A very Saucy congrats to Bryan Lipa. The general manager at Niche and St. Louis native has accepted a position as a captain at chef-owner Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. Lipa interviewed for a front-of-the-house position at the legendary Napa Valley restaurant last fall, but the final decision was not made until now.
Lipa has managed the floor at Niche and Brasserie by Niche since joining owner Gerard Craft’s restaurant operations in 2009. Prior to that, he managed Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood and served as the director of food and beverage at the Omni Hotel downtown. In early February it was reported that Lipa was headed to Truffles to replace sommelier John Cain, who left the Ladue restaurant to take a position as a floor sommelier and manager at Annie Gunn’s in Chesterfield. Lipa, however, did not make the move, opting instead to continue working with Craft.
Lipa is among a small group of local talent to have joined the elite ranks at The French Laundry including Chris Hoel, former beverage director at Monarch; and chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, who began his career at Old Warson Country Club and currently co-owns Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Col.
This article appears in March 2011.