9 questions with Sean O’Toole, chef at ‘sophisticated yet relaxed’ Torc in Napa

Torc is a 4,200-square-foot restaurant, with 130 seats spread across the bar, dining room, mezzanine and patio, at 140 Main St., Napa.

Online: torcnapa.com and on Instagram @torcnapa

Which chef should we spotlight in our next 9 Questions? Send a note to [email protected].

Part of The Press Democrat’s expanded coverage into Napa County will include interviews with some of the restaurant and dining scene’s biggest names and influencers. Look for our regular series that casts the spotlight on a different chef or restaurant owner who stands out in the world of food and drink in Napa’s thriving dining industry.

This week, we caught up with chef Sean O’Toole at Torc, a “sophisticated yet relaxed” Napa restaurant focused on local food without the pomp of white tablecloths. While some starters stay the same, Torc changes parts of its menu weekly to reflect the produce of the season.

We offered nine questions to O’Toole. Here’s a sampling of our conversation.

The Press Democrat: How would you describe your culinary style?

Sean O’Toole: I don’t know how to label my style, but we’re market driven, and I cook based on the product. I’m classically French trained, so we have this solid base of French and Italian techniques behind food that’s a little more contemporary American.

PD: What is the most popular dish on your menu?

O’Toole: We print new menus every day. Some dishes have been on the menu since Day One, including our deviled eggs, sweet potato pakora and black truffle grilled cheese sandwiches. They’re the snacks people expect to have. Then we get to the other items, and it’s a continuously evolving menu. Someone will pull up to the restaurant with a van full of stone fruit, tomatoes and peppers, and we’ll make a dish based off of that. I would say we change about 15% of the menu a week.

PD: How would you describe your restaurant’s atmosphere to someone who has never visited?

O’Toole: Chaotic. It’s probably one of the more opulent dining rooms in downtown Napa, built in 1906 with fully exposed stone walls, really nice black iron retrofitted from the ’80s and beautiful Brazilian hardwood floors. As far as ambiance, music is a big part of what we’re doing. It depends what we’re in the mood for, what we play, and we’re up front about that.

PD: What’s your favorite restaurant to visit in your off hours?

O’Toole: We go out pretty infrequently, but some of my go-tos are Bouchon (Bistro) in Yountville or Lou’s Luncheonette (near Sonoma), which is a guilty pleasure, egg-sandwich sort of place. We do lots of cooking at home.

PD: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not cooking?

O’Toole: I’m always cooking. For hobbies, we like to forage, so we’ll go to the Sonoma coast or the Sierras and forage mushrooms. Much of my life encompasses food in some aspect.

PD: What is your current favorite wine to enjoy at home?

O’Toole: I enjoy a syrah Côte Rôtie, usually a French syrah. Whatever’s good, really.

PD: Tell me about a favorite memorable meal you’ve had.

O’Toole: It’s honestly more about the company than what we’re eating. Last week, I had a really memorable one with a good friend who owns a mushroom distribution business and it was his 60th birthday. We ate some grilled steaks and chanterelles and had a blast.

PD: What do you see as the future of fine dining?

O’Toole: To me, fine dining evolves constantly, and what’s considered fine dining here is not what is considered fine dining 5,000 miles away. It’s a broad area of the industry, and where it will be next I’m not sure. At Torc, we don’t have tablecloths. We’re bare-bones minimalist. We’re about trying to give people the quality of the product and the experience but not that environment.

PD: What makes the Napa dining scene unique?

O’Toole: The local clientele is super food- and wine-savvy and highly educated in both food and wine. They are good with trying something they wouldn’t have tried, which gives us an opportunity to show how dynamic a menu can actually be.

Dahlia Ghabour is an award-winning food writer with reporting experience in Florida and Kentucky. Contact them at [email protected] and on Twitter at @dghabour.

Torc is a 4,200-square-foot restaurant, with 130 seats spread across the bar, dining room, mezzanine and patio, at 140 Main St., Napa.

Online: torcnapa.com and on Instagram @torcnapa

Which chef should we spotlight in our next 9 Questions? Send a note to [email protected].