Under-study

What Under-study does

Under-Study is a single-location culinary marketplace and teaching destination at 595 St. Helena Highway in the heart of Napa Valley, California, operating under Rudd Estate ownership. The venue integrates six retail and beverage verticals under one roof: a café (breakfast 8am-2pm, lunch 11am-4pm), a patisserie with viennoiserie and cookies, a bakery producing sourdough and heritage grain breads from organically grown freshly milled flour, a butcher counter featuring whole-animal butchery and house-made charcuterie, a curated 84-bottle wine shop weighted toward European Champagne, Burgundy, and Barolo, and a morning brews coffee bar using Black Oak Coffee. A Michelin-starred chef-led Teaching Kitchen adds an experiential revenue stream through cooking classes, private events, and collaborative culinary programming.

The business is led by Owner Samantha Rudd, Chef Partner Philip Tessier (Michelin-starred), and Managing Partner Justin Williams, with a Beverage Director and Chef de Cuisine on the operational team. Under-Study partners with a network of premium ingredient suppliers including Flannery Beef, Snake River Farms, Liberty Farms, Catch & Crave, Mt. Lassen, Incontro Cured, Black Oak Coffee, and Tenbrink Farm to support its farm-to-counter philosophy. The physical space inherits the heritage of a former Dean & DeLuca location opened by Leslie Rudd, founder of PRESS and Rudd Estate.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: food and beverage sales (café, patisserie, bakery, butcher retail, wine, coffee), cooking classes and events (booked via OpenTable), and private events (managed via PerfectVenue), with online ordering supported by Toasttab. Target customers are Napa Valley visitors and culinary tourists seeking elevated dining, local residents seeking premium artisan provisions, and aspiring chefs and cooking enthusiasts seeking Michelin-starred culinary education. The company is privately held, family-owned through Rudd Estate, with no disclosed external funding, revenue, or plans for multi-location expansion.

Name

Under-study

Legal name

Under-Study

Website

https://under-study.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Under-Study is a single-location culinary marketplace in St. Helena, Napa Valley, combining a café, bakery, patisserie, butcher counter, bottle shop, coffee bar, and Michelin-starred chef-led teaching kitchen to serve culinary tourists, local residents, and cooking enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culinary Marketplace & Hospitality

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooking Classes & Chef-Led Workshops (THAJAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Culinary Skills Workshops (Baking, Regional Cooking, Food Prep Skills) (THAJAKAE), Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Local Chef/Restaurant Meal Boxes & Marketplace Prepared Meals (CRAHAJAI)

Keywords

• Artisan bakery
• Specialty coffee bar
• Culinary education classes
• Premium butcher counter
• Curated wine retail

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Helena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Food & Beverage Sales: Under-Study generates revenue through multiple culinary outlets including a café serving breakfast and lunch, a patisserie offering modern pastries and viennoiserie, a bakery with sourdough and heritage grain breads, a butcher counter with premium cuts and charcuterie, and a bottle shop featuring 84 curated wines. The menu features items ranging from $5 for cookies to $65 for premium offerings like the PRESS Caviar Pretzel.
2. Cooking Classes & Events: The Teaching Kitchen hosts culinary classes, chef-led demonstrations, and collaborative events led by Michelin-starred Chef Philip Tessier. Classes are booked through OpenTable and include experiences like 'Behind the Menu: Culinary Class & Dinner Experience,' 'From Butcher to Board,' and 'Mastering Focaccia' workshops. Classes are offered on specific dates with per-person pricing through the OpenTable booking platform.
3. Private Events: Under-Study offers private event hosting capabilities, with inquiries managed through a PerfectVenue platform. This provides an additional revenue stream for venue rental and catering services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Under-Study operates a single physical culinary marketplace in St. Helena, Napa Valley that combines a bakery, café, patisserie, butcher counter, bottle shop, and coffee brew bar under one roof. The establishment also runs a Teaching Kitchen offering chef-led cooking classes and a private events program, all unified by a philosophy of experimentation, seasonality, and craft. Revenue is generated through direct food and beverage sales, retail purchases of breads, pastries, meats, and wines, paid cooking classes, and venue rentals for private gatherings.

