RECENT PRESS RELEASES

San Francisco (2005)
CORPORATE TEAMS BRAISE AND BOND OVER A HOT STOVE!

San Francisco (2005)
GOURMETRX: CORPORATE TEAMBUILDING HAS NEVER BEEN SO DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY!

San Francisco (February 2005)
MEET US IN THE KITCHEN FOR SOME LOVIN’ ROUND THE OVEN!

San Francisco (January, 2005)
LOOKING FOR A VALENTINE? GOURMET DATING, A TASTEFUL WAY TO DATE!

San Francisco (July 1, 2004)
SANTA BABY, HURRY TO THE KITCHEN TONIGHT!

LOS ANGELES (April, 2004)
LOVE ON THE MENU IN L.A.—Cooking parties for L.A. Singles featuring “Tantalizing Tapas” in May

SAN FRANCISCO (October, 2003)
RECIPE FOR ROMANCE—Mix ‘N Match Brings Singles Together to Meet & Eat

SAN FRANCISCO (October, 2003)
This holiday season host a "deliciously fun" cooking party with Gourmet Gatherings

SAN FRANCISCO (October, 2003)
Crank up the heat with lovin’ around the oven Cooking Parties for Gay Singles



San Francisco (2005)
CORPORATE TEAMS BRAISE AND BOND OVER A HOT STOVE!

“ Unexpected.” “Unforgettable.” “Lasting impact!” Take 100 knife wielding, whisk waving executives in aprons, led by a four-star team of top chefs, all in one large room at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay. Combine with great food made from the freshest ingredients, good wine, and hip music and you’ve got the most popular event at a Barclays Global Investor conference this spring and the great reviews above!
Gourmet Gatherings is San Francisco’s premiere gourmet entertainment company. They stage hands-on cooking parties and corporate teambuilding events in private homes and rented professional kitchens all across San Francisco’s Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago. Clients hire Gourmet Gatherings to lead culinary teambuilding events for 20 employees to over 100.

In addition to Barclays, some of their corporate clients include American Express, e-Bay, the New York Times, Pfizer, Wal-Mart, and Wells Fargo among others, as well as top law firms and advertising agencies. At a Gourmet Gatherings event, professional chefs kick off the experience with fun cooking tips and then provide guidance to attendees who are divided into culinary teams and prepare recipes from a gourmet menu developed by the star chefs.

In addition to our regular menus, we’ve recently extended our brand to include GourmetRx. At this new event for corporate clients, a professional chef and a doctor are on hand to give guests a nutritional framework for healthier cooking and eating – all with the same team spirit! NBC’s the Today Show, the Food Network and Better Homes and Gardens magazine have recently featured stories on Gourmet Gatherings.
For more information, go to our award-winning website at: gourmetgatherings.com or call 415-437-9977.

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San Francisco (2005)
GOURMETRX: CORPORATE TEAMBUILDING HAS NEVER BEEN SO DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY!

Looking for an exciting new teambuilding option for your employees? Gourmet Gatherings, (as seen on NBC’s the Today show, the Food Network, Cooking Light and Better Homes & Gardens magazine) and Dr. Marc Lawrence, a Stanford and Harvard-trained emergency physician and founder of BuddySlim.com have created a breakthrough new hands-on cooking class – Gourmet Gatherings’ GourmetRx.

Based on cutting-edge medical research and food science, Gourmet Gatherings’ GourmetRx cooking classes will provide key nutritional education and delicious new recipes to help reduce work-place stress, decrease risk factors for disease and increase productivity and morale -- all in an interactive, team-supportive environment. By planning a Gourmet Gatherings’ GourmetRx teambuilding class, you will take the lead in emphasizing your corporation’s concern for the health and well-being of your employees.

Gourmet Gatherings is one of the country’s leading gourmet entertainment companies. We stage hands-on corporate teambuilding events in private homes and rented professional kitchens all across San Francisco’s Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago. Corporate clients include American Express, e-Bay, the New York Times, Pfizer, Wal-Mart and Wells Fargo among others. At all Gourmet Gatherings events, professional chefs kick off the experience with fun cooking tips and then provide guidance to attendees who are divided into culinary teams and prepare recipes from a gourmet menu developed by our four-star chefs.

