Living a Legacy

Sam Beall grew up at Blackberry Farm and made it his home until his untimely passing in 2016. As proprietor, he shaped Blackberry Farm’s distinct standards of excellence and top-notch service and helped Blackberry Farm become a world-renowned destination. Sam began his work journey by immersing himself in study at some of the very best restaurants, hotels, vineyards and creameries in California, and that experience forever shaped his vision for BlackberryFarm.

Through financial support and work/study opportunities at world-class hospitality venues and with renowned food and beverage craftspeople, the Sam Beall Fellows Program from the Blackberry Farm Foundation will provide people in their hospitality and culinary careers with the opportunity to have the kinds of formative experiences Sam had. The program will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to those who will carry on Sam’s legacy, his love of saying “welcome,”his passion for food and wine and his insistence that we all “Make a GREAT Day™.” More details about this special initiative will be announced in the months ahead.

In August, we launched the Sam Beall Fellows Program with unforgettable cuisine by Chef Daniel Boulud and Chef Cassidee Dabney paired with wines from Importer Billy Weiss. With support from our friends at Le Creuset, the event created hours of memorable conversations around the table—just as Sam would have wanted. We are honored by all who came to help his legacy live on.