About Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner is a veteran of some of the most demanding fine dining kitchens in the world. His career spans stages and positions under legendary chefs including Alain Ducasse, Laurent Gras, and Joachim Splichal — each a foundational figure in the development of modern haute cuisine in the United States and Europe. Turner worked at the Michelin level for years, developing a deep understanding of classical technique, precision, and the culture of high-standard professional kitchens. He eventually transitioned out of restaurant cooking and into the wine world, founding Valley Wine Merchants in Newberg, Oregon — the heart of Willamette Valley wine country. There, he channels the same attention to craft and quality he developed in elite kitchens into curating wine programs and building a business rooted in ingredient knowledge, hospitality, and long-term thinking about what makes a great dining experience.
Episode Overview
What does it actually look like to work inside the kitchens of Alain Ducasse, Laurent Gras, and Joachim Splichal? Andrew Turner spent years there, and in this episode he sits down with Andre Natera to share what those experiences taught him — about standards, mentorship, the culture of fine dining, and what separates truly great cooks from everyone else. He also talks through his pivot from chef to entrepreneur, the decision to open Valley Wine Merchants, and how the discipline and ingredient knowledge built in elite kitchens translates directly into running a serious wine business in Oregon wine country.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
Lessons from Ducasse, Gras, and Splichal — What it was like to work inside kitchens run by three of the most influential chefs in modern fine dining, what each one demanded from their teams, and the specific standards and habits Turner carried out of those experiences.
What Separates Good from Great in the Kitchen — The traits and behaviors that distinguish cooks who thrive in Michelin-level environments from those who wash out, and how elite kitchen culture accelerates certain kinds of professional development that nothing else replicates.
The Evolution of Fine Dining Culture — How the culture and expectations of haute cuisine have shifted over the years, what has been lost and what has improved, and how Turner thinks about the standards he absorbed in a different era of fine dining.
How Mentorship Shapes a Chef’s Career — The role of direct mentorship in professional kitchens, how working under the right people at the right time compounds over a career, and what Turner learned about his own development by watching how great chefs lead.
Building and Managing a Wine Program — How Turner’s culinary background shaped his approach to wine selection, program curation, and the hospitality philosophy at Valley Wine Merchants, and why understanding ingredients transfers directly into understanding wine.
Transitioning from Chef to Entrepreneur — What the decision to leave professional cooking looked like, what Turner had to learn from scratch in the wine business, and how the discipline built over years in elite kitchens applies to running an independent business.
Connect with Andrew Turner
Instagram: @valley_wine_merchants
Listen and Watch Chef’s PSA
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Culinary Leadership Fundamentals
Andre Natera’s book on building a kitchen career worth keeping. Get your copy on Amazon.