ABOUT
At Troubadour, Sonoma's seasonal bounty and French culinary traditions ride in tandem. By day, we're a bakery and coffee bar, serving fresh-baked, long-fermented sourdough, pastries, and artisanal sandwiches. When night falls, we transform into an intimate bistro deemed Le Dîner, where we're creating total culinary magic with a thoughtfully crafted seven-course experience in the main dining room and an 11-course journey at the Chef's Table in our private study.
Our dishes reflect what inspires us each season and our deep-rooted partnerships with local farmers and winemakers. Paired with the dining experience is a carefully curated wine list, featuring both regional and international selections that are not only loved by our team, but also chosen to elevate every bite. Recognized by the MICHELIN Guide, we’re proud to offer an experience for our guests that's all about craftsmanship, quality, and culinary excellence.
Beyond the plate, sustainability is central to who we are. We're partnered with our friends at Zero Foodprint, carry the Snail of Approval from Slow Food Sonoma North, and support initiatives focused on environmental stewardship in the community — and the planet — we deeply love and care for.
So, whether you are our neighbor here in Healdsburg or stopping in during your visit to beautiful Sonoma County, join us for a memorably delicious journey that celebrates the classics of French cuisine melded with the harvests of Sonoma County and a nod to the artistry of bread.
Let's break bread together.
SEAN
With 20 years in the hospitality industry, Sean has built a diverse career, from managing a 3-Michelin Star kitchen to recipe development, culinary directing for award-winning cookbooks, and owning two successful restaurants. Locally, Sean spent over five years as Executive Sous and eventually Head Chef at SingleThread before co-launching the Quail & Condor project with Melissa during Covid in 2020. He played a key role in spearheading the popular Friday pop-ups at the bakery in Summer 2021, leading to the opening of Troubadour Bread & Bistro in 2022. Sean is a wizard in restaurant design, specializing in building kitchens, optimizing restaurant systems and flow, menu planning, and recipe development, all of which have been critical to the couple’s success.
MELISSA
Melissa has spent 15 years in the hospitality industry, from starting as a young baker with her grandmother to leading large pastry programs for renowned names like Bien Cuit in New York and Gjusta in Los Angeles. A graduate of pastry school, she opened her first bakery at age 23 in Denver before winning the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship in 2019. Melissa is also passionate about brand development, product photography, social media management, copywriting, retail restaurant design, and leadership training. Since moving to Northern California, she has worked at SingleThread as the Hotel Pastry Chef and baked for farmers’ markets, hotels, and wineries. In 2020, she and Sean bootstrapped Quail & Condor, a thriving retail bakery. Together, they opened Troubadour Bread & Bistro in 2022.
Daniel Walsh, Chef de Cuisine
Julia Martin, General Manager
Garrett Rehl, Service + Wine Director