Chef Ken Frank is moving his celebrated Napa Valley restaurant to the new Westin Verasa in September. While staying true to the touches for which the restaurant has become known—such as offering one of the few truffle menus in the world—La Toque’s new home will provide a larger culinary playground for Chef Frank. The restaurant will feature a show kitchen and an expanded menu that will showcase Frank’s passion for fresh, seasonal and often organic cuisine.

Long considered one of the best restaurants in America by critics and food connoisseurs alike, La Toque has earned the praise of Zagat’s guide, captured a prestigious Michelin star, and was named one of "America’s Best Restaurants" by The Wine Spectator magazine. La Toque is equally recognized for its unpretentious and friendly wait staff and extensive wine selection.

"We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Chef Frank and La Toque to the Westin Verasa," said Joe Walsh, Regional Vice President of Development, Intrawest Placemaking, who worked with Ken Frank on the move to Napa. "La Toque is one of the premier restaurants in the United States, and Ken’s reputation and commitment will define an unparalleled culinary experience for our guests."

Like the current location in Rutherford, the new La Toque at the Westin Verasa will reflect the chef’s thorough grounding in French cuisine developed when he was a teenager. When Frank was 16, his father went on sabbatical and moved his family from Pasadena to Yvoire, a small 16th century walled village on the French side of Lake Geneva. When his family returned home at the end of the year, Frank wanted to remain. His parents agreed as long as he found a job and a place to live. He began washing dishes at a local restaurant and developed an appreciation for richly flavored country food.

His style embraces a philosophy that he developed decades ago as one of the first young American chefs to focus on fresh, seasonal, quality ingredients. The restaurant’s extensive wine list complements Frank’s cuisine and resident sommelier Scott Tracy has become known for his wine and food pairings.

"Using only the freshest, finest ingredients in season prepared in creative, delicious ways has always been the center of who I am and what I do," said Chef Frank. "Indeed that has now become the core of what great cooking in America is all about."

When the new La Toque location opens, Chef Frank’s culinary creations will be served in an atmosphere created by the restaurant design firm CCS Architecture. Guests will view the kitchen activity through an abundance of glass panes and a glass-backed liquor cabinet in the bar. The back-to-back fireplace, constructed of stone on the interior and Cor-Ten steel on the exterior patio dining area, will serve as another focal point in the restaurant. Ebonized oak floating booths that sit away from the walls, and light fixtures made from textured art glass, will add to the ambiance.

Chef Frank’s highly acclaimed career spans more than three decades. At only 21, as head chef at La Guillotine on the Sunset Strip, he earned the praises of food critics from the Los Angeles Times and New West magazine for introducing fresh vegetables, fruit and fish at a time when many restaurants used frozen or canned items. His devotion to fresh ingredients and his ability to prepare exquisite sauces followed him as he lent his talents to a number of other restaurants. In 1979, Frank was the original chef at Michael’s restaurant in Santa Monica, now considered to be the Los Angeles birthplace of "California Cuisine." Not long after, Frank opened the original La Toque on the site of what used to be La Guillotine and again earned a strong following of food connoisseurs and extensive praise from Gourmet magazine’s food critic. Other chefs also admired Frank’s style. In 1980 Chef Michel Richard, current owner of Citronelle in Washington, D.C. proclaimed, "Ken was the first young American chef that I met who was capable of cooking like the greatest French chefs."

The Napa Valley iteration of La Toque celebrates its tenth anniversary in September 2008, coinciding with its relocation to the Westin Verasa. The move will facilitate Frank’s plans to host "lifestyle experiences" revolving around single ingredients or specialties. He plans to host a "Truffle Camp" each January, with a package that includes overnight stays at the Westin, truffle cooking lessons, and winery visits

"We aim to make Westin Verasa the go-to wine and food destination in Napa Valley," declared Chef Frank. "Downtown Napa is going to become the destination in Napa Valley in the next 10 years and we’ll be right at the heart of it."