Your ultimate excuse to indulge in a Sunday Funday is here—look no further than brunch with Ignis Provisions. The husband-and-wife duo of Daniel and Bri Cortez are serving up a brilliant brunch at Riaza Winery in Lodi, and you do not want to miss these perfectly plated provisions.
This surefire pairing of two talented chefs and a well-established Lodi winery results in a boozy brunch to get excited about. Just think—pork belly bowls and tempranillo as a droolworthy combination.
The partnership started slow but has taken off. After providing food for several Riaza winery events, the pair approached winery owners, Rick and Erin Taylor, about the possibility of pulling up the Ignis Provisions trailer on Sundays for brunch. What began as a gracious opportunity has blossomed into a fortuitous relationship for both parties. After all, shat is better than an evolving, eclectic brunch menu paired with local wines?
“The Riaza family has been our biggest fan/supporter since the very beginning when we were just working off of a tiny little grill,” said Bri Cortez. “We couldn’t be more thankful to them.”
Daniel and Bri’s history, however, predates their Ignis business venture. It began when the two met at work five years ago. Bri and Daniel both attended Cordon Bleu in Sacramento where they grinded their way up the ranks of kitchens in Napa, Sonoma, and Lodi’s Wine countries. When the world shut down in the spring of 2020, the couple decided to take a leap of faith. They began Ignis Provisions during the pandemic to provide for their family with the flexibility of working for themselves.
Ignis Provisions is an ode to the roots of their combined passion for the art of cooking. The name derives from the Latin word for fire and the primal necessity of cooking. They use live fire as much as possible in their cuisine, whether they are smoking, grilling, or whipping up a tableside presentation.
IP’s brunch menu is as eclectic as California cuisine. On any given weekend you might find Thai, Mexican, or even Japanese inspired dishes, and on others, you can savor reinvented classics. Take, for example, their in-house French toast crafted from bread pudding pressed for 24 hours. Sometimes they throw down lamb and eggs, lox flatbread, and even a spicy shrimp po’boy, all delectable rifts on classic recipes. On a recent visit to Riaza Winery, the Cortez’s pumped out satisfying hand-made tater tots, molded and dipped in the fryer before getting served on a bed of piping hot queso. The dish is garnished with pickled onions and microgreens, resulting in the best type of hearty hangover grub. But one of the team’s all-time favorites is the rabbit posole. “We like to get adventurous with proteins in a way that’s familiar enough that guests will try something new,” Cortez says. “So far it’s worked well for us!”
While many people couldn’t imagine working day in and day out with their spouse, it’s something that comes naturally to Bri and Daniel. “We honestly love working together. We met at work, so we’ve never known a life outside of being coworkers.” Cortez says. “Five years later and we are pretty in sync. Not only do we get to spend time together, but we also get to share our passion project.”
For 2022, make your New Year’s resolution a visit to Ignis Provisions at Riaza Winery, or check them out on social media to see where they’ll be posted for the rest of the weekend.
Ignis Provisions
@ignisprovisions
Riaza Winery
2441 S. Stockton St. STE. 1, Lodi
(209) 625-1103
RiazaWines.com