Product overview

Under-Study is a unified culinary marketplace and playground in Napa Valley, California, offering multiple integrated food and beverage experiences under one roof. The venue operates as a single destination featuring the Café (breakfast and lunch dining), Butcher Counter (premium cuts and charcuterie), Patisserie (modern pastries and cookies), Bakery (sourdough and heritage grain breads), Bottle Shop (curated 84-bottle wine collection), and Morning Brews (specialty coffee and tea). The Teaching Kitchen complements the retail offerings with Michelin-starred cooking classes led by Chef Philip Tessier. All components share a unified culinary philosophy emphasizing experimentation, seasonality, and craft, with ingredients sourced from local partners like Tenbrink Farm and Black Oak Coffee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Café Breakfast and lunch dining service featuring seasonal dishes, savory small plates, and signature snacks. Menu items include French Toast Bread Pudding, Buttered Lobster Omelette, Lobster Corn Dog, Hot Chicken 'n' Croffle, Lobster Roll, and Sesame Ahi Tuna Bowl. Serves brunch 8am-2pm and lunch 11am-4pm. Targeted at visitors and local diners seeking an elevated all-day dining experience.
• Butcher Counter Whole-animal butchery featuring house-made charcuterie, curated cheese selection, and premium seafood. Proteins sourced from Flannery (28-Day Ribeye, 21-Day New York), Snake River Farms (ribcaps, filet, country pâté), Liberty Farms (heritage poultry, duck rillettes, duck terrine), Catch & Crave, and Mt. Lassen. Includes pâtés, rillettes, and sauces for retail purchase.
• Patisserie Modern pastry shop offering traditional and inventive viennoiserie, cookies, and seasonal desserts. Items include Butter Croissant, Pain au Chocolat, Seasonal Brioche Tart, Everything Knot, Pain Suisse, Mandarin Parfait, Pear & Caramel Tart, Opera Cake, Miso Chocolate Chip cookies, and Calistoga Crunch cookies. Targeted at customers seeking fresh, chef-crafted pastries.
• Bakery Artisan bread bakery using organically grown, freshly milled flours and heritage grains with natural leavening. Produces daily sourdough loaves, baguettes (Organic Liberté, Grand Moulins de Paris), country loaves (Whole Grain Espresso, Hard Red Wheat Blend), Spelt & Sesame loaves, and specialty items such as the PRESS Seeded Pretzel and PRESS Caviar Pretzel.
• Bottle Shop Curated retail wine collection featuring 84 bottles, predominantly European with emphasis on Champagne, Burgundy, and Barolo, plus a selection of California wines. Each bottle is sourced from producers the team knows and admires, balancing emerging voices with established icons. Available for on-site consumption and retail purchase.
• Morning Brews Specialty coffee and tea brew bar featuring beans from Black Oak Coffee roasters. Offers espresso drinks, drip coffee, cold brew, matcha, chai latte, and teas. Serves as a caffeine destination for morning visitors and complements the bakery and patisserie offerings.
• Teaching Kitchen (Cooking Classes) Michelin-starred chef-led cooking classes and culinary workshops booked through OpenTable's experiences platform. Offerings include 'Behind the Menu: Culinary Class & Dinner Experience' (Fridays & Saturdays), 'Vine and Dine | Tomato Edition,' 'From Butcher to Board | Charcuterie & Pairings,' 'A Culinary Class | Mastering Focaccia,' 'The Complete Chicken Workshop + Lunch,' 'Butter: A Hands-On Workshop,' 'From Dough to Dumpling | Class & Lunch,' and 'A Culinary Class | The Art of Sourdough.' Targeted at cooking enthusiasts, culinary tourists, and team-building groups.
• Private Events Private event hosting services at the Under-Study venue for celebrations, corporate gatherings, and group experiences. Inquiries are managed through the PerfectVenue platform, providing venue rental combined with catering from the in-house culinary team.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Museum of Art & Culture (The MAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnder-Study is located adjacent to The MAC (Museum of Art & Culture) in St. Helena. The two entities share the neighborhood and Under-Study honors this proximity as part of the reimagined historic space. The partnership provides cross-promotional opportunities for visitors interested in both culinary and cultural experiences in Napa Valley.
• PRESS Napa ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRESS is the fine dining restaurant founded by food and wine entrepreneur Leslie Rudd. Under-Study operates under the same leadership team (Samantha Rudd, Chef Partner Philip Tessier, Managing Partner Justin Williams) and exists in a space with rich history connected to the Rudd Estate and PRESS brand. The establishments share brand heritage and operational synergies.
