Kristine Schug

Winery Chef

Kristine Schug grew up in the Napa Valley and was introduced to good food and wine early on, mainly from women in her family. Her mother’s creative home cooking, her grandmother’s traditional Danish recipes and her aunt’s work at Beringer Vineyards gave her several perspectives regarding food and wine as she grew up.

Chef Kristine attended UC Davis (’89, BA, International Relations) and, more recently, graduated in 2020 from the Culinary Institute of America (Greystone Campus, St. Helena, CA). Her first job after UC Davis was at Domaine Carneros, as one of the sparkling wine house’s first employees. The position marked the beginning of Kristine’s life-long passion for wine and food pairing. During this time, she met Axel Schug; the two were married in October of 1991 and then Kristine joined the family winery business in 1993, becoming the winery’s chef. Kristine and Axel have two children, Stephen and Elisabeth.

A passion for gardening helps Chef Kristine create new recipes year-round. She loves meeting and cooking for people from all over the world and discussing all things food with anyone who has a question. Her extensive recipe collection can be explored on the cookbook page.

When not in the kitchen, Kristine loves being outdoors with her kids, family and friends, whether skiing, going to the coast or traveling. She is an avid reader and enjoys the regular meetings of her long-established book club. An animal lover, Chef Kristine is often found accompanied by her cat in the garden, carefully tending vegetables, fruits and herbs.