FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
There are basically 3 types of pricing for my services based on what we're doing; i.e. canapé - style appetizers, buffet, plated meal, or some combination of the three. They are as follows..... 1) canapés $2 per individual piece regardless of the style, more expensive for more exotic/pricey product 2) buffet $13-$15 per person per dish for each protein, $7-$9 for each starch or veggie "side"/accouterments, $7-$9 for each dessert 3) plated/coursed meal or tasting menu $17-$18 per course per head - other charges are all broken out individually and itemized on the invoice including my time the night of the event and the inclusion of any other service staff (servers, bartenders, cooks) - I happily do pairing of wines, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages and charge no margin on these items....I simply pass on the straight cost I pay directly to my clients. Similarly, I charge no margin on any rentals or specialty items required to produce/execute the event. The straight cost just gets passed on to my clients and I front that cost and deal with all of the ordering so all of the charges end up on one single invoice. - gratuity, while always appreciated, is never presumed nor included as a "charge". It is always left completely to the discretion of my clients. - the only alteration to the pricing schedule described above would be if a client requested a very high end or exotic product - in that instance, pricing would increase accordingly and be discussed with the client prior to the event
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
The process can always start with email communication, but ultimately, because my menus are customized to each of my clients' tastes and needs, the best method for building an event is a phone call. Usually one good call is all it takes to establish the real nuts and bolts of any particular event. After that, there may be a few quick phone chats or emails to hone finer details, but the first call (usually about 45 minutes or so...) is the most important one.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
First and foremost, I have an AOS Professional Chef's degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. I graduated from that program with Honors in October 1999. Equally as important in terms of both "training" and "education", is the time I've spent traveling, particularly abroad. Having lived in Italy in 3 different short stints, and having traveled to about 30 other countries over the course of the last 25 years, I've had the phenomenal opportunity to supplement my hands-on cooking knowledge, training, and tutelage under other chefs, with real-world experience eating and understanding the food relationships prevalent in other cultures. All of these things inform how I cook, and more generally, how I think about and respect food/food culture.