Christophe Gerard Named Executive Chef of BLUE NOTE NAPA's Culinary Team; Dylan Torcoletti Named GM; Grammy Winning Trumpeter Chris Botti Opens, 10/25

Blue Note Napa, opening Tuesday, October 25 with GRAMMY winning jazz trumpeter Chris Botti at the historic Napa Valley Opera House in downtown Napa, has announced its culinary team for the first West Coast outpost of the legendary jazz club. Chef Christophe Gerard has been named Blue Note Napa's executive chef, bringing an elegant, yet comfortable and approachable California provençal-style to the Blue Note Napa menu, and Dylan Torcoletti has been hired as General Manager.

A native of Chartres, France, Chef Christophe Gerard earned his culinary certificate from the Centre de Formation d'Apprentis "Les Chaises", and has honed his craft over several decades at celebrated restaurants in France, New York and Florida before arriving in the Napa Valley in 2002. Chef Christophe's culinary journey has led him through some of the France's most notable restaurants, including René Delplanque's Relais des Hussards in Coulombs, and the Michelin three-star Taillevent in Paris. By 1990, Chef Christophe was showcasing his talent at celebrated US restaurants that include Lespinasse at the St. Regis, Café Pierre of the Pierre Hotel, and René Pujol in New York City, along with Dux at the Peabody in Orlando and 1220 at the Tides in Miami Beach. Christophe moved to the Napa Valley in 2002 to open Angéle, which rapidly earned a spot on Food and Wine Magazine's top new bistros in North America list. In 2005, Chef Christophe partnered with three colleagues to open the avant-garde 55 Degrees in Sacramento, and soon after was recruited by Master Sommelier, Larry Stone, to help elevate the guest experience at Francis Ford Coppola's estate winery, Rubicon Estate. In 2007, Christophe joined Farm Restaurant at the Carneros Inn garnering and 2 and1⁄2 stars from the San Francisco Chronicle and high praise in the Gayot Reviewer, among other accolades.

"I am thrilled to be at Blue Note Napa, music and food are perfect compliments and we hope to create an upscale, yet comfortable and casual dining experience for our guests," stated Christophe. "My culinary philosophy is to use fresh, quality, locally-sourced ingredients and keep it simple, allowing the food to speak for itself. We are incredibly lucky to live in the food and wine capital of America and will strive to create an experience that reflects the Napa Valley."

Heading up the front of the house will be Dylan Torcoletti, Blue Note Napa's General Manager. A graduate of North Idaho College, Dylan's hospitality experience includes The Coeur d' Alene Resort in Northern Idaho, and the classic Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, California (formerly Ritz Carlton Hotel). Dylan played an intricate role in the hospitality team at Langham Huntington, heading up the successful re-opening of The Tap Room Bar and The Royce Wood-fired Steakhouse, both becoming quickly known for their great emphasis on both cocktail and wine programs along with impeccable service standards. Dylan will provide a solid foundation for the staff in a genuine sense of hospitality, service, and quality while displaying his passion for jazz at Blue Note Napa.

Chris Botti will perform Tuesday, October 25 through Thursday, October 27 in the intimate Blue Note Napa jazz club, followed by a special concert performance in the Opera House Ballroom on Friday, October 28. Additional acts to be announced soon.

The venue will also operate the second story Opera House Ballroom, featuring top name national acts, spanning many musical genres, as well as a private event space available for large groups. The Opera House Ballroom's Grand Opening is a one-two punch. Following Botti's appearance, Latitude 38 Entertainment will present Bottle Rock Music Festival stand-outs, the Struts in a sold-out show in the Opera House Ballroom on November 4.

Reservations and tickets for all Blue Note and Opera House Ballroom performance dates, plus the entire calendar of events, are available now at www.bluenotenapa.com or by calling 707-603-1BLU (1258).

Blue Note Napa is part of the iconic Blue Note Entertainment Group network, with music venues in New York, Washington D.C., Milan, Hawaii, Beijing and two locations in Japan, including the flagship Blue Note New York (celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2016). Blue Note Napa will present national and International Artists, along with Bay Area and regional favorites, paired with the valley's finest wines and craft brews, farm to table seasonally inspired cuisine, and classic cocktails on the first floor of the historic Napa Valley Opera House.

Blue Note Napa, located at 1030 Main Street in downtown Napa, will be open seven days a week, from 5pm to closing, depending on the show. For more information, please visit www.bluenotenapa.com.

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About Blue Note Entertainment Group

Blue Note Entertainment Group, founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns and operates New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, Subrosa, and Lucille's Grill; The Howard Theatre (Washington D.C.); and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide (Hawaii, Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan, Beijing, China, and Milan, Italy). The company also programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA). Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY®-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalogue includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel, Management Group and Media Group. The organization has presented many of the music industry's greatest artists over the past 35 years, including jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughn, Chris Botti, and many more.

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