Kendra Kolling- The Farmer's Wife
Imagine the most mouthwatering seasonal ingredients, all perfectly cooked and artfully arranged between slices of fresh sourdough. That’s exactly what customers have come to expect from The Farmer’s Wife. At the four Bay Area locations where her seasonally-crafted creations can be found, owner Kendra Kolling’s “farm to face” sandwiches and salads have garnered something approaching a cult following—and a fan base including some of the Bay Area’s most respected chefs.
“My first inspiration came from deconstructing a cheeseboard and putting it between sourdough,” Kolling says. “You can go in so many directions—between the charcuterie and the beautiful fruits and jams and honey.”
Kolling came to California from Cape Cod nearly 40 years ago with plans to crew on a sailboat. When that fell through, she immersed herself in the Bay Area’s burgeoning food and wine scene and launched a juice business called Pulp Friction. Through that she ended up meeting apple farmer Paul Kolling—and in time became the farmer’s wife.
Kendra helped Paul market his family business, Nana Mae’s Organics, which includes heirloom blend juices, applesauce and cider vinegar from their fourth-generation farm in Sonoma County. Farmer’s Wife menus feature creative uses of apples, too—sliced on grilled cheese or in house-made condiments and cider-based vinaigrettes.
Kendra’s grilled cheese sandwiches are among her most popular offerings, featuring premium local cheeses like Toma and Original Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead, and Spring Hill aged cheddar from Petaluma Creamery. She loves the grass-fed beef from Stemple Creek and is perfecting a pastrami sandwich using their brisket.
A popular choice are her award-winning fries, which arrive topped with everything from Italian truffle oil and Parmesan cheese to house-made toasted fennel pork sausage, kimchi, avocado, aged cheddar, serrano tomatillo verde, herb aioli and a farm-fresh egg. And don’t forget to try the salads: “I always say people come for the sandwiches but stay for the salads.”
While many restaurateurs eventually step away from the daily grind, Kendra still spends time each week in the kitchens. “I’m a line cook to this day and am proud of that because it keeps me connected to what I’m putting out into the world.”
The Farmer’s Wife has four locations—in San Francisco at the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market, in San Rafael at the Marin Farmers’ Market, in Sebastopol at The Barlow and in Point Reyes at West Marin Culture Shop inside the former Cowgirl Creamery barn.
Kendra Kolling's sandwiches and salads are renowned for their ample use of seasonal ingredients.
