Ramona Andrews speaks to John Ash, the James Beard Award-winning cookbook author whose latest book, The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood, has just been added to ckbk. This book, published last year, reflects the author’s lifelong commitment to sustainable cooking and local ingredients.

Known as the "Father of Wine Country Cuisine", Ash has built a reputation for emphasising local ingredients and traditions in his home territory of the Sonoma and Napa valleys in California.

John Ash is also an expert on seafood and in 2014 was honored by the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium as the Sustainable Seafood Educator of the Year. In his new book, produced in association with San Francisco’s Hog Island Oyster Co. restaurant, he takes readers on a deep dive through fish and seafood cookery.

By Ramona Andrews

In 1980, John Ash & Company opened its doors in Santa Rosa, CA — the first restaurant in Northern California’s wine country to focus on local, seasonal ingredients, selected to complement the wines of the region. Ash’s 1995 book From the Earth to the Table – also recently added to ckbk's shelves - is a celebration of this style of cooking.

Culinary education is also close to John’s heart. His was an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in Greystone, Napa Valley and went on to write Cooking One on One, which offers home cooks not only recipes, but also a solid grounding in basic culinary skills.

We asked John what he regarded as the most important fundamental skill every home cook should master.

“I think the most important thing is not to overcook,” Ash told ckbk, “I’ve taught cooking classes all around the world for a long, long time, and that was one of the main things I wanted to share.” In The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood, Ash extends this advice, presenting methods such as poaching, smoking, and pickling with a deft touch, reminding us that seafood is not only delicious but one of the easiest proteins to prepare.

The art of seafood

For Ash, seafood is deeply connected to its environment: “Oysters are a prime example,” he explains, emphasising how they reflect the area where they are grown. “They can vary widely in terms of their sweetness, acidity, all depending on the water. They take on the flavor and texture of the environment they live in.”

Ash told us that one of his top recipes from the book is Cioppino. This flavorful fish stew has is a well-established classic in San Francisco, having been brought over by Italian fishermen from Genoa. Ash’s version uses local favorites such as Dungeness crab and rockfish, along with shrimp and mussels. “If you can, use whole crab in the shell,” he advises. “The shell adds so much flavor to the broth.”

In addition to Cioppino, Ash is particularly fond of the Sablefish Coconut Curry with Vermicelli, a rich and satisfying dish that blends sablefish with coconut milk, curry paste, and rice noodles. “It’s filling and complex,” he says, noting that the fish can be substituted with salmon, halibut, or even shrimp and scallops. Another standout for him is the Smoked Trout Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, smoky trout paired with a sweet vinaigrette.

A culinary journey

From the Earth to the Table, published in 1994, was a groundbreaking book, receiving the IACP Julia Child Cookbook of the Year. In this book, Ash advocates a focus on local, seasonal ingredients long before this had become fashionable. “Back then, buying tomatoes wasn’t about flavor,” he recalls. “Chefs would ask for them just by the size of the box, like ‘give me the 36” x 36”.’ But that didn’t account for the taste or when and where they were grown.” His warm Red Cabbage Salad with Pancetta and California Goat Cheese is an example of his emphasis on using fresh ingredients to create vibrant dishes. “When you cook red cabbage with vinegar, it turns a lovely almost fluorescent red!” Ash says.

From the Earth to the Table also includes family recipes such as My Grandmother’s Pot Roast, “My grandmother had a real touch for wholesome comfort foods,” Ash remembers. This pot roast “or ‘stracotto’ as the Italians would call it... was a Sunday supper favorite and the wonderful aromas as it cooked are fresh in my memory today.” The dish, with its melt-in-your-mouth beef, embodies so much that Ash values in food — simplicity, flavor, and connection to family.

On the sweeter side, his Ricotta Cheese-Lemon Thyme Tart is a recipe that even novice bakers can handle: “It’s almost impossible to screw it up”. The secret lies in the sweet cornmeal crust and the ricotta (Ash gets his sheep’s milk ricotta from Sonoma’s Bellwether Farms).

Teaching simplicity

When Ash published Cooking One on One in 2004, his focus had shifted toward teaching essential culinary skills. This book isn’t just a collection of recipes — it’s a series of 22 lessons designed to expand a home cook’s kitchen knowledge.

One of Ash's standout dishes in Cooking One on One is the Grilled Beef “Tagliata” with Rosemary, Capers, and Lemons. “That epitomises the best of Italian cooking,” Ash says. “Just a few great ingredients treated simply, but the result is unforgettable.” The name ‘Tagliata’ comes from the Italian word for ‘carved’ or ‘cut,’ which refers to slicing the beef thinly to maximize the surface area for drizzling seasoned oils and condiments.

Another of his favorites from the book is the Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce. “We tend to think of gelatin desserts as something not very special, but this one is proof positive of the contrary”. The tang of the buttermilk gives the dessert a lightness that complements the rich raspberry sauce.

Ash’s approach to food, particularly in Cooking One on One, reflects his broader culinary philosophy: simplicity and quality reign supreme. “Many home cooks are as good as the professionals,” he told us “They just want to cook simply and focus on what tastes good.”

A lasting legacy

Looking back on his career, Ash sees a clear through line in his work: the celebration of local ingredients and the joy of teaching others how to cook them. From his early days in Napa and Sonoma, where he helped pioneer the concept of pairing food with wine, to his current focus on sustainable seafood, Ash has always been ahead of the curve.

“I think Italy is still the touchstone for a lot of people because of the simplicity,” Ash says, reflecting on his culinary influences. “But there’s a whole world of cuisines out there to explore, and in writing Cooking One on One the discovery of ingredients like coconut milk or tamarind completely changed the way I cooked.”

For Ash, cooking is a form of art—one that he approaches with both creativity and practicality. In fact, he began his career as a painter. “But I discovered that everything I wanted to do with paint on a canvas, I could do with food on a plate. Plus you get to eat it". In the end, Ash’s greatest joy comes from sharing that art with others, whether through teaching, writing, or cooking a simple meal.

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