La Jolla photographer steps into filmmaking again with second documentary

In Eric Wolfinger’s photography career, the La Jollan has won a James Beard Award, worked on several cookbooks and been described as “the Annie Leibowitz of food photography” by The New York Times.

With his latest endeavor, Wolfinger directed the camera at an Arizona chef who channeled personal tragedy into an impressive restaurant career. The final product, a 25-minute short film, is making its way through the festival circuit, Wolfinger said.

“Lisa Dahl: Blessed by Grace” follows the story of Dahl, a successful chef and entrepreneur who found meaning through cooking after her son, Justin, was slain in the 1990s.

In the wake of the tragedy, Dahl moved to Sedona, Ariz., and opened her first restaurant, Dahl & Di Luca. Three decades later, she is the owner of six restaurants.

“Blessed by Grace” is Wolfinger’s second foray into documentary filmmaking. His first, “Dashi Journey,” chronicles a chef as he makes his way from his kitchen in Tokyo to the southernmost end of Japan to learn about the origin of dashi, a soup stock considered “the invisible foundation of Japanese cuisine.”

“Dashi Journey” is “kind of a niche film,” Wolfinger said. But with his latest project, he’s taken an active approach to promoting his work.

It’s paid off thus far, as “Blessed by Grace” has already racked up accolades such as the Audience Choice Award for best culinary short at the Coronado Island Film Festival on Nov. 9 and two awards at the 2025 Indy Shorts International Film Festival in Indianapolis.

Getting connected

Before getting to work on the film, Wolfinger was introduced to Dahl through her publicist, his longtime friend.

The two had an immediate connection, Wolfinger recalled. Within a couple of days of shooting a brief “sizzle reel” to pitch to media, they were invited to screen the sizzle reel at the Sedona Film Festival. What started as a public relations effort became a much bigger artistic endeavor, Wolfinger said.

“We all kind of looked at each other and were like ‘There’s so much more than a three-minute sizzle that we can do. Let’s make a film,’” he said.

Dahl opened her heart in interviews and gave Wolfinger and his crew access to mementos and stories. At the end of the filming, a lot of content was left on the cutting room floor.

“I myself have experienced tremendous loss,” Wolfinger said. “My brother died in 2015. So I can empathize to a degree with what she went through. … I also could relate to how a huge tragedy can break you or help you redefine your purpose. And I think that’s ultimately what drew me to Lisa’s story.”

Dahl praised Wolfinger’s articulate filmmaking and ability to balance the film’s tone.

Reliving her traumatic memories was raw but cathartic, she said.

“There was, I believe, angelic intervention involved that took it from what would have never been anything more than gorgeous photography and cinematography from Eric,” Dahl said. “It became much more of a journey together.

“There’s this web of genius that goes even beyond the actual beauty of any of the food and the scenery. It’s his ability to juxtapose [tones] in these moments. That, to me, is a refinement that makes him actually be more than a wonderful food photographer and cinematographer.”

Wolfinger’s story

Wolfinger was born and raised in La Jolla, attending Bird Rock Elementary, Muirlands Middle and La Jolla High schools.

His journey to becoming an acclaimed photographer, however, developed after he graduated from college having studied political science and Spanish literature.

“From a young age, I had a burning passion for food,” Wolfinger recalled. “When I graduated from college, I was like ‘OK, I did college for the parents. Now I’m going to go cook for me and see where it takes me.”

Thanks to former La Jolla High classmate Samin Nosrat, Wolfinger landed his first job as a line cook in San Francisco. As he got acquainted with the industry, he was commissioned to take photos for chef Chad Robertson’s cookbook “Tartine Bread.”

Wolfinger later earned a Beard Award for photography for his work on “American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta” by Michelin-recommended Los Angeles chef Evan Funke.

Wolfinger photographed cookbooks for Michelin-starred chefs Charles Phan, Hubert Keller, David Kinch, Kyle Connaughton and Corey Lee and has shot cookbooks on topics ranging from burgers to chocolate to Mexican to Thai food.

His work also includes commercial photography for small companies, consumer product makers, fashion firms, lifestyle brands and travel promoters.

In August 2022, he returned to La Jolla, where he lives and works today.

Though his focus has long been on photography, he’s kept his options open for video. The difference between the two is striking, he said.

“There’s such a difference between telling a story with photography and video, with the latter being much harder, in my opinion,” Wolfinger said. “I never said no … and always stretched myself to incorporate motion storytelling into what was generally a photography-focused career.”

Beyond the kitchen

Everything Wolfinger does is food-related, but he feels there’s much more to explore than what’s on the plate.

At the Coronado festival screening, Wolfinger and Dahl received a lot of unexpected and poignant feedback from the audience.

One interaction in particular stuck out to Wolfinger. A woman told him about her brother’s death and said she admired the way the film celebrated Justin’s life while speaking to the tragedy of his loss.

That conversation, Wolfinger said, made him realize that his life had prepared him to help tell Dahl’s story.

“You make a thing that you hope resonates with people, and I think different people will find different things that resonate with them in this film,” Wolfinger said. “For me … it’s a story of a woman who kind of found her purpose and reason to live again in the kitchen after an unspeakable loss. I think that’s very inspiring. … You can have a second act in life.”

— San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Pam Kragen contributed to this report.