COOK'S CHAT
Bibby Gignilliat from Parties that Cook
By GraceAnn Walden

In 1999, Bibby Gignilliat had an idea, “Parties that Cook,” and ran with it. After nine years of guerilla marketing, two partners, and housing the office for the company in her home, she is finally able to see the light.

Parties that Cook is a company that creates cooking parties for groups and singles, and team-building events for corporations. It is the premier company of its kind in the Bay Area. At an event, each team has a professional cook, whose role is to coach a small group of participants. When the food is all prepared, a la Iron Chef, her executive chef judges which team did the best job. It’s entertaining, educational, and you get to drink wine and schmooze.

Last year Bibby’s company grew by 180 percent. Six months ago, she was able to secure a 3,100-square-foot office/warehouse space and garage.

“We were finally able to get a large commercial refrigerator and freezer, and have space to store five sets of equipment, so we can do five events a day,” she explains. She went on to say that they don’t have to always shop for each “show” at Whole Foods, but can have supplies delivered.

Considering the higher cost of gas and food, and the recession, I asked her if she thinks those factors will adversely affect her business. She thinks not, although as always with a big upturn like last year’s, she expects it will level out this year. Bibby says there is also another train of thought – that individuals and companies, who once might have spent money on trips out of town and expensive retreats, will do fun things locally.

This day, we are meeting near her new commercial space in the up-and-coming Dogpatch neighborhood. Located on the flatlands east of Potrero Hill, this neighborhood once housed immigrants from the British Isles, who originally were lured to San Francisco by the Gold Rush. They and their children and their grandchildren stayed and prospered, working on the nearby wharves and in industry. In modern times, another generation has also worked in Dogpatch. They are the newest immigrants from El Salvador and Mexico.

Bibby, a self-starter, supports the owners of The New Spot because they started from scratch like she did. Julia Rivera and her husband Gilbert have long worked in the neighborhood: she in a shipping department of a local company, and he as a prep cook and cashier at the Jolt ‘n Bolt Cafe.

I met Bibby at The New Spot for lunch, the day before she was taking a long-anticipated vacation to Spain. I knew she recommended the cafe for its delicious food, but knowing her hard work to establish her own business, I thought she also wanted to give these two entrepreneurs a boost.

Anywhere in the Mission, which is home to more Central Americans than people of Mexican descent these days, a popular Salvadoran snack is a pupusa – a handmade tortilla masa patted around a filing and then griddled. A pupusa is always served with cortido, a tart cabbage slaw made with cabbage, onions, carrots, and a sprinkle of oregano. You cut a pupusa in half and eat bites of it with a knife and fork, stuffing the cortido in the pupusa. The taste is a mélange of the slightly browned tortilla, the creamy filling of beans and pork, and the sharp cortido, which adds contrast. In the Mission, pupusas usually come with pork and refried beans, beans and cheese, a combo of beans, cheese and pork, or cheese with a Salvadoran flower bud called lorocco.

But the Riveras, according to co-owner Julia Rivera, listened to friends who encouraged them to make pupusas with different fillings like cheese and cactus, spinach and cheese, and mushrooms and goat cheese. All $2 each. Yum city!

The rest of the menu is filled out with more Salvadoran and Mexican dishes like pasteles de queso, three fried cheese fritters, beef steak, beef tongue in red sauce, and steamed or fried yucca with choice of pork or fried fish. The ubiquitous burritos, tacos and quesadillas also make a showing. But for my money, nothing tops the asparagus and cheese pupusa that I tasted with Bibby.

The New Spot has about 25 seats, which turn quickly, although sometimes there is a line out the door. Julia says 75 percent of their business is take-out. Bravo!

The New Spot: 632 20th St. (at Illinois); Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat-Sun 7-9 p.m., 415-558-0556
Parties That Cook: 601 Minnesota St. (at 18th), Ste. 115, 888-907-2665, www.PartiesThatCook.com