Menus booklet dark copy

resume & 2105
sample menus

rr oo ss es n z w e i g

chef

vittlesinc

2338 8TH STREET BERKELEY, CA 94710
(510) 282-0957 [email protected]

resume & 2105
sample menus

rr oo ss es n z w e i g

chef

ross rosenzweig Berkeley, CA

Passionate chef, caterer, certified nutrition consultant,
product developer, and culinary educator adept at crafting
memorable dining experiences out of healthy foodstuffs,
instilling in those I cook for an appreciation of the Bay Area’s
edible bounty, and inspiring those I mentor to feel at home in
their own kitchen and so become more able cooks
themselves.

culinary philosophy

In all my culinary affairs I find myself motivated to bring food to life: 
As a personal chef and caterer, I aspire to cook and serve food that
charms the senses, nourishes the body, and creates a focal point for
memorable events.

As a certified nutrition consultant, I take nutrition seriously, imbuing
the menus I develop, the cuisine I prepare, and the consultations I
provide with a specialist knowledge of dietary wellness. Hence my
commitment to working whenever possible with organic, locally
sourced, sustainable ingredients and moving imaginatively away
from dishes high in gluten and processed sugars.



I take great satisfaction in coaching people to become more able and
adventurous cooks so as to connect more with their food.

Not least I enjoy playing with ingredients and innovating new
foodstuffs. 

areas of expertise

Steam cooking Gluten-free, paleo, and vegan cuisine
Smoking and grilling Appliance use and care
Whole food cuisine Individual coaching and tutorials
Slow food cuisine Seminar-style demonstrations

professional associations
& social networks

LinkedIn /yourusername
Google+ @yourusername
BNI San Francisco Member
Golden Gate Business Association Member

experience

Independent Chef, • Founder of VITTLESINC, since 2009 a cater-
Certified Nutrition ing and culinary coaching company promot-

Consultant, and ing health and vitality by utilizing nutritious
Culinary Educator seasonal food as the core ingredient to well-

SF Bay Area ness.
1996 – • Create dynamic culinary relationships with
present clients, private and corporate alike, by devel-
oping menus, preparing and serving meals
for events of all sizes, and providing a broad
range of consultations, demonstrations, and
tutorials tailored to their respective needs,
budgets, and tastes.

• Currently developing line of nutritious snacks
for local, national, and foreign markets fea-
turing organic nuts slow roasted in a confit
process involving duck fat or coconut oil and
hand-harvested sea salts.

Private Chef and • As private chef to prominent client, respon-
House Manager sible for all nutrition, menu planning, and
meal preparation for client and guests and
[CLIENT NAME NOT any dinner parties and events. Duties includ-
ed all food purchases, maintaining kitchen
REVEALED DUE TO supplies, daily organization and cleanliness of

NDA*]

San Francisco, CA kitchen, as well as serving and clean up.

03/2011 – • As house manager of client’s newly refur-
12/2011 bished San Francisco high-rise residence,
supervised and coordinated activities of the
household and all household employees. Re-
sponsible for outfitting the kitchen and se-
lecting home furnishings, overseeing house-
hold security, maintaining the inventory of
household supplies, running client errands,
and acting as client’s personal assistant.

• Reference provided by Gary Iskowitz & Co.
LLP (310) 277-7112, x100 [email protected]

experience

Culinary and Educa- • Managed all aspects of professional in-
tion Director store kitchen and associated programming
BSC CULINARY including staff, budgets, inventory, and
San Francisco, CA equipment maintenance.
Designed and developed monthly in-store
08/2006 – • events and public outreach seminars to
03/2009 educate clientele and staff on the latest

cooking equipment, trends, and method-
ologies. Wrote and produced series of
short farmer’s market education videos for
company website. Oversaw and facilitated
all in-store photo and video shoots with
local and national media.

• Devised and pitched new business oppor-
tunities to lateral and vertical business
partners and served as a professional con-
sultant to appliance manufacturers on
product optimization.

