Born in the south of France, Chef Dominique Christini grew up in La Colle Sur Loup on the French Riviera. His love of food as art began at age fourteen while working in a pastry shop after school.  Knowing food would play a pivotal role in his career, Dominique attended culinary school in Ecole Hoteliere de Nice from 1969 to 1972, during which he had the opportunity to work with a two time Meilleur Ouvrier de France at the Hotel Palace le Provencal in Nice.

Dominique moved to the United States in 1973, working at Indianapolis’s La Tour restaurant with Wolfgang Puck and eventually accepting a position as Sous Chef at the famous Cincinnati Hilton Gourmet Room, a five star French dining room. It was here, he fell in love and married his beautiful wife Kathy.

Building on an already accomplished career in French cuisine, Chef Dominique moved to Chicago to run The White Hall Club as evening chef for the chicly exclusive private fine dining club. In 1980, he accepted a position as Chef de Cuisine for L’ Auberge in Dayton, Ohio and lead the restaurant to attain its four star status in his first six months.  Here in Ohio, the chef and his wife started a family by welcoming two children – Natalie and Sebastien.

In 1986, Chef Dominique and his family settled in Tampa Bay, Florida, opening the boutique Café Largo to showcase his culinary accomplishments. The restaurant enables him to creatively infuse a traditional French fine dining experience with the Provencal influence from his youth.
Most recently, Chef Dominique has discovered the joy sharing his knowledge, expertise, and creativity by offering cooking classes where participants can work hands on with a variety of techniques and recipes.

 

• Best of Tampa Bay
  Tampa Bay Magazine (1989, 1990)

• Best of the Bay: Best French Food
  Weekly Planet (1995, 1997, 2002)
  
  
• Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs
  Active Member Since 1993
  
  
• America’s Outstanding Chefs
  National Registry of Chefs in America, 1990
  
  
• America’s Finest Restaurants
  National Registry of Chefs in America, 1990