Our team
Chef/Owner: Christopher Czarnecki
Christopher Czarnecki's commitment to fine dining was imprinted on him early, literally from the age of 9, when he was allowed to fill the water glasses at his parents' restaurant - originally called Joe’s Restaurant and located in Reading, PA and now, The Joel Palmer House. The world of his childhood was a world of fresh local ingredients, fine wines, busy kitchens, and grateful, happy diners – a world he knew he would inhabit as an adult.
Czarnecki stepped out of that world for three years in 2003, when he joined the Army, working in food service, including a year of service in Iraq. During the time when Christopher was “cooking in combat boots” he learned the art of precision, and of course, following the rules. Christopher’s covert attempt at spicing up a dish with herbs and butter at one dinner only earned him 50 pushups, rather than the certain gratitude of his comrades. Chris regards his time in the dining hall as a learning opportunity, and was happy to return to a region where his creativity is fed and supported by the abundance of the area.
Beginning in 2006, Christopher made his way back to The Joel Palmer House kitchen, taking over the reins from his father, Jack Czarnecki, as chef in 2007. His parents retired in 2008.
Czarnecki revels in the bounty of the restaurants' location in Dayton, in the heart of Oregon's Pinot Noir country. Czarnecki continues the family tradition of cooking with wild mushrooms, building his menu around whatever local mushrooms his foragers bring to the back door of the kitchen, along with other seasonal specialties. Czarnecki and his wife, Mary, are building their own vegetable gardens in order to provide “hyper-local” produce to the restaurant. On the wine side, the cellar at The Joel Palmer House reflects Czarnecki's passion for the best local wines. With more than 500 Oregon Pinot noir wines on the list, and a Wine Spectator “Best of” Award of Excellence since 2010. Download Profile Here
Director of Hospitality and Lead Sommelier: Levi Seed
Levi has always had an affinity for the finer things in life and becoming a chef to share his creativity has been his dream since childhood. After graduating high school, Levi followed his dream and earned his degree in fine dining, culinary arts, and management from Oregon Culinary Institute. Levi then studied in Shanghai where he found his unique signature in flavor profiles specializing in French-Asian fusion. Returning home he started his own private chef and consulting business, and he continues to actively operate on multiple executive boards of directors for local childhood cancer companies using food and wine to campaign awareness and funding.
Levi found a passion for fine wines and refined his palate after taking advanced wine courses in culinary school. After working as a chef, he then transitioned into the front of the house, accepted his first sommelier position, and joined the opening team for a 17-million-dollar restaurant where he curated the bar and beverage program at 21 years old! Levi continued to quickly work his way up through the industry and is now our Director of Hospitality and Lead Sommelier and assists in running the country's largest Oregon Pinot Noir wine list.
Levi has an unwavering dedication to hospitality and strives to create memorable experiences for all of our guests. With his indomitable spirit, tenacity, and integrity; Levi leads the restaurant and service staff with a commitment to the constant and never-ending improvement of hospitality excellence. Download Profile Here
Sommelier: Gregory Edmunson
Gregory grew up in San Jose, California. Although he enjoyed the city life as a teenager, he promptly moved to Paso Robles at 19, joining the wine industry just two years later. Having worked in a bristling hot summer harvest (117 degrees!), Gregory quickly discovered that the tasting room atmosphere was more his style. Working up the business later, he was the assistant tasting room manager of an Italian Winery, Le Vigne Winery, for about 3.5 years. During his time he had the opportunity to work under a level 3 sommelier as well as one of the very few certified Fromager (cheese expert). Once he knew cheese and wine pairings in-depth, it was time to move on to food and wine in general. At the same time, his love for all things audio drove him to get a degree in audio engineering. However, after quickly discovering that making both tedious vocal edits and a plethora of recording takes can be quite droll, he decided to get back into the wine business.
He regained his love for food and wine at Domaine Serene winery, where he would also meet The Joel Palmer House’s future front-of-house manager and his close friend, Levi Seed. The two of them dominated the winery’s premier food and wine experience, The 45th Parallel Series. With Levi’s insistence, Gregory studied and started the trek of progressing through the Court of Master Sommeliers. After quickly passing his first certification, Gregory thrived even more at the winery. Breaking numerous records between him and Levi, it was quite the shock when Covid hit our world and the winery decided to clean house. Always the optimist, Gregory says he is grateful for the turn of events, because now he has his dream job: Floor Sommelier at one of the most prestigious restaurants in Oregon, working on an international stage.
Pastry Chef: Marcus Lucht
Marcus was born and raised in the Willamette Valley. After attending Chemeketa Community College for business, he realized he didn't want to spend his life behind a desk, and hearing the call of delicious breads and desserts, attended Oregon Culinary Institute's Baking and Pastry Program in 2009. He then spent 8 years working at the Silver Grille learning all aspects of desserts, bread, and pasta making from executive chef Jeff Nizlek. The next few years he trained at Jory learning under executive pastry chef Shelly Toombs. He then became the executive pastry chef at the Dundee Bistro, before finally arriving at the Joel Palmer House.
Joshua Engelman, FWS SWS | Floor Sommelier for Joel Palmer House Restaurant
Joshua Engelman’s journey is a tale of unexpected passion leading to a fulfilling career. Raised amidst the rustic charm of a ranch in Beavercreek, Josh's roots are deeply intertwined with Oregon and its natural beauty. After completing his education at Wheaton College, where he pursued a dual degree in business and music performance, Josh found himself at a crossroads. Despite a promising career in the corporate world, he felt a yearning for something more enriching and authentic. His love for music and an unexpected fascination with wine converged, igniting a newfound passion. What began as a casual interest swiftly transformed into an all-consuming pursuit.
Seeking respite from his demanding job, Josh embarked on a brief journey in wine by joining the Stoller Family Estate to work in their tasting room. Little did he know, this detour would completely alter the course of his professional journey. Immersed in the world of fine wine, Josh found himself captivated. Driven by an insatiable curiosity and a desire to master his newfound passion, Josh dedicated himself wholeheartedly to learning all aspects of the world of wine. He began his formal training through the Wine Scholar Guild, where he achieved certifications as a French Wine Scholar in 2022 and a Spanish Wine Scholar in 2023. He has continued his education through the Court of Master Sommeliers, preparing for the Certified level examination in May 2024.
Today, Joshua is a testament to the transformative power of following one's passions. Since his first day in the Stoller Family Tasting Room, Josh has sought every opportunity to create meaningful experiences with wine for every person he meets. As he continues his career in wine as a floor sommelier for the Joel Palmer House, Josh remains committed to sharing great wine from around the world.