Elliot Bell is the chef and owner of Charlie’s, a family-run, community-focused, neighborhood restaurant with generational goals, named after his son.

Originally from New Zealand, Bell’s culinary influences and inspiration span some of the world’s greatest dining destinations — France, Japan, Napa Valley, and New York. His restaurant career began with dishwashing and cooking positions in the small Iowa town where he grew up, and eventually led him to study hospitality management at the University of New Hampshire and the Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland. 

Most recently, he served as the Executive Sous Chef at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry, where he spent the past decade of his career. Prior to that, he worked in Boston, Seattle, and New York at several notable restaurants, including Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern.

As a member of the St. Helena Fire Department, where Bell has served as a volunteer firefighter for several years, few things are as important to him as community. He and his young family have lived in St. Helena for more than 10 years, and currently reside in their home around the corner from the firehouse and restaurant.