Under-Study: St. Helena's Culinary Playground |
Where acclaimed chefs experiment, home cooks learn, and food becomes an adventure. |
What happens when the team behind one of Napa Valley's most celebrated restaurants creates a place where chefs can experiment, customers can explore, and home cooks can learn?
The answer is Under-Study, a culinary playground and marketplace in St. Helena's former Dean & DeLuca building.
Located next door to Michelin-starred PRESS, Under-Study brings together a bakery, patisserie, butcher counter, café, bottle shop, and teaching kitchen. But the concept goes beyond putting several food businesses under one roof.
Where Curiosity Is on the Menu
Under-Study is built around culinary experimentation. Its team combines traditional techniques with unexpected ingredients and playful presentations, making room for ideas that might not fit a conventional restaurant menu.
At Under-Study Café, that might mean French toast sticks with bacon-maple glaze or a lobster corn dog topped with caviar.
The bakery works with organic and heritage grains, while the patisserie reimagines familiar pastries with inventive flavors. The butcher counter offers carefully sourced meats, seafood, charcuterie, and cheeses. A curated wine selection completes the marketplace.
You can explore the menus on Under-Study's website.
A Playground Where Visitors Can Participate
Perhaps the most distinctive feature is the Teaching Kitchen, where the public can learn alongside professional chefs.
Led by chef partner Philip Tessier, the program includes hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and guest-chef experiences.
Upcoming classes include learning to make PRESS restaurant's ricotta gnudi on October 17 and a bread pudding workshop and brunch on October 18.
These aren't simply cooking demonstrations. The goal is to share techniques, encourage curiosity, and give participants skills they can take home.
Explore upcoming classes and events.
A Familiar Landmark, Reimagined
Under-Study also represents a new chapter for a St. Helena landmark.
The former Dean & DeLuca location was originally established by Leslie Rudd, founder of PRESS and Rudd Estate. Today, his daughter Samantha Rudd leads Under-Study alongside Tessier and managing partner Justin Williams.
The name reflects the team's belief that ingredients, techniques, and even familiar recipes are always worth studying and reconsidering.
Under-Study is located at 595 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena. It's open Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
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24 Comments
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Glad Samantha Rudd is carrying on her father's connection to St. Helena. Hope the place does well.
October 18 brunch and bread pudding class sounds like a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning.
I like the idea of chefs trying things that might not fit on a regular restaurant menu. That's how you find something new.
I drive through St. Helena all the time and never knew this was opening in the old Dean & DeLuca spot. Definitely stopping next time.
The playful menu sounds fun, but I hope they keep a few simple options for picky eaters too.
A cafe, wine shop, bakery and butcher all together is a dangerous place to take me before lunch.
I took a class with Philip Tessier once and learned so much. The gnudi workshop sounds worth signing up for.
Nina B.Good to hear you learned a lot from him. Sounds like the gnudi class would be a great one to try.
Nice to see the old Dean & DeLuca building being used for something that brings people together.
The Sunday through Thursday closing at 4 might be tough for people who work regular hours. Wish they stayed open later.
Lori M.I can see that. Later hours would make it easier to stop by after work, especially for locals.
St. Helena has plenty of fancy food already. I hope there are some things here regular locals can afford too.
Love that the teaching kitchen is hands-on. Watching a chef cook is nice, but doing it yourself is how you learn.
French toast sticks with bacon-maple glaze sounds like something my kids would actually get out of bed for.
Mark D.That glaze sounds like it could get the whole family moving early. Have you tried it yet?
Would love to take the bread pudding class. I always end up with soggy bread pudding at home.
Susan L.I have the same problem with bread pudding. Maybe they’ll share the secret to keeping it just right.
Heritage grain bread and a butcher counter in one place? That could make grocery shopping a lot more fun.
I miss the old Dean & DeLuca, but this sounds like a pretty great next chapter for that space.
Jen AlvarezSame here, I have a lot of memories of stopping in there. Glad the space is getting a new life.
A lobster corn dog with caviar sounds a little wild, but now I really want to try one.
Tom R.That’s exactly how I felt reading the menu. A pretty tempting way to try something different.
I love Press's ricotta gnudi!! I just wish I could afford to eat there more often. Learning to make it myself sounds perfect!
Maria G.That class sounds like a fun way to bring a little Press magic home. Hope you get a spot!