Donna Scala, a dynamic chef and restaurateur who influenced Northern California cuisine with Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa and Scala's Bistro in San Francisco, died of a brain tumor at her home in Napa on Tuesday. She was 60 years old.

A fixture on the Bay Area food scene, Mrs. Scala was known for her vibrancy as well as her cooking.

She grew up in Virginia and spent lots of time in her grandfather's restaurants, which ranged from Italian to high-end Continental. Her passion for food ignited, and she went to the South of France to study cooking.

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Source: http://www.sfgate.com