• Black Oak CoffeeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBlack Oak Coffee is featured as the coffee provider for Under-Study's Morning Brews section. The company is described as award-winning roasters known for balanced, flavor-driven blends. Under-Study serves Black Oak Coffee beans in their brew bar, featuring everything from drip to espresso.
• Flannery BeefminorOthersFlannery Beef supplies premium beef to Under-Study's Butcher Counter, including 28-Day Flannery Ribeye and 21-Day Flannery New York cuts. The partnership emphasizes quality and aging process for superior flavor.
• Snake River FarmsminorOthersSnake River Farms supplies richly marbled beef products including ribcaps to Under-Study, featured alongside Snake River Farms Filet and Snake River Farms Country Pate at the Butcher Counter.
• Liberty FarmsminorOthersLiberty Farms supplies heritage poultry including Whole Ducks, Whole Chicken, and Truffle Chicken to Under-Study's Butcher Counter, as well as Duck Rillettes and Duck Terrine for the Pâtés & Jars section.
• Catch & CraveminorOthersCatch & Crave curates seafood selections for Under-Study with reverence for seasonality, contributing to the Butcher Counter's seafood story alongside Mt. Lassen.
• Mt. LassenminorOthersMt. Lassen supplies trout fillets and other seafood products to Under-Study's Butcher Counter, working with Catch & Crave to provide sustainably sourced seafood options.
• IContro CuredminorOthersIContro Cured supplies patient, purposeful charcuterie to Under-Study including Jamon Mangalitsa, Antico, Calabria, and Coppa Siciliano. Their products are featured in the charcuterie selection and Cheese & Charcuterie Box offerings.
• Tenbrink FarmminorOthersTenbrink Farm supplies produce to Under-Study including Tenbrink Strawberries, Tenbrink Peaches, and Tenbrink Plums used in various café and patisserie menu items. The farm connection supports the seasonal, locally-sourced ingredient philosophy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sur La Table: Operates cooking class programs alongside retail culinary products, mirroring the Teaching Kitchen and retail food/beverage model of Under-Study, though at a more accessible price tier.
• Dean & DeLuca: Former occupant of Under-Study's 595 St. Helena Highway space, Dean & DeLuca pioneered the gourmet marketplace concept combining café, bakery, butcher, cheese, and wine retail — the direct predecessor of the Under-Study model.
• Milk Bar: Modern pastry and dessert concept with inventive, signature items (cookies, cakes, soft serve) — directly comparable to Under-Study's Patisserie in format, product style, and brand-forward positioning.
• Bouchon Bakery: Thomas Keller's artisan bakery in Yountville, Napa Valley, offering viennoiserie, pastries, and sandwiches — directly comparable in geography, scale, and premium pastry/bakery category.
• Williams Sonoma: Runs an in-store cooking class program (Williams Sonoma Cooking School) coupled with premium retail — overlapping with Under-Study's Teaching Kitchen revenue model and premium food retail counters.
• Tartine Bakery: California-based artisan bakery and café known for heritage-grain sourdough, viennoiserie, and an adjacent all-day restaurant model — directly comparable to Under-Study's bakery-plus-café concept and craft-bread positioning.
• PRESS Napa Valley: Sister fine-dining restaurant under the same Rudd Estate ownership, sharing the leadership team of Samantha Rudd and Chef Philip Tessier — comparable in Napa Valley positioning, premium pricing, and supplier relationships.
• Eataly: Operates multi-concept culinary marketplaces combining full-service restaurants, retail counters (bakery, butcher, cheese, wine), and cooking classes under one roof — directly analogous to Under-Study's integrated café/bakery/butcher/bottle shop/class model.

Regional players

• The French Laundry: Iconic Michelin-starred Napa Valley fine-dining restaurant from Thomas Keller — comparable as a regional premium culinary destination drawing culinary tourists, though operating at the opposite (tasting menu) end of the price and service spectrum.

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: Large premium grocer with prepared foods, bakery, butcher, cheese, and wine departments plus in-store dining — overlaps with Under-Study's marketplace model as a broader incumbent rather than a craft specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/understudy_napa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/under-study

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Under-study