Meet Legion of Honor Café Chef David Garrison
From Fine Arts, the magazine for members of the Legion of Honor and de Young. The museum cafés are operated by McCalls.
Born in Merced, California, and trained at the California Culinary Academy, David Garrison — the Legion of Honor Café’s chef since February — has been immersed in the flavors of California. Local tastes come to fruition in a café menu designed to appeal to what David considers the “refined taste” of the museum visitor. “Even with the Bay Area, this group is educated, open-minded, and well-traveled. I am not worried about overwhelming them with new or strong flavors.”
For example, his popular sandwich prepared from pork loin that has brined for two days is accented with nicoise olives, feta, and homemade apple chutney. For David, housemade items are just one of the many details that contribute to great food, from the fresh baked bread that is delivered every morning to the pickled red onion and marinated artichoke hearts that are prepared right in the café kitchen.
In creating menus, David is inspired by the seasons. For fall, he plans to transition to using seasonal flavors like squash and pumpkin in deep, rich, slow-cooked foods that people crave when the weather turns brisk. He is also inspired by the special exhibitions on view. When Japanesque opens in the special exhibition galleries, visitors will discover a changing daily menu highlighted by Japanese influences, such as a bento box featuring misoyaki fish or tempura.
So popular is the Legion Café, says David, “it is becoming a destination restaurant for the neighborhood.” Many people are becoming aware that they can visit the restaurant even when they are short on time for visiting the galleries. But best of all is to experience great food as a complement to great art.
The Legion of Honor Café is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Enjoy coffee, tea, and pastries in the morning, and a lunch menu from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Japanesque: the Japanese Print in the Era of Impressionism opens at the Legion of Honor on October 16 and runs through January 9, 2011.
McCalls Catering Named “Best of the Best That the Bay Area Offers”
Readers of the Nob Hill Gazette named McCalls as “the best of the best that the Bay Area offers.” McCalls is proud to be part of the Gazette’s Best of the Bay Area 2010 list under the “Caterer or Personal Chef” category. McCalls also catered the events for the winners in two other categories: Gala or Event for Elegance (San Francisco Opera Ball) and Gala or Event for Creativity (SFMOMA 75th Anniversary Gala).
The runner-ups in each category were also catered by McCalls:
Best Gala or Event for Elegance – SF Ballet Opening Night Gala, Birth of Impressionism opening event at the de Young Museum
Best Gala or Event for Creativity – Bouquets to Art at the de Young Museum, SF Zoo’s ZooFest and the Mid-Winter Ball at the de Young Museum.
We are honored to be voted as the Best of 2010 by the readers of the Nob Hill Gazette. Thank you!
Dinner in Honor of Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation
President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and his wife, Svetlana, were the guests of honor at a dinner in San Francisco on June 22 hosted by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, First Lady Maria Shriver, Charlotte Shultz, the state’s chief of protocol, and her husband, former Secretary of State George Shultz.
McCalls was selected to cater the 62-person dinner held at the Shultz’s Russian Hill home. “The sumptuous McCall Associates meal was a clever feast of fine local fare: Russian Hill “Fabergé Egg” with California caviar, tomato and Dungeness crab salad, Harris Ranch fillet of beef, and dessert served with Swanson Vineyards Tardif,” said Catherine Bigelow in her San Francisco Chronicle column.
The kick-off dinner set the stage for a two-day tour that included a visit to Silicon Valley and Stanford University. The President of Russia also sent out his first tweet (via @kremlinrussia_e) during his stay: “Thanks everyone for visiting my Twitter page. I hope to keep your interest.”
Menu designed by Cynthia Warren
Happy 1st Anniversary, Rakhee & Raman! Looking Back – Part II
From Maharani Weddings
There is a ton of guilt free indulgences in store as we continue yesterday’s love story. Rakhee and Raman had their reception on June 20, 2009 at one of my favorite San Francisco locations….City Hall. It is upscale, elegant, and formal and makes you feel like you are in a movie…just take a look…
McCall’s Catering was responsible for the decor for their reception and they did an AMAZING job. From the table clothes, to chairs, to lighting, to FLOWERS – McCall’s hit a homerun on their event design.
Fuschia and Orange looks refreshed and alive…..All I can say is WOW!
Photo by Sherman Chu from Maharani Weddings
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Happy 1st Anniversary, Rakhee & Raman! Looking Back – Part I
From Maharani Weddings
I am very excited to share today’s post! Rakhee and Raman got married on June 19th and 20th at her family home in Alamo. It was a stunning affair filled with love and tradition. This wedding has so much eye candy to take in, that it is a good thing it is calorie free.
Rakhee loves Indian customs. And Raman loves Rakhee, so it made the wedding decision process easy! Miguel Torres from McCall’s Catering did the flowers for both nights of festivities. Often your vendor list for an Indian wedding is upwards of 35 companies, so when I come across caterer who can provide magestic florals (as well as yummy treats!), I always think it is a wise choice.
