipino influences
• Savor Sonoma, taking place August 21–22, 2026
• The sold-out Friday Headliners Dinner and Saturday's Live Fire & Vine Festival
• Celebrity chefs including Aarón Sánchez, Marcus Samuelsson, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, Nyesha Arrington, Charlie Palmer, Dustin Valette and Roy Ellamar
• The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund, under the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, and its support of Latino youth pursuing culinary careers
• Graton's five-acre G5 farm and plans for the new 40-acre G40 farm
• Sonoma County sustainability, farm-to-table dining, living wages and community investment
• Graton's Sonoma County-focused wine program and Wine Director James Hernandez
• New and upcoming Graton restaurants including Revere (which is the rebranded 630 Park Steakhouse), Neon Kitty and Soco DoCo
• The Playbook's Detroit-style pizza and quesabirria tacos
• Graton entertainment, including John Legend, Third Eye Blind and plans for a new 3,600-seat theater
• Carey's favorite West Sonoma County food destinations
• What makes a great Sonoma County restaurant wine list

Savor Sonoma 2026: Event Details

Savor Sonoma takes place at Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, Sonoma County, on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22, 2026.

Friday, August 21: Headliners Dinner

The Friday night Headliners Dinner is sold out and features a five-course collaborative dinner from acclaimed chefs including Aarón Sánchez, Charlie Palmer, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio and Roy Ellamar.

Saturday, August 22: Live Fire & Vine Festival

Time: Noon–5:00 PM
Location: Poolside at Graton Resort & Casino
General Admission: $165
VIP: $245, including the AYA after-party from 7:00–9:00 PM SOLD OUT
Dress: Sonoma County elegant / resort wear

Live Fire & Vine brings together acclaimed chefs cooking over open fire, Sonoma County and California wineries, live music and a poolside wine-country setting. Featured chefs:

Aarón Sánchez, Chef, restaurateur and television personality known for MasterChef and Chopped

Nyesha Arrington – James Beard Award finalist, alumna of "Top Chef," "Next Level Chef" and chef/owner of Native by Nyesha Cal-global restaurant in Los Angeles

Marcus Samuelsson, Award-winning chef, restaurateur and Top Chef Masters winner

Charlie Palmer, Sonoma culinary pioneer and founder of the Charlie Palmer Collective

Bryan & Michael Voltaggio, Top Chef alumni and acclaimed restaurateurs

Dustin Valette, Michelin-recognized Sonoma chef-vintner and founder of Valette Hospitality

Roy Ellamar, Executive Chef of AYA at Graton Resort & Casino

Wine Road Wineries at Savor Sonoma Live Fire & Vine

We're especially excited to see several Wine Road member wineries pouring at Savor Sonoma. If you're attending Live Fire & Vine, be sure to look for these Wine Road wineries:

• A. Rafanelli Winery
• Bricoleur Vineyards
• Iron Horse Vineyards
• J Vineyards & Winery
• Ridge Vineyards
• Silver Oak Cellars

These wineries are part of the Wine Road community representing the wines and wine experiences of Northern Sonoma County and Sonoma County wine country.

Live Fire & Vine Chef Menu

Aarón Sánchez

Grilled Chicken Halves
Congri, heirloom tomato and peach salad, Crystal Mojo sauce

Marcus Samuelsson

Whole Smoked Lamb
Roasted pineapple, olive tapenade, roti and Scotch bonnet peppers

Bryan & Michael Voltaggio

Miso-Mushroom Cedar-Planked Cod
Mushroom fideos, maitake mushroom, fennel pollen and Espelette aioli

Dustin Valette

Whole Pig Porchetta
Smoked guanciale and white corn salad, Périgord truffle espuma

Roy Ellamar

Octopus Tinono & Pork Belly Lechon
Sweet onions and Sungold tomatoes

Nyesha Arrington

Santa Maria-Grilled Tomahawk Ribeyes
Kickback potato salad, charred spring onion and beef-fat vinaigrette

Graton Resort & Casino Culinary Team

G40 Vegetable Paella

Pan-Roasted Camembert
Local fruit and honey with Della Fattoria bread

Cold Fruit Stand
House-made chamoy, chili and lime salt

Semolina Olive Oil Cake
Whipped mascarpone and grilled summer stone fruit

Wineries Pouring at Savor Sonoma Live Fire & Vine

The Live Fire & Vine wine village features a broad selection of Sonoma County, Napa Valley and California wineries, including:

• A. Rafanelli Winery
• Aperture Cellars
• Bricoleur Vineyards
• Browne Family Wines
• Chappellet
• Hourglass
• J Vineyards & Winery
• Ledson Winery & Vineyards
• Martinelli Winery & Vineyards
• Ram's Gate Winery
• Ridge Vineyards
• Silver Oak Cellars
• Staglin Family Vineyard
• The Mascot
• Truchard Vineyards
• Turley Wine Cellars
• Valette Wines
• Vérité / Anakota
• Williams Selyem

More About AYA at Graton Resort & Casino

AYA is Graton Resort & Casino's new flagship restaurant, led by Chef Roy Ellamar, whose background includes working with legendary chef Joël Robuchon.

The restaurant highlights California coastal cuisine with Asian, Hawaiian and Filipino influences while drawing ingredients from Graton's own farming program.

Carey also talks about Graton's five-acre G5 farm and the planned G40, a 40-acre agricultural project designed to expand the resort's connection between farming, sustainability and its restaurants.

New Restaurants & Entertainment at Graton

Graton continues to expand its food, beverage and entertainment offerings. Carey gives us a preview of several projects, including:

Revere: a reimagined version of the 630 Park Steakhouse with tableside presentations and a dramatic meat program.

Neon Kitty: a playful, upscale concept inspired by Japanese convenience-store culture, expected to open in September.

Soco DoCo: a brioche-based doughnut concept.

The Playbook: serving casual favorites including Detroit-style pizza and quesabirria tacos.

Graton is also expanding its entertainment offerings, with concerts including recent performances by John Legend and Third Eye Blind and plans for a new 3,600-seat theater as part of its hotel expansion.

Carey Sweet's Sonoma County Food & Wine Picks

In our rapid-fire round, Carey shares some of her favorite Sonoma County and West County destinations and discusses places including:

• Casino Bar & Grill in Bodega
• Valley Ford Creamery and Estero Gold cheese
• Rocker Oysterfeller's in Valley Ford
• Hazel in Occidental
• Cyrus in Geyserville
• SingleThread in Healdsburg
• Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg

She also shares her philosophy on Sonoma County restaurant wine programs: start with the wines and build the menu around what you want to drink.

Also Mentioned in This Episode

• Graton Resort & Casino
• AYA
• The Playbook
• Tony's
• Revere/630 Park Steakhouse
• Neon Kitty
• Soco DoCo
• Douglas Keane and Cyrus
• SingleThread
• Dry Creek Kitchen
• Casino Bar & Grill
• Valley Ford Creamery
• Rocker Oysterfeller's
• Hazel

About the Wine Road Podcast

Wine Road: Wine, When & Where explores the wineries, winemakers, chefs, restaurants, events and personalities that make Northern Sonoma County wine country such a special place to visit.

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