Frank Ostini

The Path

Training at University of California, Davis gave Frank Ostini a technical base, but the practical education started at Hitching Post in Casmalia, California, where restaurant work became the daily classroom. From busboy in 1964 to dishwasher in 1964, then bar manager and wine buyer in 1977, the progression maps the front- and back-of-house jobs that teach timing, service, and the purchase decisions that shape what lands at the table. Those years formed an understanding of how a dining room runs and how wine and food need to meet in service, not just in theory. By 1984, Frank Ostini had become co-owner and winemaker of Hitching Post Wines, moving the same practical sensibility into production and tightening the connection between kitchen and cellar. In 1993, he took on the role of owner, chef, and winemaker of Hitching Post 2 in Buellton, California, consolidating those disciplines under one roof. The throughline is continuity: starting with the smallest tasks in a restaurant and developing into leadership, authorship, and a defined cooking and winemaking voice.

The Work Today

At Hitching Post 2 in Buellton, Frank Ostini works as owner, chef, and winemaker. The title covers more than three jobs; it means moving between the dining room, the grill, and the cellar with the same set of standards. His work is built on the relation between food and wine, and on how fire can add structure rather than noise. In Frank Ostini’s hands, oak and smoke are tools, not effects.

Signature

Frank's signature dishes include Highliner and Traditional "Santa Maria BBQ" Oak Wood–Grilled Tri-Tip. Together, they show a cooking style that stays close to Oak Wood and open flame while allowing room for precision. The Oak Wood–Grilled Tri-Tip carries the Santa Maria barbecue tradition in direct form, while Highliner reflects a broader grill-led repertoire that does not leave the core method behind. The result is traditional, but not static.

In Their Words “Traditional barbecue can be a bit more bold than elegant, but like our pinot noir, we have elegant barbecue that is flavorful but balanced, and not too smoky.” “I just took the family's concept of grilling over this wood fire and expanded it to other dishes such as grilled vegetables, quail and duck.” The quotes point to a view of barbecue built on control, not volume. The pinot noir comparison sets out the target: flavor with shape, balance, and clarity. The second quote shows how a family method can be extended without being diluted, moving from meat to vegetables, quail, and duck while keeping wood fire at the center.

Acclaim

Frank's honors include Vintners of the Year. The recognition fits a career built across restaurant service and winemaking, with each side informing the other in ways that are practical on the floor and exacting in the cellar.