August 5, 2025 (Paso Robles, CA) — Riboli Family Wines is pleased to announce the appointment of Chef Justin Lewis as Director of Food Services. In this newly created position, Chef Lewis will oversee culinary programs across the family’s tasting room and restaurant locations in Los Angeles and Paso Robles, including Jada Vineyard & Winery and San Simeon Estate Winery in Paso Robles’ prestigious Willow Creek District.
Chef Lewis brings extensive culinary leadership experience spanning both Los Angeles and California’s Central Coast. His background includes serving as Culinary Director for the Nomada Hotel Group in San Luis Obispo (Granada Hotel, Skyview Los Alamos, Pozo Saloon), Corporate Executive Chef for Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, and Executive Chef at the Malibu Inn. Known for his seasonal, locally-focused approach, Chef Lewis will create elevated menus that highlight the agricultural abundance of California’s Central Coast.
Among his initial projects, Chef Lewis will develop the culinary program for the upcoming restaurant at San Simeon Estate Winery, situated at the notable intersection of Peachy Canyon and Willow Creek Road. “The menu is an homage to the Central Coast,” Lewis explains. “We’ll showcase local treasures like Grassy Bar Oysters, Mighty Cap Mushrooms, Etto pasta, and other fresh, organic ingredients sourced locally.”
At Jada Vineyard & Winery, Chef Lewis will expand culinary offerings to include sophisticated small plates designed to complement the estate’s acclaimed wines. He will also oversee new events at the Riboli Family Wines Winemaking and Event Center in Paso Robles, catering to public, trade, and media guests.
“Riboli Family Wines began California’s wine story in downtown Los Angeles in 1917 with San Antonio Winery,” notes Lewis. “Being from L.A. and now living on the Central Coast, joining this family is meaningful to me. I was already familiar with Jada, and since the Riboli family acquired it, the wines have remained exceptional—now with a commitment to organic practices and enhanced hospitality spaces that honor the natural beauty of Willow Creek.”
Beyond his winery responsibilities, Chef Lewis and his fiancée are developing a regenerative farm and vineyard. The couple raises Navajo-Churro sheep, a rare heritage breed with 400 years of Southwestern history, brought to the region by Spanish colonizers. “We’re first-generation farmers,” he says. “Our goal is to care for the land and give back to Mother Nature through sustainable, mindful practices.”
For more information about Riboli Family Wines, visit https://riboliwines.com/