“ Food is medicine and certain foods have health-promoting effects more powerful than our most effective prescription drugs,” explains Dr. Lawrence. Gignilliat adds that, “Our Gourmet Gatherings’ GourmetRx cooking class will help you make better food choices, prepare food correctly and as a result, live healthier! Just like Gourmet Gatherings’ traditional hands-on cooking classes, at a GourmetRx event you’ll team up with friends and colleagues and enjoy making delicious food from the freshest ingredients in a fun and festive atmosphere!” She adds that, “In addition to a professional chef to lead you, Dr. Lawrence will be on-hand to introduce the latest in anti-aging information and provide healthy cooking techniques.”

To improve the well being, performance and productivity of your corporation in a dynamic and delectable setting please, visit our award-winning website at GourmetGatherings.com or call 415-437-9977.
Let Gourmet Gatherings’ GourmetRx teach you how to “Cook for fun and eat for life!”

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San Francisco (February 2005)
MEET US IN THE KITCHEN FOR SOME LOVIN’ ROUND THE OVEN!

Turn up the heat this Valentines Day and defrost that love life. Gourmet Gatherings introduces the newest way to mix and mingle this February with its red-hot new culinary event, Gourmet Dating! It’s a fun, upscale way to polish your cooking techniques, eat fabulous food and mix it up with other fun Chicago singles.

This February, Gourmet Gatherings invites singles to participate in an exciting hands-on cooking party at the state of the art Sur La Table teaching kitchen in downtown Chicago. Guests are greeted at the door with a nibble and nametag. Gourmet Dating’s lead chef for the evening will set the mood for fun and flirting with a short, lively demonstration of the evening’s cooking tips and then divide guests into co-ed cooking teams. February’s menu,“Tantalizing Tapas,” will feature several of the delicious small plate dishes showcased on Gourmet Gatherings appearance on the TODAY Show this December. Each team prepares a recipe from the evening’s gourmet menu while enjoying good wine, cool music and lot’s of chemistry in the kitchen!

“ Cooking is an ideal icebreaker,” says Chef and Co-Owner Bibby Gignilliat. “It takes the pressure away from making small talk and gives our guests a chance to bond over their delicious success.” Adds Co-Owner, Shannan Bishop, “nothing brings people together better than cooking, wine and music. We know it works, our guests have written to tell us!”

Recently featured in Better Homes and Gardens and on NBC’s the Today Show and the Food Network’s program “Recipe for Success,” Gignilliat and Bishop are celebrating the growing success of Gourmet Gatherings, as a top culinary entertainment company. “This year is our fifth anniversary, says Gignilliat, and to mark this special occasion, we are thrilled to launch our new program for singles, Gourmet Dating, in time for Valentines Day right here in Chicago!”

Gourmet Gatherings designs fresh seasonal menus for each of its events. Guest don’t need cooking experience to attend. The first Gourmet Dating event will be held at…. on February . Tickets are . The price includes cooking instruction by professional chefs, menu ingredients, copies of the recipes and the camaraderie of cooking with new friends. For information please contact
… ..
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San Francisco (January, 2005)
LOOKING FOR A VALENTINE? GOURMET DATING – A TASTEFUL WAY TO DATE!

Valentine’s Day gets a tasteful makeover this year when matchmaking moves into the kitchen! Gourmet Gatherings, as seen on the Today Show and the Food Network, turns up the heat with Gourmet Dating, a deliciously fun singles culinary event where guests learn new cooking techniques, eat tantalizing tapas, and meet other fun single people.

This Valentine’s Day, Gourmet Gatherings™ invites singles to participate in an exciting hands-on Gourmet Dating cooking party in the state-of-the-art Sur La Table teaching kitchens in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Chicago and Santa Monica. Guests are greeted at the door with a nibble and nametag. After an introductory cooking lesson featuring tips such as the fastest way to dice an onion without a tear, guests are divided into co-ed cooking teams. Each team works on a recipe from the evening’s Tantalizing Tapas menu, all while sipping wine and listening to upbeat music. The group then savors their culinary creations with new friends! After the event, copies of the recipes, digital photos, and e-mail addresses are sent to the group.

