Michael Latour
Chef & Owner, Est. 1998
Half French, Half Italian, Entirely Devoted
Michael Latour has spent his entire career in the kitchens of some of New York's finest hotels — but it's the restaurant bearing his name in Ridgewood, New Jersey that has defined his legacy. Half French and half Italian, Michael represents his paternal, ancestral country with food that's classical at its core and unmistakably his own.
“Everything is based on interpretation,” Michael says of cooking. “Learning from others is critical to create one's own style.”
It's a philosophy he's carried since his earliest days in professional kitchens, and one that still shapes every sauce, every plate, and every dish that leaves his kitchen today.
His sister designed Latour's interior — a stylish elegance that feels natural rather than affected, much like the man who runs the kitchen behind it.
From New York's Finest Hotels to His Own Dining Room
Johnson & Wales University
Earned his degree in culinary arts in Providence, Rhode Island. Michael has always maintained that it was on-the-job experience, not the classroom, that taught him the most — "everything is based on interpretation, and learning from others is critical to create one's own style."
The Jockey Club, Ritz-Carlton New York
Began his hotel career in one of New York's most storied dining rooms, absorbing the discipline of classical French technique at the highest level.
Four Seasons Hotel, New York
Joined the opening team at the Four Seasons Hotel New York, where he cooked for guests ranging from Jacqueline Onassis to Warren Beatty.
Doral Park Avenue Hotel & L'Auberge de France
Continued refining his craft at the Doral Park Avenue Hotel in New York and L'Auberge de France in Wayne, New Jersey, before deciding it was time to open a kitchen of his own.
Latour Opens in Ridgewood
Michael opened Latour on a stretch of Ridgewood that was, in his words, "all retail stores and banks, with only a handful of restaurants." The restaurant succeeded immediately, drawing diners from across Bergen County.
Three Stars from The New York Times
Latour earned a rare three-star review from The New York Times at a time when the paper seldom covered New Jersey restaurants at all — an early signal that serious classical French cooking had found a home in Ridgewood.
Gold Medal & Continued Praise
Michael won the Gold Medal for Best Sugar Work Piece from the Les Amis d'Escoffier Society Foundation at the International Hotel/Motel and Restaurant Show — the same year Latour received three out of four stars from The Record.
Nearly Three Decades in Ridgewood
Latour remains one of the longest-tenured fine dining French restaurants in New Jersey, with Michael still in the kitchen — still building the day's sauces from scratch, still baking the bread on premises.
Press & Affiliations
The New York Times
Three-star review, awarded in the restaurant's earliest years.
The Record
Three out of four stars, most recently reviewed in 2010.
Les Amis d'Escoffier Society Foundation
Gold Medal, Best Sugar Work Piece — International Hotel/Motel and Restaurant Show, 2010.
Société Culinaire Philanthropique
Michael serves as President of the New Jersey Chapter, a community supporting French émigré chefs.
Professional Affiliations
Member, American Culinary Federation, International Chefs' Association, and the International Geneva Association.
Zagat Guide
Listed among the region's notable dining destinations.
The Person Behind the Plate
Favorite kitchen tool: The convection oven. “It cooks evenly, it browns things better, and it helps with soufflés in particular.”
How he stays sharp: Hiking at least three times a week — Skyline Drive in Ringwood, Seven Lakes, and Sterling Forest are regular routes, often five miles or more.
Guilty pleasure: Chocolate — specifically Cacao Noel. “Not too tart, not too bitter.”
A tip for home cooks: When cooking fish, it's always better to have it a little underdone than to overcook it.