KITCHEN

Want wild mushrooms from California? We’ll find them — naturally. Fresh halibut from the Pacific Northwest? We’ll fly it in overnight. We go the extra mile to source the best possible product, whether it’s Fleur de Sel sea salt from France or fresh, local pecans from an orchard in Texas. We also work closely with Texas farmers to honor local flavors while supporting responsible agriculture.

Our kitchen is the heart of our business, and our culinary standards ensure the best quality for you and your guests. Read on to learn more about our methods.

GEORGE CULINARY STANDARDS

1. Less is more. Pure, high quality ingredients don’t need a lot of help. We choose the best products available for each menu item. Then we use a light touch, and let the fresh, true flavors do the heavy lifting.
2. The best seasoning may be the season itself. There is nothing better than a tomato in summer — except perhaps a sweet peach or a cool watermelon. We love the bright taste of grapefruits in January, and the fresh bite of Granny Smith apples in the fall. Regardless of your taste in fruit and vegetables, nothing tastes better than in-season produce.
3. Everything starts and ends with salt and pepper. What we do “in between” is the secret to our unique sense of flavor.
4. Experience is the best teacher. With more than 30 years of experience, we have learned best practices that mean the difference between ordinary and extraordinary. We can’t tell you all our secrets — but we’ll be glad to give you a taste.
5. Efficiency and quality, in all the right places. We incorporate a “mise en place” approach to cooking, which is a French phrase meaning “everything in its place.” Ingredients are measured out, washed, chopped and placed in individual bowls before cooking; and everything — including sauces, salad dressings and breadcrumbs — is made from scratch.
6. The only reason we ever use a hot box is to warm the plates before we serve. Many caterers cook at their kitchens and send the prepared food in “hot boxes” with their waiters to the event site, meaning that much of the food you are eating was cooked at least two hours before serving. We, on the other hand, send chefs and cooks on site to begin cooking and plating menu items “a la minute,” or “at the last minute,” which means each course or buffet item is cooked and plated in the shortest time possible before served.
7. We believe:
   • Cheese is good for the soul, and wine does a body good.
   • A full tummy equals a happy heart.
   • True luxury is “so fine, but so comfortable.”
     – Thomas Keller
   • “Bread is the warmest, kindest of words. Write it always with a capital letter, like your own name.”
     – Russian café sign