“Cooking is an ideal icebreaker. Because guests are focusing on cooking together, Gourmet Dating cooking parties take the pressure away from making small talk,” notes Chef and Co-Owner Bibby Gignilliat. “And nothing brings people together better than cooking, wine and music,” adds Co-Owner Shannan Bishop, “We know it works, our guests have written to tell us! We even have had a couple who met at one of our singles events and later got married!”

Gourmet Gatherings designs fresh, seasonal tapas menus for each event. Gourmet Dating menus are loaded with aphrodisiacal ingredients such as Oysters with Pancetta-Shallot Butter and Chocolate Espresso Truffles to help ensure a Valentine’s Day match made in the kitchen! Guests don’t need cooking experience to attend Gourmet Dating events. Tickets are $75 per person and include cooking instruction by professional chefs, a meal prepared with the finest, freshest ingredients, copies of the recipes, and the camaraderie of cooking with new friends (or maybe a romance)! For information, visit the award-winning website at and click on Singles Events.

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San Francisco (July 1, 2004)
SANTA BABY, HURRY TO THE KITCHEN TONIGHT!

This holiday season gather friends, family and colleagues together for a hearth-warming celebration right where the guests always want to be IN the kitchen! Gourmet Gatherings, San Francisco's premiere gourmet entertaining company, can help you create an unexpected, unforgettable and perfectly delicious holiday event. Recently nominated for the International Association of Culinary Professionals Award of Excellence and featured on KPIX's Evening Magazine, Gourmet Gatherings stages hands-on cooking parties and corporate teambuilding events in private homes and rented professional kitchens all across the Bay Area. At a Gourmet Gatherings cooking party, guests gather around the stove while star chefs from acclaimed restaurants such as Postrio, Gary Danko and Hawthorne Lane introduce a delicious menu of recipes the group will prepare under their professional guidance. With good wine and festive music to set the mood, guests are divided into culinary teams to prepare the recipes from the evening's list of gourmet dishes. Guests then savor the fruits of their labor with Gourmet Gatherings on-hand to serve them.

This holiday season, Gourmet Gatherings is raising a glass to celebrate its fifth anniversary. To honor this wonderful milestone and our fabulous clients, we've created two mouthwatering party options for groups as small as 10 and up to 60. Hosts may choose from one of our irresistible four-course menus to throw a more traditional Gourmet Gatherings Dinner Party, or create a casual atmosphere with our new Holiday Hors d'oeuvres party which features seasonal small plate dishes passed around hot-from-the-oven, cocktail-style. With each option, you'll be treated to menus, which highlight the season's freshest ingredients. Dishes might include: Wild Mushroom Crostini with Stilton and Thyme, Arugula and Persimmon Salad with Spicy Pecans, Molasses-cured Pork Chop with Caramelized Apples on a bed of Creamy Polenta and finally, Cranberry Brioche Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce.

After a magical evening of fun, your guests just might not want to leave. Don't forget, a Gourmet Gatherings gift certificate is a wonderful present for friends who'd like to throw their own Gourmet Gatherings event and keep the party going on way into the New Year!

During the holidays everyone craves good company, good times and of course great food, says Gourmet Gatherings chef and co-owner Bibby Gignilliat. Nothing brings people together better the way cooking does. Co-owner, Shannan Bishop adds, while our parties are perfect for a wide-range of private celebrations and corporate events all year long, they are particularly fun and appropriate during the holidays because they emphasize friendship and sharing the real spirit of the season. Remember, this holiday season the party's IN the kitchen! Whether you've been naughty or nice, you and Gourmet Gatherings will be cooking something great over the coals!

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LOS ANGELES (April, 2004)
LOVE ON THE MENU IN L.A.— Cooking parties for L.A. Singles featuring “Tantalizing Tapas” in May

Are you ready for blind-date cooking? Gourmet Gatherings and Matchlive.com, the events affiliate of Match.com, turn up the heat with “Meet and Eat,” an upscale culinary event where guests learn new cooking techniques, eat fabulous food, and meet other fun L.A. singles!

