La Tour's award-winning Chef/Owner Paul Ferzacca, honored at the James Beard House in New York City, is one of Vail's most celebrated and respected chefs. He has served in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the country, from The Ritz Carlton (Chicago) and Spiaggia Restaurant (Chicago) to the The Racquet Club of Chicago and the Game Greek Club in Vail.

Since buying La Tour in 1998, Chef Ferzacca has taken contemporary French cooking to a new level in Vail. La Tour features culinary elegance set in a "chic and trendy setting," according to one writer. As a result, La Tour is known by Vail Valley locals as the restaurant "where the chefs go to eat."

However, Chef Ferzacca's culinary leadership extends beyond his peers. To give back to the industry that he has enjoyed for two decades, he donates countless hours to teaching the art of cooking to high school and college students. As a result, the Colorado Restaurant Association through its Pro Start program, named Chef Ferzacca Mentor of the Year in 2003. His students have taken first place in state competition the past two years in a row, and second place in the national contest, reflecting on the high standards of their teacher. In addition, he has been named a "Distinguished Visiting Chef" at the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in Denver, the first Colorado chef to receive this honor. He has been featured as a guest chef at numerous wine and food festivals throughout the country.

A certified sommelier, Chef Ferzacca has made sure that La Tour's high quality also extends to its wine list. With more than 350 selections, La Tour has been given an "Award of Excellence" the past seven consecutive years by Wine Spectator magazine. La Tour has six sommeliers certified with the Court of Master Sommeliers on its staff, more than any other restaurant in Colorado.