Director of Culinary Deborah Mullin is redefining the restaurant business model at Healdsburg’s Little Saint, blending plant-based sustainability with community-focused accessibility.
In the heart of Healdsburg, California, the doors of Little Saint open at 8 a.m. and do not lock until 9 p.m. It is a grueling, seven-day-a-week commitment, but for Director of Culinary Deborah Mullin, these hours are the architecture of a fading social necessity: the “third place.”
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term in his 1989 book. *The Great Good Place*. to describe public gathering spots distinct from home and work. In an era shaped by digital isolation and economic shifting, these spaces have grown increasingly rare. Little Saint. a 10. 000-square-foot multi-use venue. attempts to fill that void by operating as a plant-based restaurant. bakery. coffee bar. wine shop. cocktail bar. and events space all under one roof.
For Mullin. who previously served as executive chef at The Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa. the role represents a “needle-in-a-haystack” opportunity. She spent a decade of her career honing an interest in plant-based options and sustainability. but Little Saint provided the rare canvas to build a menu entirely dependent on those values. The produce is sourced from Little Saint Farm. an eight-acre regenerative property located two-and-a-half miles away—formerly a vineyard. now the lifeblood of the restaurant’s seasonal menus.
Founders Laurie and Jeff Ubben opened the space in 2022. collaborating with executive director Jenny Hess and creative director Ken Fulk to renovate a property formerly known as the “SHED.” The Ubbens also expanded their footprint in downtown Healdsburg earlier this year by opening the Cottages at Little Saint. further cementing the venue as a local hub.
Success in such a complex, multi-faceted model demands that the operation feels effortless to the guest. Mullin manages this by delegating to dedicated culinary managers. positioning herself as a visionary architect who builds the structure and the feedback loops that keep the team aligned. She views mentorship as a core pillar of her work. coaching staff to bridge the gap between creative cooking and business operations.
This commitment to consistency is tempered by an appetite for surprise. While year-round staples like a sunflower caesar salad provide a reliable anchor. Mullin’s team leans into “microseasons.” Last August. they hosted a Tomato Sagra dinner in collaboration with the Michelin-recognized restaurant A16. turning varieties grown on their farm into everything from Neopolitan pizza to melon-basil sorbet.
Mullin’s path to this role was paved by a lifetime in kitchens. Her paternal grandfather ran a restaurant in a small town in New York’s Hudson Valley; her maternal grandparents. first-generation Americans. passed down authentic Italian culinary traditions. Her parents, now in their 80s, remain avid gardeners. During her own college years. she worked both front-of and back-of-house. realizing early on that she had a natural aptitude for leadership. She eventually rounded out her experience at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.
The philosophy at Little Saint is simple: hospitality must be genuine. By keeping the space accessible—whether for a morning pastry or an evening concert—the team aims to make the venue a place the community can depend on. In doing so. they are attempting to prove that a restaurant can function as something much more than a business; it can be a place where people truly gather. connect. and celebrate.
Little Saint Deborah Mullin Healdsburg plant-based restaurant third place sustainable dining California culinary