The Stone House in Nevada City has undergone some new and exciting changes including additions of a brand new executive chef, a major kitchen renovation and a new menu meaning better quality, better nutrition, and better practices. Ultimately, the people who operate Stone House in Nevada City want people to eat better.
Stone House owner Jon Rowe said his venture into the food world, after heading a San Francisco-based media company, has drawn together his passion for sustainably resourced food and music, and he would like every diner to experience his vision.
“My vision for a long time has been to create a local food system and to work on the issues around food in general when it comes to the sourcing of it, how it affects the planet, based on how it’s grown and all the things within food,” Rowe said. “I was very inspired by family members who are in that space growing up and made it a lifelong mission to be focused on food one way or another.”
Rowe said much of the produce served in Stone House is sourced from his own Nevada City farm—called, of course, Stone House Farms—and he is enthusiastic about his farm-to-table restaurant, which also hosts musical events and things like weddings and other special occasions. He bought the building in 2016, and was responsible for the remodel and massive reconstruction.
Rowe said he was lucky to connect with Scott McDonald, a chef who has worked with Michelin-starred restaurants and has helped curate a new menu.
“I have been a professional for going on 16-17 years,” McDonald said. “I went to the Culinary Institute of America in Poughkeepsie, New York. When I graduated I immediately went to China and spent three months in China and studied under 12 different chefs eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a different place every single day.”
Upon his return, McDonald started working for famed restaurateur Drew Nieporent and Robert DeNiro at Tribeca Grill in New York. He became sous chef of the restaurant and was there for two years before exploring other eateries and was able to study under Dale Talde, a prolific opener of restaurants of high acclaim. McDonald has worked with the likes of Daniel Boulud and the late Anthony Bourdain, also both chefs in Michelin star restaurants.
“I ultimately decided to take a position at Oceana in Rockefeller Center, under Ben Pollinger. We got and retained one Michelin star for the first year I was there,” McDonald said.
McDonald ended up in Nevada City by way of inspiration. He said he became more interested in the farm-to-table movement, especially after COVID drove him to become more involved in sustainably sourced, and healthy meals.
“That’s what started my mind rolling,” McDonald said. “When you’re in these kitchens you just get the best of the best dropped at your door. It’s beautiful product but we never saw it at farms. I was never on ranches. I was never pulling seafood from the ocean. And you get in this rhythm of that’s what’s expected. I was really seeing the variety and the difference not only vegetable characteristics, but how they taste. It was like, there’s something here that needs to be explored further.”
Looking for more of the “best of the best” McDonald set his sights on where would be the place where he could experience more of the fresh ingredients he was looking for. Where else to go, he thought, than California? He landed in Auburn first in July then eventually worked his way up the hill.
Stone House leans toward being plant-based, but are by no means vegan or vegetarian.
“I would describe (Stone House) as a leading example of ethical food systems from the farm side to the sourcing in collaboration with other farms to the menu, to the health benefits not only for the planet for the people eating the food,” said Rowe. “I feel that food is our connection to the planet more than anything else. How we produce it is a reflection of our care or not care for the planet, as well as ourselves. I think that there’s an incredible shift that is happening…globally I think within people’s understanding of what food is to them and to the planet this awareness around regenerative farming is becoming more and more relevant.”
The Stone House building itself was constructed in 1857 and has seen many iterations. From what Rowe has been told, it was originally constructed and served as a brewery for the miners. Since its inception, it has served as a variety of restaurants and breweries. From his understanding, it served as a rock concert hall in the ‘70s and in recent years has hosted Wild & Scenic Film Festival and Nevada City Film Festival.
Stone House prides itself not only on locally sourced food and proteins, but in not using any seed oils in its dishes, which feature hand-crafted entrees like fresh mushroom risotto, a selection of pizzas, New York Strip, and a daily preparation of wild line-caught fish. Delightful desserts are also on the menu including pistachio tiramisu.
While having Chef McDonald on the team is a bonus, Rowe said he is not necessarily striving for Stone House to obtain a Michelin star of its own, though he wouldn’t be disappointed.
“I would say, personally, I am much more driven toward the goal around the ethics and also the accessibility,” Rowe said. Michelin offers, he said, a Green Star, which would award a restaurant the designation based on its commitment to upholding sustainable and eco-friendly culinary practices.
Later night music events are usually offered a few times a month, with typically a once-weekly dedicated music night. Stone House also hosts weddings and special events and the famous “cave” is used for smaller and more intimate celebrations, by reservation.
“We do a lot of different types of events. In terms of late night music specifically, We plan on doing something a few times a month. Maybe once a week we will have some sort of event going on there,” said Rowe.
While dinner reservations aren’t required, they are encouraged. Four to five nights a week, Rowe said, there is live acoustic music to add ambience to dinner service.
Stone House is at 107 Sacramento Street in Nevada City. For more information and to make reservations for lunch or dinner please call 530-265-5050 or visit www.stonehouse.io.
link