Starting this May, Gourmet Gatherings invites L.A. singles to participate in exciting hands-on cooking friends! After the event, copies of the recipes, digital photos and e-mail addresses are sent to the group.

May’s menu features “Tantalizing Tapas” including delectable small-dishes such as: Salt-roasted Prawns with Cilantro-Lime Aioli, Lamb Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce, Fiery Feta and Carrot Puree with Cumin Pita chips and Scharffen Berger Chunky Chocolate Cookies with Oats and Peanut Butter.

“Cooking is an ideal ice breaker. Because guests are focused on cooking together, it takes the pressure away from making small talk,” notes Chef and Co-Owner Bibby Gignilliat. “And nothing brings people better together better than cooking, wine and music,” adds Co-Owner Shannan Bishop.

Gourmet Gatherings designs fresh seasonal menus for each event. Guests don’t need cooking experience to attend. Tickets are $89 per person for Match.com members and $99 for non-members. The price includes cooking instruction by professional chefs, dishes using the finest, freshest ingredients, copies of the recipes and the camaraderie of cooking with new friends (or maybe a romance)! For more information, go to: www.gourmetgatherings.com or call (415) 437-9977. To purchase a ticket, go to www.matchlive.com and click on Los Angeles.

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SAN FRANCISCO (October, 2003)
RECIPE FOR ROMANCE—Mix ‘N Match Brings Singles Together to Meet & Eat

Are you ready for blind-date cooking? Gourmet Gatherings and Matchlive.com, the events affiliate of Match.com, turn up the heat with Mix ‘N Match, an upscale culinary event where guests learn cooking techniques, eat delectable food, and meet other fun Chicago singles.

Gourmet Gatherings™ invite singles to participate in an exciting hands-on cooking party at the state-of-the-art Sur La Table teaching kitchen in downtown Chicago. Guests are greeted at the door with a nibble and nametag. After an introductory cooking lesson featuring tips such as the fastest way to dice an onion without a tear, guests are broken into co-ed cooking teams. Each team works on a recipe from the evening’s four-course gourmet menu, all while sipping wine and listening to upbeat music. The group then sits down to savor the "fruits" of their labor with new friends! Between courses, guests change tables to ensure everyone has a chance to meet. After the event, copies of the recipes, digital photos, and e-mail address aliases are sent to the group.

"Cooking is an ideal icebreaker. Because guests are focusing on cooking together, it takes the pressure away from making small talk," notes Chef and Co-Owner Bibby Gignilliat, "and nothing brings people together better than cooking, wine and music," adds Co-Owner Shannan Bishop. "We know it works because people have written letting us know."
Gourmet Gatherings designs fresh seasonal menus for each event. Guests don’t need cooking experience to attend. Mix ‘N Match is held at Sur La Table, 52-54 E. Walton, Chicago at 6 PM one Sunday evening each month. The next event is on November 23, 2003. Tickets are $89 per person for Match.com members and $99 for non-members. The price include cooking instruction by professional chefs, a four-course gourmet meal using the finest, freshest ingredients, copies of the recipes, and the camaraderie of cooking with new friends (or maybe a romance)!

For information, visit gourmetgatherings.com. To purchase a ticket, go to matchlive.com and click on Chicago.

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SAN FRANCISCO (October, 2003)
This holiday season host a "deliciously fun" cooking party with Gourmet Gatherings

Does the thought of another season of parties, quaffing uninspired eggnog leave you cold? This holiday season host a combination cooking lesson and dinner party in your home. It’s the ideal way to treat yourself, your friends and colleagues to a truly unforgettable event.

