About Us
The Gourmet Cooking Club prepares lunch with and for its members, once a month, seven times a year. Check out our past menus at http://www.amengourmetclub.org/. For more information, contact Susan Lynch.
Chairs: Susan Lynch, susan42085@jlynch.com
Current Activities:
Past Activities
September 20, 2009 - Walking tour with GraceAnn Walden. Grace is a well known bay area personality. The group toured North Beach with lunch at Tony's Pizza. GraceAnn will be a special guest at the next luncheon in October.
Need to Know:
Q. Are there fees to join this group?
A. There are no fees to join. But each member pays a $20 donation at each luncheon they attend.
Q. How are menus decided?
A. The menus are decided by the group cooking. They divide up the menu among the four of them. The hostess gets to choose first which course she'd llike to make. A theme is chosen and program menus are designed and printed up by one member of the group. Everyone attending the luncheon gets a copy of all the recipes.
Q. Do you prepare vegan or vegetarian menus?
A. There are no restrictions....if the group wants to cook vegetarian or vegan they can.
Q. Who is responsible and what is the duration of the prep time, lunch and clean up?
A. The group cooking is responsible for the prep, serving and clean up. The members always gather at noon and clearn up has lasted until around 3:00pm. It depends on the planning and the menu. The cooks usually gather at the hostess' kitchen around 11:00am that morning. Again, it depends on the menu.
Q. Who hosts the luncheons and what is the schedule?
A. Hosting duties rotate. Everyone must host and it's decided among each group who can host and when.
Q. What if I am unable to attend, can someone take my place?
A. It's up to the hostess if she would like to entertain an alternate. Please refer to the Gourmet Guidelines to fully explain the policy.
Q. Can I bring a guest?
A. The maximum any hostess can seat is 16. It's always up to her if she wants to accomodate more.
Q. Is this group for AMEN members only?
A. Yes.
Q. Do I have to be a gourmet cook to join or will I learn to be a gourmet cook?
A. We are a group of ladies who love to cook. We all do some things really well and enjoy learning from each other. The term "gourmet" is only to attest to our passions for cooking together, eating, drinking some fine wines and dining with our dear friends.
Q. Who decides the menu?
A. The group cooking that month.
Q. How many people are in the group?
A. There are a maximum of 16 ladies who are regular members.
Q. I understand there are subgroups? What are they and how are they organized?
A. Our group of 16 is divided into groups of 4. Each group takes a month to cook and we gather 7 months of the year. The group cooking decides the menus, chooses a theme and puts together a program of all the recipes served that day. The hostess sets her tables with the help of other group members.
Q. Are the dishes for each lunch course pre-assigned?
A. The group cooking decides who will be cooking what dish and brings it to the hostess' home already prepared the day of the luncheon. We always are cooking last minute dishes but try to prepare as much as we can in advance.
Q. Who pays for the ingredients?
A. The donations from each luncheon reimburses the cooks. That's why it's so important that the hosess is notified immediately if someone must cancel. Please refer to the guidelines for a more detailed explanation.
Q. Who serves the food?
A. The group cooking that day, prepares the meal, plates it, serves it to the others attending. Everyone dines together. After the meal they pick up the dirty dishes and serve whatever dessert is prepared. After everyone leaves, they clean up the kitchen.
Q. Is there a charitable component to the club? Do you provide food for a non-profit organization?
A. If there are funds left over after reimbursing the cooks, it's put in to a fund. The group decides what to do with those funds and when.