Someone's In The Kitchen With Steven

Holiday Party Help From A Caterer To The Stars

We've got the recipe for your perfect holiday meal. All you need is a dash of Gavin Newsom, a pinch of Billy Getty and a splash of Paula LeDuc.

This week, I talked with caterer to the stars LeDuc, who gave us holiday party survival tips and I raised a glass with San Francisco wine merchants Gavin Newsom and Billy Getty.

A Watched Pot
When Geena Davis and Renny Harlin were married, Paula LeDuc flew down from San Francisco to cook for the Los Angeles couple. LeDuc has also been summoned to make dinner when President Clinton comes to the Bay Area.

And chef LeDuc has become the darling of the fashion world, with a Rolodex that looks more like a runway than a client list; Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Ralph Lauren, Armani, and Banana Republic just can't get enough of her amazing eats at their events.

So, in preparation for the holidays, I could think of no better caterer to help us out in our own kitchens.

If You Can't Take The Heat ...
LeDuc is on her cell phone and talking at the speed of light. "I'm going up the elevator," she tells me. "If I lose you, I'll call you back."

It is a typical day for LeDuc: hectic.

Commanding a team of nearly 600 employees from the 15,600 square foot Paula LeDuc Fine Catering offices/kitchens in Emeryville, CA (just outside of San Francisco) LeDuc is a hands-on leader. This woman knows that she is only as good as her last salmon plate.

In fact, her company motto, which her employees wear their shirts, is "Perfect will do just fine." And she delivers.

LeDucing It Out
But most of us won't have the luxury of 600 extra pair of hands for our holiday parties, so I ask LeDuc if she has any "real people" survival tips for the holidays.

Her first advice is not to panic. She tells me, "I don't panic. People who panic become immobilized by the panic."

For the cook at home, LeDuc says it's important to be prepared, but understand that some things are just not going to go right.

She tells me, "Stresses come naturally, even when you've done everything you could possibly do. We (Paula LeDuc Fine Catering) always bring the back ups so that we eliminate as many risks, so we have the alternatives."

Start to Finish
LeDuc also believes you should keep it simple. Cooks should make only one showpiece dish.

LeDuc says, "Do something that you love, or you want to do or create, like an incredible dessert. Keep everything else simple. Don't overburden yourself with too many dishes. Then you'll have more fun, even if you make one dish and buy everything else. But if you do want to make one big splash, she says to serve it at the end or the beginning of the party.

"I would let it be the end. That last thing that comes out is the 'Oh my God,' because it's the thing people remember.

"Or (serve) a fantastic starter. When people walk in the door you offer them something that gets the pace going. Then the stuff in the middle doesn't matter," LeDuc says.

LeDuc offers these scrumptious recipes to get your holiday party rolling:

• Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls
• Peppered Shrimp

All Bottled Up
When Gavin Newsom and Billy Getty used to go into a wine shop, like other young guys, they were often directed to the light beer section faster than they could say "Merlot." Maybe it was the baseball caps and sneakers. Whatever it was, it felt like a snub.

It didn't matter that both young men come from very prominent California families. Newsom's dad is the well-respected Judge Bill Newsom, and Getty's dad is the composer and philanthropist Gordon Getty. The younger Newsom serves as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

In 1992, Newsom and Getty, both in their early 20s, decided that they had had enough of the "ageism" and opened their own wine shop on Filmore Street in San Francisco.

Newsom says, "The primary reason (we started PlumpJack was that) we were sick and tired of the snobbery surrounding the business."

Getty concurs. He tells me, "Every new 21 year old is greeted with open arms by trillion dollar advertising campaigns for the apathetic consumption of hard alcohol or drinking light beer with the Swedish bikini team. And yet the one form of alcohol consumption that has proven medical attributes is shrouded in this nonsensical snobbery."

The Company We Keep
Thus, PlumpJack was born. PlumpJack boasts a winery, thriving retail shops, restaurants, and a brand new Web site.

And they've stayed true to their focus.

Newsom tells me, "The whole strategy of PlumpJack is inexpensive value wines."

The bottom line is that PlumpJack is introducing great tasting and affordable wine to a whole new generation. They've taken the mystery out of wine and put the enjoyment in.

And the business is thriving. The guys tell me that it takes 500 employees to run the company, a number that is likely to double next year.

From A To Zinfandel
So what do these guys say is a surefire party pleaser this year?

"One of the big booms we're seeing now is Zinfandel. People realizing that it's a great alternative to Cabernet and Merlot," Newsom says. "And there are so many different styles of Zin. You can have Zinfandels that taste like Merlot that are racy and jammy, bright rich fruit. And you have Zins that are more in line with Cabernet where you get more a spice and licorice."

And what about the ever tricky champagne?

The guys recommend Dampierre Brut. Newsom tells me that this champange is "stunning. Every time we serve people (at one of their five restaurants) they say what the heck is this? It's got a lot of fruit but a baked bread yeastiness, which is just awesome, especially on the finish."

Dampierre Brut retails for around $27 a bottle.

For more terrific selections, check out their Web site.

After you've tried the wine recommendations and made LeDuc's recipes, E-mail me and let me know how your party turns out.

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Star Grazing