 |
|
|
 |
Instructor
Biographies |
 |
DENISE VIVALDO is a seasoned food professional with over 20 years of experience, Denise Vivaldo has catered more than 10,000 parties and has cooked for such guests as George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Prince Charles, Bette Midler, Suzanne Somers, Merv Griffin, Cher, Aaron Spelling, Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Maria Shriver. She began her culinary training at the Ritz Escoffier and La Varenne in Paris, and then graduated Chef de Cuisine from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Denise spent numerous years as a professor at UCLA’s Culinary Program and at her alma mater, The California Culinary Academy.
DeniseVivaldo.com
FoodFanatics.com
DIFLParties.com
DIFLWeddings.com
See more...
|
 |
CINDIE FLANNIGAN A former art director and graphic designer, Cindie came to Food Fanatics as an extern in 2001 and is now an integral part of the team, managing Food Fanatics marketing and communications, developing and testing recipes, styling food for film and print, and researching and writing the next books in the Do It For Less series; Do It For Less! Weddings.
Cindie and Denise recently finished How to Start a Home-Based Personal Chef Business, published by Globe Pequot and due out in 2007. Cindie has also researched and written on culinary history for a variety of published cookbooks. Cindie and Denise hosted the HollyFood Insiders IACP Culinary Experience — Los Angeles in 2005. This grand adventure has led to further research on the culinary history of Hollywood.
DeniseVivaldo.com
FoodFanatics.com
DIFLParties.com
DIFLWeddings.com
See more...
|
 |
Matt Armendariz
Since 1990 Matt has been immersed in the food business in one way or another. As a former graphic designer and art director for companies like Whole Foods Market and Bristol Farms, Matt surrounded himself with great food and food marketing before he began branching out into photography and blogging as a way to expand and share his passion for all things food and drink. High and low, near and far, food and flavor have always been his driving force and the stories that shape how and what we eat have always captivated him.
Mattbites began in 2005 as a way for Matt to share his personal take on food and behind-the-scenes experiences with fellow food lovers. Mattbites has been recognized by numerous publications, editors and writers and is one of the charter members of Martha’s Circle, a selection of lifestyle blogs selected by the editors of Martha Stewart Living. In September 2008, Matt made his favorite cookie recipe with Martha Stewart during her daytime television show devoted to the topic of blogging.
|
| |
|
 |
DENISE
VIVALDO ^up
(Continued)
In 1988, Denise founded Food Fanatics, a catering, recipe-development, and food-styling firm based in Los Angeles, California. Since that time, she has catered for such events as the Academy Awards Governor’s Ball, Sunset Magazine’s Taste of Sunset, and Hollywood wrap parties. She has also styled food for countless local and nationally syndicated television shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NapaStyle with Michael Chiarello, and Inside Dish with Rachel Ray.
Denise's latest Book: Do It For Less Parties
Denise is the author of How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, which has sold more than 150,000 copies and is in its 5th printing, and How to Start a Home-Based Personal Chef Business. She is also the author of Do It For Less! Parties, Do It For Less! Weddings, and the soon to be published The Entertaining Encyclopedia. She is currently working on The Food Styling Handbook, a book based on her decades of wide-ranging food styling experience. Denise teaches catering and food styling seminars and workshops across the country and internationally.

Denise's best selling catering book:
How to Start a Home-Based
Catering Business, now in it's
5th edition.
Denise has been a featured guest on a variety of television networks and shows including Good Day L.A., ABC Morning News, the Japanese Drama Channel, The Food Network, Home & Garden Network, TV Guide Channel, SoapNet, Lifetime TV, and TV Land.
As a consultant, Denise assists companies to better their products. Clients include Hamilton Beach, QVC, Hunt-Wesson/ConAgra, Euro Direct, Hy-vee- Homeland Housewares, and Future Kitchen Technologies.
Denise has helped many people with their cookbooks, including: Mariel’s Healthy Kitchen by Mariel Hemmingway; The Date Night Cookbook by Meredith Phillips; Somersize Fast and Easy Cookbook, Somersize Desserts, Somersize Chocolate, and Eat, Cheat and Melt the Fat Away, by Suzanne Somers; The Food Mover Cookbook and Steam Away the Pounds! by Richard Simmons; The Calorie Countdown Cookbook by Juan-Carlos Cruz; Eat, Taste, Heal by Dr. Tom Yarema; The 3-Hour Diet Cookbook by Jorge Cruise; and Hey, Mom! I’m Hungry! by Susan Powter.
DeniseVivaldo.com
FoodFanatics.com
DIFLParties.com
DIFLWeddings.com
|
 |
CINDIE
FLANNIGAN ^up
(Continued)
Cindie teaches food styling classes and workshops in Los Angeles through the Culinary Entrepreneurship Program, along with plating and presentation seminars through the St. Joseph Center in Venice, California.
In addition to the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Cindie attended the University of California, Los Angeles, the American Film Institute in Hollywood, and Otis Art Institute, Parson's School of Design in Los Angeles. She managed the graphics department at Pacific-Sierra Research Corporation for nearly 20 years, developing advertising campaigns, designing annual reports, booklets and brochures, creating direct mail pieces, and designing software packaging and user manual design.
|
|
|
|