B J Visalia's Profile
The French Laundry-Yountville
Yes, the Schmidt family is long associated with food. Perry < Johnny (+ sister Terry) < Don / Sally (+ Don's brother Emil) < two more gens of Schmidt meat packers in Visalia, Calif. As I recall, their first names were Mr or Sir! I grew up two blocks from Don and his family. He was an honest, hard working / thinking / playing, conscientious and industrious guy then as he has been over his lifetime and as were and are his parents and children before and after him. Values run as deep as foods.
So, The French Laundry is but one blip in the paths, roads, and even freeways of life's schema for the Schmidt family over the past 130 years or so, all in California. I tend to think Sally is the glue that held the family so tight while never serving glue at the table at home or at any of their restaurants.
Perry's dad Johnny ran the Boonville Hotel and the Kitchen, Johnny himself being a master chef.
Don and Sally worked very well together in the business world as well as at home - they have five children - and with well placed values raised those kids to be productive, honest citizens. They and their daughter Karen + hubby Tim Bates own and run Bates & Schmitt Apple Farm in Philo / Anderson Valley / Mendocino Co. Daughter Terry does some marketing at the San Francisco Food Mart for the Apple Farm, this being beyond her profession.
130 years minimum. Pretty cool, I would say.
