Key Players
Diane Gordon – Owner
A graduate of Smith College and The University of Virginia School of Law, Diane traded in her degrees for a chef’s hat and a sharp set of knives in 1991. She enrolled full time at culinary school and after that was awarded an internship at Union Square Café followed by her first restaurant job with Tom Colicchio at Mondrian. Diane then contacted every chef in France holding the highest Michelin three star rating and to her surprise and delight she was accepted as a stagiaire at four establishments. From 1992 – 1993 she cooked at Lucas-Carton in Paris, Bernoard Loiseau in Burgundy and Georges Blanc in Vonnas as well as the legendary Fauchon Patisserie. Upon returning home to Manhattan, Diane opened her own catering business and the rest is epicurean history.
In addition to catering some of Manhattan’s most elegant fetes, Diane has extensive experience as a food stylist, notably for Sex & The City as well as dozens of motion picture films. Diane was recently inducted into Les Dames d'Escoffier and has served for several years as a judge for the James Beard Foundation Cookbook Awards.
Kathleen Willcox – Event Planner
After spending 10 years as a journalist in New York City, Kathleen left her cubicle for the kitchen. She enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Education in 2008 and since graduating has worked at a variety of top kitchens and catering companies in Manhattan. She is passionate about classically prepared seasonal, organic fare that looks as delicious as it tastes. Kathleen works on all aspects of event coordination and design.
Tania Fulgencio – Executive Chef
Tania Fulgencio joins Diane Gordon Catering after 16 years as a catering and private chef in New York City. Tania hails from Brazil, where she worked as a public relations executive before pursuing her dream of becoming a chef. After moving to New York, Tania trained at the New York Restaurant School. She landed a starting position at Match Catering, and swiftly moved up the ranks. Tania eventually left Match to work as an executive chef at Savory Solutions and Abigail Kirsch Catering at the New York Botanical Gardens. Tania is married to Davi Santos; they live in New York City and have a 4-year-old son named Gabriel.
