I travel to Gold Country to meet Zachary Ahrenholtz, the executive chef at the Holbrooke Hotel and Golden Gate Saloon. These are the oldest continuously operating hotel and oldest watering hole in California, respectively, and they were recently renovated and polished to a shine. Zach talked with me about smoking meats and how they influence the new Golden Gate Saloon menu, as well as the phenomenon of the Midwest’s pork tenderloin sandwich.

Instagram: @holbrookehotel

Website: holbrooke.com