40 Year’s Experience ….

To the Silverado Resort and Spa we go on Mother’s Day where 40 year veteran of Napa and surrounding area restaurants, Jeffrey Jake, Executive Chef, quarterbacks a fine brunch that is packed from the 10:30 a.m opening to the 2:30 p.m closing.

Last night’s dinner? Had the Petrale Sole with brown butter caper at Angele. I’ve known Bettina Rouas and her husband Claude forever and they’ve always done a great job of serving classic French dishes at Angele.

Favorite drink? Depends on the dinner. I really like the black IPA that the St. Clair Brown winery makes. Very cool place to stop in for a beer, just across the street from the Westin. But if it’s a traditional sit down dinner, I like a mature Cabernet.

Favorite music? Again, it depends. If I’m driving I like to relax and unwind to classical. But if I’m on the dance floor I like classic R&B.

Favorite thing about living and working in Napa? Pretty much everything. It’s why I’ve stayed. Incredible food and wines to an amazing tight community that supports one another. Of course I’ve seen Napa change so much. When I started at Domaine Chandon there was maybe 30 wineries. Now there’s over 400. Same with the dining scene. There was virtually nothing worth eating 40 years ago, now we’ve got some of the best restaurants in the world.

Any brush with celebrity? A few, but I prefer to keep it discreet.

What makes a great restaurant? You have to have a clear vision, know what you want and communicate it to your fellow cooks and servers. If they’re as passionate about delivering an excellent meal as you are, then you shouldn’t have any problems.

Final thoughts? Just amazed and grateful that I still have the same excitement to go to work each day. I’ve been at the Silverado for seven years and still love serving our guests. Any time someone tells me they enjoyed their meal at The Grill I feel tremendous satisfaction.