Welcome to Ladera Grill!

The Premiere Dining Destination of the South County

Widely recognized as one of Silicon Valley’s top dining destinations, Ladera Grill is dedicated to delivering a remarkable experience every time you visit. Our restaurant is housed in the historic Skeels Building, originally a hotel owned by Harry and Cynthia Skeels in the mid 1900s, on Monterey and Third Street in downtown Morgan Hill. In 1926, the Skeels welcomed Swedish Crown Prince Gustav Adolph and Crown Princess Louise to their establishment.

The historic Skeels Building was completely rebuilt and modernized, and has served as Ladera Grill’s home since 2011. The Morgan Hill Historical Society retained the building’s original flagpole, which now resides on the roof of our building. Whether you are European royalty, or come from a little closer to home, we hope you enjoy your experience here at Ladera Grill!

Meet Our Team

  • President

    Dan has been involved in technology-oriented businesses for more than 40 years, predominantly in executive management roles. His past experience has included CEO and Chairman of both SEEQ Technology and Virage Logic. In the latter phase of his tech career, Dan served on multiple public company boards, including Cypress Semiconductor, Freescale Semiconductor, Actel Corporation, Mentor Graphics, ON Semiconductor, SEEQ Technology and Virage Logic amongst others.

    Dan has been a South County resident for more than 35 years. He is an avid hiker and amateur photographer, and has a special love for our Northern California wild lands.

    Ladera Grill is his first restaurant adventure.

  • Business Manager

    Morgan’s formal education centered around science and finance, and the bulk of his business career was in the Information Technology area, working with EDP companies such as Perot Systems. In 2011, at the request of his father, Morgan left the IT industry and joined the founding team at Ladera Grill. In addition to his front management work, Morgan is responsible for all aspects of IT and POS System management, general maintenance, payroll, finance, accounts receivable and accounts payable.

    In his spare time, Morgan enjoys cooking, hiking and backpacking.

  • Beverage Director and Event Manager

    Katrina has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. She started out as a busser when she was just 15 years old at the Inn at Tres Pinos. She worked her way up, hosting, serving, catering, and even helping in the kitchen. She has moved all around from San Luis Obispo to New York, where she landed a job at The Smith (Midtown). After surviving a brutally cold winter, Katrina moved back to sunny California where she began working at Left Bank on Santana Row. She worked as a lead server until finding her home at Ladera Grill. Katrina brings her 20+ years of diverse restaurant experience to Ladera Grill as our Beverage Director and Event Manager. She holds a Level 1 certificate with the Court of Master Sommeliers.

    In her spare time, Katrina enjoys cooking for her husband and their four children.

  • Manager, Banquets and Private Events

    Rene has been with Ladera from our founding. He has been in the hospitality industry since he was 16 years old, rising from serving position to his current management role at Ladera. Because of his passion for customer service, Rene continues to love the direct interaction with patrons as well as all aspects of management.

    Rene holds a Level 1 certificate with the Court of Master Sommeliers and has demonstrated ability to manage all aspects of a restaurant – from personnel management to customer service programs. His passion for service has been invaluable in establishing the training and management programs for our serving staff. Rene works hard to make the dining experience at Ladera uniquely enjoyable.

    In his spare time, Rene loves to spend time with his nephews and niece, taking his dogs on jaunts to the beach and to our local trails, wine tasting and fine dining.

  • Executive Chef

    Tony Garcia is the culinary talent behind Ladera Grill.

    With expertise in premium steaks and chops, Northern Italian cuisine, and creative entrée salads, Tony brings decades of passion to each dish he creates. Formerly the owner and Executive Chef of Giancarlo’s in Morgan Hill, Tony also honed his craft as Sous Chef at Birk’s Steak & Chop House and as Kitchen Manager at Gordon Biersch in Downtown San Jose.

    His attention to flavor and quality continues to elevate the dining experience at our beloved restaurant.