Gourmet Gatherings, recently featured on the Food Network, offers hands-on cooking parties for groups of 8 to 50 people in homes and rented kitchens throughout the San Francisco greater Bay Area. At a Gourmet Gatherings event, guests participate in preparing a four-course gourmet meal under the expert guidance of professionally trained chefs from top restaurants. The chefs offer cooking tips and supervise the preparation of a delectable meal as guests enjoy cooking together while sipping wine and listening to upbeat music. Guests form culinary teams and work together on a dish from the selected menu. They then sit down and enjoy the fruits of their labor while Gourmet Gatherings’ staff serves each course and cleans the host’s kitchen.

Gourmet Gatherings’ holiday season menu collection highlights fresh, seasonal dishes to suit every palate and occasion. One holiday menu with a focus on festive comfort foods offers Wild Mushroom Crostini with Stilton and Thyme followed by an Autumn Salad of Arugula, Persimmon and Spicy Pecans. The main course is a Molasses-Cured Pork Chop with Caramelized Apples on a bed of Creamy Polenta with a finale of Cranberry Brioche Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce.

Gourmet Gatherings’ holiday events are ideal for a wide range of celebrations, including corporate teambuilding, business entertaining and holiday parties with friends and family. Hosting a gathering where guests share in the fun of preparing a holiday meal is festive and hassle-free. The Gourmet Gatherings staff brings in all necessary equipment and ingredients, and handles all clean-up, so the host enjoys the party as much as the guests. Sharing in the creation of handmade gnocchi or individual soufflé cakes can be a real bonding experience.

"The holidays are first and foremost about friendship and sharing," notes Chef and Co-Owner Bibby Gignilliat, "and nothing brings people together the way cooking does" adds Co-Owner Shannan Bishop.

Event prices start at $70 per person. Gourmet Gatherings buys the finest, freshest ingredients from organic and specialty food purveyors. For those with a small kitchen, Gourmet Gatherings can arrange for rental and delivery of place settings, linens, tables, chairs, flowers and wine as needed. Events can also be hosted in various venues including historic mansions and state-of-the art teaching kitchens.

For more information, please contact Gourmet Gatherings at (415) 437-9977 or inquire via e-mail at info@gourmetgatherings.com. For sample menus and pricing information visit Gourmet Gatherings’ award-winning website at gourmetgatherings.com.

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SAN FRANCISCO (October, 2003)
Crank up the heat with lovin’ around the oven Cooking Parties for Gay Singles

Are you ready for blind-date cooking? Gourmet Gatherings and Matchlive.com, the event affiliate of Match.com, turn up the heat with Gay Gourmets, an upscale culinary event where gay men learn cooking techniques, eat delectable food, and meet other fun gay singles.

Gourmet Gatherings™ invites singles to participate in an exciting hands-on cooking party at the state-of-the-art Sur La Table teaching kitchen in downtown San Francisco. Guest are greeted at the door with a nibble and nametag. After an introductory cooking lesson featuring tips such as the fastest way to dice an onion without a tear, guests are broken into cooking teams. Each team works on a recipe from the evening’s four-course gourmet menu, all while sipping wine and listening to upbeat music. The group then sits down to savor the "fruits" of their labor with new friends! Between courses, guests change tables to ensure everyone has a chance to meet. After the event, copies of the recipes, digital photos, and e-mail address aliases are sent to the group.

"Cooking is an ideal icebreaker. Because guests are focusing on cooking together, it takes the pressure away from making small talk," notes Chef and Co-Owner Bibby Gignilliat, "and nothing brings people together better than cooking, wine and music," adds Co-Owner Shannan Bishop.

Gourmet Gatherings designs fresh seasonal menus for each event. Guests don’t need cooking experience to attend. Gay Gourmets meets at Sur La Table, 77 Maiden Lane, San Francisco at 6 PM one Sunday evening each month. The next event is on November 23, 2003. Tickets are $89 per person for Match.com members and $99 for non-members. The ticket price includes cooking instruction by professional chefs, a four-course gourmet meal prepared with the finest, freshest ingredients, copies of the recipes, and the camaraderie of cooking with new friends or maybe a romance!

For more information, go to: gourmetgatherings.com or call 415-437-9977. To purchase a ticket, go to matchlive.com and click on Bay Area.

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Click here for full press release in Adobe Acrobat format (pdf)