Photos by Sherman Chu from Maharani Weddings
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Low-Sodium Wonder
From Sodium Girl
May 21, 2010:
…Today’s installment is from my recent menu tasting for my upcoming nuptials. And yes, this may be my favorite part of the entire party planning process (although hanging with mom while picking out linens is also a blast…hi Mom). But before I release you to feast your eyes upon the incredible dishes we “critiqued”/devoured, let me set the scene:
Twelve dapper looking family members, in his and her Thursday best, gathered around a rectangular table, anxiously awaiting the appetizers (dim sum and mexican-inspired bites), the first course (an heirloom tomato salad), the entree (a choice of spice crusted lamb, roasted halibut, or butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and sage), dessert (this is top secret information), and the post dessert/let’s keep ‘em dancing food (also top secret).
Already sounds overwhelmingly delicious, right? Well, here’s one more important detail. While the eleven other guests shared plates of the previously listed courses, the wonderful, genius, totally accommodating catering company created separate, low sodium versions for me. But we’re not talking a few dumplings here and a chunk of fish there. I mean they made entire servings of each dish for me – two steaming baskets full of salt-free chicken shu mei and vegetarian potstickers, a whole plate of halibut, a whole plate of lamb, a whole plate of ravioli, and everything in between.
Tony Bennett, k.d. lang Star @ Black & White Ball
Excerpts From Miss Bigelow’s Social City:
“The Black & White Ball is an iconic, San Francisco event and nothing says, ‘San Francisco’ better than the artists performing tonight,” said SF Symphony President John Goldman.
Earlier in the night, deep-pocketed Symphony patrons arrived for cocktails and a delish McCall Associates supper (caviar Russian egg and white asparagus, short rib tournedo, Black & White Ball chocolate mousse dome) served in a Robert Fountain-designed tent.
Dan McCall (the man, the caterer, the legend) and Rosalia Schoemaker.
All photos by Catherine Bigelow
Between grazing at bounteous McCall Associates buffets and bars set along Grove Street and Van Ness, revelers delighted in searching for their tweets which included a mash-up of joyful Ball exclamations, a few misspellings and at least one marriage proposal.
McCalls Chef Josip Martinovic on View from the Bay
Josip came to the USA in 1999, but his story starts in his homeland of Croatia where he completed his 4-year studies at the culinary academy in 1989.
In 1991, Josip moved to Germany where he worked at the Four Seasons Hotel and eventually ran the Kitchen at Julep’s New York Bar and Restaurant in Munich for 6 years.
In Europe, he worked with many top chefs where he gained strong skills in all aspects of cooking and learned to respect and master the techniques of different cuisines; including German, French, and Italian.
His desire to expand his horizon took him to California where he joined McCalls Catering & Events in 2000. Josip enjoys working for McCalls, because the broad spectrum of events they cater allow him to combine different cuisine around the world with his classic French Mediterranean techniques, and an added bonus of cooking with fresh local produce and meat.
Currently, Josip is the Chef de Cuisine and is responsible for menu development, tastings and executions of high-profile sit-down dinners. Josip loves people, food, art, humor and creativity. He expresses this to his guests through the dishes he prepares. He emphasizes that you must cook with love; otherwise it does not work. And he adds, if you are angry; do not go near the pot.
Stars Shine at the Shanghai Opening-night Gala
The spirit of Shanghai shimmered in the spotlight on Wednesday at the Asian Art Museum during the joyous opening-night gala celebrating the exhibition, Shanghai.
“Our exhibition only needs one word, ‘Shanghai’,” announced Asian Art Museum Director Jay Xu. “Because it is the most dynamic and fastest-growing city in the world, Shanghai is big enough for all of us!”
All photos by Catherine Bigelow
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Fall Antiques Show meets King Tut
San Francisco’s Fall Antiques Show has been around a long time, but not, perhaps, as long as the treasures on display as part of its “Egypto-mania: Nile Style in the Decorative Arts” theme this year.
Among the gilded French dressers, mirrors and urns was an exhibition featuring an Egyptian Revival scarab and figurine of Osiris from the Palace of the Legion of Honor; an 18th-dynasty ebony chair from the Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose; and an English mahogany gueridon, after a design by Thomas Hope, loaned by philanthropist Ann Getty.
The exhibition, curated by Maria Santangelo of the Fine Arts Museums, encircled the center courtyard, with a singular vitrine setting the theme at the entrance of Fort Mason. It was all by design, to tie in to the “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” exhibition at the M.H. de Young Museum through March 28. Cross-pollination is smart marketing and good business, you see.
The preview party benefit gala drew hundreds for a luxuriously appointed night of browsing: caviar, Champagne, vodka and assortments of lamb chops and salmon by McCall Associates catering for guests to nibble while contemplating which of the wares to buy. Choices included vendors such as Axel Vervoordtof Belgium, Steinetz of Paris and the Bay Area’s Imari Imports and Therien & Co.
Honorary chairs were Egyptian Consul General Hesham Elnakib and his wife, Dalia. Chairing the Connoisseurs Circle were Wendy and H. Richard Bingham; the Collectors’ Circle, Laura King Pfaff; the Designers Circle, Suzanne Tucker; and the Aficionados’ Committee, Summer and Brooks Walker III, to name a few of the many people involved in the event. The gala night preview had its philanthropic merits, too, as an annual fundraiser for Enterprise for High School Students, which helps educate and train young people for the workforce.
photo: San Francisco Chronicle