When the magic happens and you do it right, the audience demands an encore. The When the magic happens and you do it right, the audience demands an encore. The curtain rises and they did it again! Designer, Denise D. Stansfield and Chef Bourget were one of the top presenters, along with Quattro at the Four Seasons and Il Fornaio, in this year's spectacular Gentry Gala in Palo Alto!

The evening was filled with some of the best Bay Area chefs serving some of their finest gourmet noshes and specialties. And Denise and Chef Bourget always go over-the-top....this year, an Egyptian style feast.

Denise once again dazzled the event with her Egyptian design, constructed of wood frame and fabrics, glistening gold and colors from the Nile. Every detail was well presented to capture the audience and enhance the delectable cuisine served by Chef Bourget, i.e. Warq Enab (Egyptian Style Stuffed Grape Leaves w/Yogurt Mint Sauce), Grilled Lamb Kebabs w/Ginger Pomegranate Mollasses BBQ Sauce and Quinoa Cakes w/Eggplant-Tomato Ragu.

Gourmet to Go breaks the mold with their Carmen Opera Table for University Electric & General Electric at the 2008 Gentry Gala!

Gentry Gala Tapas Menu

Canapé de Pasta de Aceitunas Negras, Aluvias y Queso Manchego Olive Paste Canapé with Fava Bean Spread & Manchego Cheese

Espárragos con Salmón y crema Asparagus Wrapped in Smoked Salmon topped w/Crème Fraiche

Buñuelos de Queso y Uvas Condimentadas Cheese Bites with Grape Relish

Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose
February 6-8, 2009

Gourmet To Go & OOTO productions put on a great show at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.
Chef Bourget demonstrated Blackened Shrimp with Pomegranate Orange Salsa and Ole Bouillabaisse. This was not an ordinary event. Denise Stansfield designed a wonderful stage set with an underwater theme! Carl Mindling, OOTO's gourmet food announcer, entertained the audience alongside Chef Bourget and her lovely daughter Michelle as they dazzled the stage with seafood delicacies that the audience sampled. The shows were well attended. A Big Thank You to all of the attendees!

The Gentry Gala was a huge success! Our sustainable seafood table featured Smoked Salmon & Curried Crème Fraiche on Basil Boats, Wild Caught Crab with Fresh Dill on Cayenne Toast and Smoke Salmon Rillettes on Tortilla Wafers with Mango Chutney. Over 700 people attended. It was very exciting to rub shoulders with such great chefs as Jeffrey Dunn from Wolf and Alessandro Cartumini from the Four Seasons.

A very big thank you to Denise Stansfield, Graphic Designer, Illustrator and CEO of D. Stansfield Design.

She took the idea of creating a sustainable seafood theme and turned out an exceptionally stunning and unique table display design. Please click on her link below to view her incredible work.

Big thank yous to my daughter, Michelle Finn, Azra Simonetti and Kristina McGuire for their culinary expertise!

Thank you very much to Ann Morhauser of Annie Glass for loaning us several pieces of her exquisite art glass to display our culinary delights and to Perry's Floral in Scotts Valley for a very interesting and lovely floral arrangement.

Look for Gourmet To Go in the June issue of Gentry Magazine. www.gentrymagazine.com

Upon completion of my training as a personal chef with the United States Personal Chef Institute, I had no idea how wonderful and interesting my live would change and grow. I have had the pleasure of meeting and sometimes caring for the following people

Thomas Keller
Jacques Pepin
Debbie Reynolds
Debi & Rick Justice, Cisco
Reed & Patty, Netflix
Canadian Brass
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo
Andy & Eva Grove, Intel
Barbara & Bill Liebeck of Pebble Beach
Alessandro Cartumini of the Four Seasons Hotel
Private Chef to Pajaro Dunes Company

We truly appreciated your sensitivity to our requirements, your professionalism, and your ability to make things seem easy and do-able. And of course, the delicious food was a wonderful treat.
Eleanor Dickman, Cupertino

Dinner last night was fabulous! All I can say is - will you be our Momma? Greg and I were blown away - the halibut/mango salsa to die for…the 'picky' 3 yr old Richard actually ate the fish! (We tricked him a little; we call everything suspicious "chicken"). Just wanted to let you know how pleased we were! Can't wait to try more!
Cathy, Greg & Richard Freyberg, Mortgage Brokers-Aptos-(Client since June 2005)

I love the food! Every meal has been wonderful. You definitely have a client for life!
Judy Bettencourt, Mortgage Broker-Los Gatos- (Client since October 2003)

Oh everything was so wonderful!!! Kaitlin loved the Southwest Chicken Bundles and wants me to tell you she would love those again real soon. Ha!!! Once again it is so nice to eat a healthy meal at home. Now we have so much fun at dinner because of you!
Julie McNulty, Homemaker-San Jose-(Client since September 2006)

I have never tasted pork that delicious…
Seema-San Jose

WOW, the house sure did smell great when I got home! A friend of mine was over last night and we ate the crab salad, which was excellent. We also ate the ginger beef. After we were done, he asked, "Okay, so what else can we eat?!" What a great compliment.
Kay Posey-Owner, Posey Garden Florist

We've been enjoying all the food this week. The halibut and that mango salsa were fabulous. The pork, rice and sauce were wonderful as well. And we just finished off the chicken lasagna from last time-that was yummy too. I can't wait to eat my next meal!
Patty Quillin, Homemaker-West Side Santa Cruz- (Client since December 2003)

The menu sounds very yummy. We'll pretend we're on a cruise ship for the week!
Karen Phelps-CPA, Capitola (Client since 2002)

That Halibut with fresh mango salsa was out of this world!
Jeff Nelsen-French Horn, The Canadian Brass

We have been enjoying the meals. The turkey pasta was a big hit with everyone. Robert and I really enjoyed the stew and we really liked the burritos.
Robert & Ginny Estupinian, Owners of Vesta Strategies-Silver Creek Estates (Client since June 2003)

Thank you so much for joining us in our classroom on our special day. The parents and kids were all delighted with the lesson and the food was wonderful. We all appreciate the time and energy you took to be there with us…
Holly, Teacher-Branciforte Elementary School