Starting his adventure in cooking at age 21, Chef Frank has been a pioneer in French cuisine in Northern California since 1979. This self-taught chef was influenced while working as a dishwasher in France at just 16 years old. Chef Frank consistently shows his commitment to not only fine dining but his community as well. He has a well-known reputation at a local homeless shelter where he helps put together hot lunches for those experiencing homelessness in Napa. His landmark restaurant, La Toque, is nestled in The Westin Verasa in Napa, California. His commitment to the finest ingredients and culinary experience has earned Chef Frank a Michelin Star every year.
Once you enter the warm yet beautifully modern dining room, you will be greeted by friendly staff and many varieties of menus to help customize your dining experience. La Toque has options for a traditional Chef’s Tasting Menu, a Vegetable Tasting Menu, an A La Carte Experience, Pastry Menu, All Black Truffle Menu, and a Wine List that beautifully compliments all of these options. Their stand-out dish is the Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio with Smoky Aioli and Grilled King Trumpets which is a thinly sliced, smoky-flavored beef. One of their most popular seafood options is the True Gulf Coast Red Snapper in a Savory Tomato Broth which is a smothered, tender piece of fish. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the Butter Crunch Cake, a rich yellow butter cake with homemade butter frosting and a crunch topping.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, La Toque has been ahead of the game as far as safety and convenience for their guests. They have made sure to study all recommended precautions to continue to provide a high level of dining in a safe environment. All staff must have daily health and temperature check, there are indoor and outdoor seating options both adorned with plexiglass partitions and they have a limited party size to 8 guests. They are also taking temperatures and questionnaires of guests while regularly sanitizing (every 2 hours) and wearing masks. They have also created a vibrant to-go menu called ‘La Toque at Home’ which provides a kit containing everything you need to complete the preparation of a restaurant-quality meal at home. With all of the options available, La Toque has done a wonderful job of prioritizing safety while still providing a beautiful experience for their guests and community.
Website: www.latoque.com
Phone: (707) 257-1444
Tony Lagana
Chef Tony is a 42-year veteran of the food industry and is often known by his peers as “The New Product Guru.” Throughout his illustrious culinary career, he’s earned several notable titles and positions including Acquisition International’s “Most Influential Product Development Expert, U.S.” in 2019.
In 1997, Tony also founded Culinary Systems Inc., a group of culinary consultants that assist with culinary training, restaurant start-ups, concept development, and more. Since then, Tony and his team have generated over two billion dollars in sales for their clients in restaurants, retail, and manufacturing.
The strategic, technical, and culinary skills of Tony and his team can be seen on the menus of national chains, in the portfolio of national food manufacturers, and on the grocery shelves of products produced by major retail companies.