About Debbie Schlesinger

 

I found a joy and love for cooking back when I first started high school at the age of 14. Looking back I recall making gourmet snacks for my friends after school. "Try these shrimp with the sweet and sour sauce", or "wouldn't it be fun to put the crab dip in a bread bowl" Yes, It was awhile back and food, like any fashion, has its trends. As a home economics major in college, I worked part time as the private chef for a well to do Hispanic family, which allowed me to hone my skills. I introduced Jewish culture into the menu; and they taught me how to make homemade tortillas, salsas, carnitas and taquitos. After graduation, I worked for 3 years as a culinary instructor at a large high school, before a ballot measure caused my position to be eliminated. I returned briefly to the world of a private chef, this time in the Beverly hills' home of the Hair Salon Guru Vidal Sassoon. From that experience, I became the in-house caterer for all of the family's events both large and small. A later job with a major music attorney who frequently entertained his clients in his home, further increased the scope of my culinary skills. From then on, I loved the catering and even after returning to the classroom as an instructor, I continued with the catering. The classroom provided a limitless source of talented students who were invited to join the catering team. To this day many are still with me some 25 years later. We even have a couple who are second generation! I have also had the good fortune to teach as a chef instructor at both private culinary schools (the Pasadena Le Cordon Bleu) and public community college (Glendale), a position I still hold today.

My mission when I accept a client and we plan an event together is to make that experience everything they imagined it could be. I have a team that work with me and when we arrive it is almost like a choreographed ballet; with each person knowing what they need to do to make the party a wonderful memory for all who are there. We like each other, and I believe that positive energy is reflected in our work. Nothing leaves the kitchen without being tasted. We aim for perfection. We have an exceptional work ethic and our motto is to leave a space as clean if not cleaner that when we arrived. My nutrition background makes me lean toward clean and healthy food menus. I can work with special diets whether low fat, low salt or sugar, vegan, kosher, lactose or gluten free. Every party is unique. Therefore I do not have printed menus. We plan the event together. I am a good listener.