“What a great idea! How did you ever
think of Vagabond Gourmet?” is a question we’re often
asked. Nearly as often as am asked about how I became a caterer!
Well, it’s a long story, and becoming an experienced and respected
chef, as most chefs will tell you, is not easy. But looking
back, I have to say, it sure was interesting, and now…it’s
just plain fun!
The television here
will no doubt give away my age, but the story begins with me pulling
up a chair next to the stove from the time I was two, insisting
my mother allow me to stir.
Cooking was a natural for me probably because of my grandmother who threw the most amazing dinner parties! Living in Detroit during the fifties meant Swedish meatballs, chiffon pies and fancy Jell-O molds but with Detroit’s rich ethnic diversity it also meant homemade sausage, cannoli, goulash, sauerbraten and baklava.
Whether in my grandmother’s kitchen or the neighbor’s I begged everyone to teach me and by the time I was twenty people were hiring me to cater parties for them in upscale Grosse Pointe.
Sara Moulton took this picture of me long before she became a celebrity chef and TV star. It was 1978 in kitchen of the landmark Harvest Restaurant in Cambridge, Mass. I was called “that hippie French chef” and Sara was my Sous Chef. I am not French, mind you, but this is how the all male European restaurant chefs of Boston at the time referred to me because of my blending of culinary styles. It was indeed hot in the kitchen back then!
Before I worked with
Sara, I had the privilege of learning from the legendary chef
Lydia Shire. As her Sous Chef, also at The Harvest I learned classic
French techniques, but being somewhat of a maverick, I added my
own spin to everything and earned my “hippie French” title. Sara joined us during her summer externship prior to graduating from culinary school. When Lydia moved on I began as Chef, and hired newly graduated Sara to be my Sous Chef.
We were the ‘girls of Boston’ and making quite a splash. Julia Child was a regular in The Harvest and loved us, giving us encouragement every step of the way. Little did we know we were creating history as part the New American cuisine movement and pioneers for all future female chefs.
We all have our 15-minutes of fame, right? Mine came prior to arriving in Boston at a hilarious 3-day catering gig for The Rolling Stones that ended, well, with me hurling Mick Jagger’s 30th birthday cake at him.
Moving to Florida was the perfect antidote to a chef’s life in a busy Boston kitchen, and just what the doctor ordered when my son Max arrived.
Opening a small gourmet
take-out shop in Tampa was a great opportunity to combine culinary
skills with family and in 1982 A La Carte Gourmet Specialties
began. In a town that knew only chain restaurants and fast food,
we were somewhat of a novelty in Tampa back then. We made everything
from scratch, and our homemade bread made us an overnight sensation.
We soon discovered our niche was catering, and with my devoted staff we spent the next several years growing A La Carte Catering into a premier company known for excellent food and cutting edge style.
To my staff I was Lucy, always thinking outside the box and always “cooking up” the next great theme. Parties had their own names like Sugarplum Fantasia, Aphrodisiacs of the Orient, Voodoo Gumbo Ya’Ya or Cowabunga Dude and chocolate tables six feet tall had guests ooh-ing with delight.
Our clients loved the fact we were different and ready to jump at a challenge. We thrived on exceeding expectations, and our ability to combine creativity with menu design brought customers back year after year.
Beautiful parties with extra touches became our hallmark.
“We’re doing what?!” This is the look on Steve’s face when he realized our A La Carte’s company open house was really---our surprise wedding in 1993. Having been single again for several years I told my friends the only way I would ever meet my prince was if he rode into the kitchen. Sure enough, one day he arrived just as the bread was coming from the oven. Kismet.
Joining forces in business and marriage was good for A La Carte, and the events got bigger…
And bigger! This is the National Hockey League All Star Gala in January 1999 with 5000 guests. From the thank you letter we received,
“The accolades are still pouring in for the wonderful taste sensations and exquisite presentation…you somehow managed to transfer the food quality, fine presentation and dining experience of a four star restaurant to a standing reception of 4,500 people. It was truly an amazing feat and one that I hope you are as proud of as I am” A.H. - Director, Event Marketing NHL
From hockey goals to our own, we wanted to create even more spectacular events. As off premise caterers we knew we had to have our own facility. The special events industry was blossoming and demands for exceptional over-the-top weddings, galas, and corporate entertaining was on the rise. Unique design elements for events have always been a special gift for me. Here is an eye catching table umbrella for an ultra romantic wedding.
With
the help of Tampa based Outback Steakhouse, A La Carte Event Pavilion
opened in December 2000. This amazing state of the art event facility
was our dream turned reality and was nearly the largest event
space in Tampa! We could seat 1000 people and our stellar cuisine,
still made from scratch with my recipes, along with a brilliant
design team, brought us much success.
After 25 years, our mission was complete, and we closed this chapter of our story.
I cannot even begin to tell you how many people I have cooked for. A normal week in December was a staggering 10,000 guests. One of my frequent quips was “I must have been Marie Antoinette in a former life because I am destined to feed the masses”
During the past 14 years Steve and I have shared a new love as well: our love for travel, new adventures, great food and wine. With Vagabond Gourmet we invite you to our favorite discoveries to enjoy, laugh and, of course, to eat. After all, I am a chef. Whether I am ‘that hippie French one’, a ‘girl of Boston’, or ‘destined to cook for the masses’, one thing has never changed over the years---I love to cook! I always have. I now just prefer doing it in faraway places.
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Cooking was a natural for me probably because of my grandmother who threw the most amazing dinner parties! Living in Detroit during the fifties meant Swedish meatballs, chiffon pies and fancy Jell-O molds but with Detroit’s rich ethnic diversity it also meant homemade sausage, cannoli, goulash, sauerbraten and baklava. 
Before I worked with
Sara, I had the privilege of learning from the legendary chef
Lydia Shire. As her Sous Chef, also at The Harvest I learned classic
French techniques, but being somewhat of a maverick, I added my
own spin to everything and earned my “hippie French” title. Sara joined us during her summer externship prior to graduating from culinary school. When Lydia moved on I began as Chef, and hired newly graduated Sara to be my Sous Chef. 
“We’re doing what?!” This is the look on Steve’s face when he realized our A La Carte’s company open house was really---our surprise wedding in 1993. Having been single again for several years I told my friends the only way I would ever meet my prince was if he rode into the kitchen. Sure enough, one day he arrived just as the bread was coming from the oven. Kismet. 
With
the help of Tampa based Outback Steakhouse, A La Carte Event Pavilion
opened in December 2000. This amazing state of the art event facility
was our dream turned reality and was nearly the largest event
space in Tampa! We could seat 1000 people and our stellar cuisine,
still made from scratch with my recipes, along with a brilliant
design team, brought us much success. 