catering services in palm springs and surrounding cities
services also available in riverside, orange, san diego & los angeles counties
PRIVATE DINING ROOM AVAILABLE AT
72301 Country Club Drive Suite 110
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
jmonteferante@gmail.com
(310) 740-0194
FOOD STYLE
Rustic California, Mediterranean Country,
American Southwest, Barbary Coast
"My cooking style draws inspiration from the rich, rustic flavors of California’s coastal ranching culture and the vibrant cuisines of the Mediterranean, American Southwest, and historic Barbary Coast. California’s food heritage is steeped in the Spanish and Mexican frontier, enriched by waves of Italian, French, German, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, and American immigrants who filled San Francisco's streets with diverse flavors and aromas and ingredients. Along the bustling wharf, one could experience a world of tastes and techniques that reflected a convergence of cultures."
The Barbary Coast—a place of boundless resources, creativity, and multicultural influences—captures the spirit of my cuisine. It’s this unique fusion of history and place that I strive to bring to every dish, creating a true California experience.”
My Story
My earliest memories of food and cooking were at my grandmother’s farm in Northern California. Nestled among vineyards and orchards, her farm was where I learned to cook. A farmer’s daughter from the San Joaquin Valley, she was an old style cook who preferred taste, smell, and touch to rigid measurements and recipes. Canning, drying, baking, I spent my childhood at my grandmother’s side in the kitchen and in the garden. People and food make some of the best memories.
As an undergraduate at UCLA, I pursued my interests in cookery by working at Williams-Sonoma in Beverly Hills. As a cooking skills instructor, I learned to adapt products to a customer’s kitchen and to their cooking needs. While at UCLA, my fraternity encouraged – more like drafted – me to organize meals on weekends and at tailgates. Without training, I had the job of feeding 50 young men, twice a day, five days a week. There is no education quite like doing.
One year later, I joined The Kitchen for Exploring Foods in Pasadena and began professional training as a chef and caterer. From Peggy Dark, I improved my skills in food presentation and refinement in menu development and event planning. Taste has two components: it is an act of eating and the impression of what is being consumed. I left The Kitchen in 2015 to pursue my own curiosities and endeavors in the culinary arts and the world of food and beverage.
When food is well prepared, and based around an experience of sharing, it has the power to make memories. Food evokes emotion, and it is a joy to create and share with others.
“Joe is an exceptional chef- his attention to details both in the food he prepares, along with what he knows his clients likes and dislikes are unparalleled. The freshness and quality of ingredients, along with his aesthetically pleasing presentation makes Joe our favorite choice; guests in our home always appreciate Joe in the kitchen with his warm and loving personality.”
“I’d like to thank Joe because he helped me present wonderful dinners to friends and family!
Well thought out menus that reflect the seasons, food that is on the light side, but elegantly
presented. He makes it all look so “easy-breazy”, but one look at the choices he offers tells a
hostess that a great deal of research and planning goes into each menu. His soups are out of this world! My favorites are his chilled Pea and Mint soup, and his caramelized Carrot soup. His awesome brownies with the melted caramel topping.....so worth the calories!!! Joe is the best friend a hostess could have!”
“Joe has consistently grown in his knowledge of food and expertise in its preparation. He is a chef who truly cares that the food he prepares is of the finest quality, looks delectable and tastes fabulous. Advancing from kitchen assistant to manager and head chef in a very short period of time, Joe displays a passion for learning new foods, preparation methods and techniques for better presentation.”