Culinary Director / • Conducted weekly in-store culinary appliance
Sales Representative demonstrations to educate consumers on

GARY SELLER’S steam and convection cooking.
ORIGINAL ATHERTON • Guided clients in their selection and pur-
APPLIANCE chase of kitchen packages and oversaw fol-
low-up service, including delivery, installa-
Redwood City, CA tion, use, and care.
08/2005 –
08/2006

education

2014 BAUMAN COLLEGE Berkeley, CA
Certificate, Nutrition Consultant

1989 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, BOULDER Boulder, CO
BA, Psychology
BS, Journalism

past clients

Square, Inc. The Flux Foundation
Janice Lehrer-Stein Profiles Production Company
Stone City Foundation
Zephyr Ventilation
Perseid Therapeutics Flaming Lotus Girls
Amy and Mark Plevin Tineke Triggs (Artistic Designs for Living)

Annie and Luke Siow Pam Treadway
David Brodwin Anu Menon and Akash Garg
Lynn Sedway Carol Gottlieb

references

• Ruth Krishnan, Realtor, Paragon Realty
• Janice Lehrer-Stein, Member, National Council

for Disabilities

•

meal delivery menu

Meals delivered to a new mother designed to support
healthy breastfeeding and avoid certain allergens (hence
no onions, garlic, soy, cruciferous vegetables, dairy, or
wheat)

Slow-roasted chicken with apple reduction sauce and
toasted hazelnuts
Grilled chicken thighs (to be eaten as is or shredded into
tacos or salad)
Grilled salmon with beet micro greens, steamed sugar snap
peas, roasted potatoes
Beef stew with brown rice and quinoa
Salmon belly pasta salad w/ pea sprouts and sugar snaps
peas
Egg salad made with homemade sunflower seed
mayonnaise
Chia seed pudding made with coconut milk, warming herbs
and pistachio

Fresh juice medley (beet, carrot, sweet potato, ginger,
apple)

Larder items: homemade honey roasted peanut butter, raw
nuts and dried fruit, apples, greens, avocados, carrots,
tortillas.

brunch menu

This brunch was served to guests at an outdoor wedding
held at the Rancho Cicada Retreat in Plymouth,
California and which coincided with the summer solstice.

Strata
Oven-baked savory bread pudding with farm fresh eggs,
chicken sausage, new potatoes, artichoke hearts, spinach,
roasted peppers

Vegetarian Strata

Oven-baked savory bread pudding with farm fresh eggs, wild
mushrooms, new potatoes, artichoke hearts, spinach,
roasted peppers

Organic deep applewood-smoked bacon

Seasonal fruit:

early stone fruit. cherries, strawberries

Toasted breads and spreads:

bread (wheat, ezekiel, gluten-free) and bagels

spreads: almond butter, flaxseed butter, peanut butter,
strawberry/mango preserves, sweet butter, cream cheese

Champagne Bellinis, craft beers

Milk (2%, almond, soy, half & half), fresh squeezed orange
juice, coffee, assorted teas

holiday party menu

These hors d’oeuvres were served to 35 guests at a business
development party shortly before the Christmas holiday.

Home-smoked Angus beef brisket sliders with homemade
Carolina-style slaw
Tea-smoked sustainably raised salmon served on
buckwheat blinis with crème fraîche
Crab and scallop cakes with a smoked paprika aïoli
(based on Thomas Keller’s famous crab cakes)
Broiled baby lamb chops encrusted with a sharp garlic
mustard rub and topped with a Chimichurri sauce

Salted chocolate shortbread cookies
Toasted caramel pots de crème

dinner party menu 1

This multi-course meal was served to 10 guests at a 60th
birthday party in the host’s home in San Francisco.

