A Santa Ynez Valley native, Daisy Ryan is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and alum of some of New York City’s most acclaimed kitchens, including Gramercy Tavern, Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, and Per Se. Since opening Bell’s in 2018, she has been recognized as a Food & Wine Best New Chef, a James Beard semi-finalist for both Best Chef: California and Outstanding Hospitality, and earned a place on Food & Wine’s Best Restaurants in America list in 2024. Bell’s has held a Michelin Star every year since 2021. Alongside her husband Greg Ryan, she co-founded Companion Hospitality, which now includes Bell’s, Bar Le Côte, Priedite Barbecue, Na Na Thai, Bodega, and their nonprofit, Feed The Valley—an initiative that combats food insecurity in the Santa Ynez Valley by harnessing the strength of the local restaurant community.