The lunch at Fogarty Winery was barely over when I began to hear about this fabulous affair. Tisa and Ethan Mantle from Componere Fine Catering had invited South Bay event professionals so they could introduce their young company to them. "It was, hands down, the best party of the year so far," my friend told me. When Ethan and Tisa Mantle and I finally met, I was not disappointed. Young, energetic, and full of ideas, this fabulous husband-wife team is truly a wonderful addition to serve the sophisticated palettes of the Bay Area's food connoisseurs.

As so often, fate played an important role in Ethan's life. It placed him in the kitchen of the wonderful Ahwahnee Hotel. He had applied for a summer job at Yosemite before going off to college to pursue a business career. Instead, he headed to the famous Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he received the Wine Spectator's Award for Excellence upon graduation. This opened the doors for an apprenticeship with George Blanc in Vonnas, France, one of the world's highest ranking chefs and restaurateurs. Back in San Francisco Ethan worked as Chef Tournant at the Fleur de Lys, as Private Dining Chef at the Farallon, and at other fine restaurants in California. His first catering experience dates back to his time at the Lodge at Pebble Beach, catering for thousands in VIP tents during Pro-Am tournaments.

Ethan's wife, Tisa, worked her way through college as a server at fine restaurants before she received her degree in business administration. At Componere she and her husband combine their talents. While she coordinates all aspects of event planning, he creates delectable menus composed mostly of the fresh, sustainable ingredients the Bay area has to offer. "Harvested in the morning, served by night" was the experience he had in France and which he is aiming for here. Inspired by the Bay Area's diversity of cultures and by the abundance of produce, his cooking is a constant culinary exploration.

The food, combined with the other important elements: quality, consistency, and most important, excellent service, make the basis for the company name, Componere - it is Latin and means: "where all parts come together."