Appetizers:
(paired with Lambrusco and an oaky California chardonnay)
Smoked almonds confit
(sprouted almonds slow roasted for 12 hours, glazed with
duck fat, and dusted with smoked sea salt)

Home-cured bresaola and duck prosciutto shaved thin and
wrapped around fresh Mission figs and micro greens

First course:
Two early summer gazpachos: white (Muscat grape and
almond) and red (heirloom tomato and white corn)

Second course:
A salade composée with Liberty duck confit, seared duck
breast, and duck cracklings, fresh figs, pickled shallots,
frisée and heirloom lettuces dressed in a port wine
reduction vinaigrette

Third course:
Pan-roasted miso-marinated sea bass and mixed root
vegetables served with a brown butter sauce flecked with
vanilla bean and sprinkled with a “soil” of pulverized
hazelnuts and shaved summer truffles

Dessert:
Masumoto Farm peach tarte tatin served with homemade
buttermilk ice cream

dinner party menu 2

A special occasion three-course dinner of “comfort foods”

Endive salad with roast pork and kumquats
(inspired by Alice Waters)
A salade composée of bitter chicories, slow roasted pork
loin, and fresh and candied kumquats dressed with Roman
style olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper

Clay pot sea bass
(inspired by Richard Olney)
Sea bass filets slow roasted in a clay pot with thin-sliced
yukon gold and purple potatoes, heirloom tomatoes,
chicken stock, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, butter, and saffron

Vacherin

A wheel of soft, triple crème cow’s milk cheese served with
prunes in Armagnac and dried fruit

housewarming party menu 1

This intimate multi-course meal, inspired by the book ‘Like
Water for Chocolate’, was served to eight guests at a
housewarming party showcasing the hosts’ newly
renovated Craftsman home in San Francisco.

Aperitif:
A cocktail of fresh pineapple juice, spiced rum, lime, &
jalapeño

Avocado fries with grated parmesan and lime zest

Fresh fried tortilla chips with guacamole & Diane Kennedy’s
pumpkin seed dip

First course:
Quail with rose petal sauce / Beet & goat cheese terrine

Main course:
Home-smoked turkey / Grilled eggplant served with a
Oaxacan mole and Chile en nogada (roasted Poblano chiles
in a creamy walnut sauce studded with pomegranate seeds)

Dessert:
Portuguese custard tarts served with Champurrado
(Mexican hot chocolate)

housewarming party menu 2

Starters
Shrimp marinated in lime and sake grilled on skewers on
site and drizzled with local honey

Vegetarian sushi sandwiches with avocado, radish sprouts,
short grain rice, and cucumber slices sandwiched between
sheets of roasted nori served with a wasabi and soy dipping
sauce

Salad and Main Course
Roasted beet root and mint salad with marinated feta
served with candied walnuts and a tangerine vinaigrette

Texan-style sliced beef brisket home smoked for 14 hours
and dressed with a North Carolina-style pepper sauce and
pickled onions
- or -
Miso grilled tofu kebabs with organic locally made tofu,
scallions, and shiitake mushrooms basted with a sweet
miso glaze.

Hassleback Potatoes
Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas

Dessert
Sugar-roasted peaches with burrata and honey
served with toasted fig bread

family dinner menu

A late autumn special occasion dinner celebrating the
arrival of pomegranates in the market served to a family
of four.

Japanese-style gyoza 2 ways; pan-seared and steamed
Shrimp, and cabbage dumplings in a wonton served with
a traditional Japanese dipping sauce

Baked wild mushroom handkerchiefs
Fresh pasta squares wrapped loosely around sautéed
Chanterelle, Hedgehog, Morel, and Lobster mushrooms and
baked in a hot oven ith chervil, crème fraîche, and
Parmesan

Autumn green salad
Baby lettuces, Honey Crisp apples, fresh pomegranates
and slow-roasted hazelnuts

Oven-roasted rack of lamb with an herbed crust
Pomegranate balsamic reduction and seared Brussels
sprouts

Rhubarb and wild huckleberry galette with whipped
cream pomegranate labneh

vittlesinc

2338 8TH STREET BERKELEY, CA 94710
(510) 282-0957 [email protected]