OUR TEAM

Brian — Brian has successfully owned and operated Cheat A Little Catering (or "CAL Catering" for short) since its commencement, growing the company from a small, in-home boutique catering option, to a full-service catering and event management company. Immediately preceding the start of Cheat A Little, Brian managed the contingent workforce onsite at Genentech in South San Francisco, encompassing the onboarding process to daily management through to end-of-contract for nearly five hundred workers. Previous work accomplishments include developing successful training programs and streamlining human resource and employee development processes in financial institutions, such as Wells Fargo Bank, Providian Bancorp and Credit America.

When not tending to the business, Brian spends time with family and friends, enjoying good food, good company and playing games…Progressive Rummy and Dominos Mexican Train are favorites. Or, taking a day trip somewhere in the beautiful bay area, or trying his hand at the gaming tables and slot machines at a nearby casino.

Michael — Michael comes from a family of foodies and began his own adventures in the kitchen at age 5. He started working in the industry at 13. By high school, he was hosting multi-course dinner parties for his friends. Knowing that he had found his passion, he enrolled in the hospitality management program at Cornell, where he graduated with honors. At 27, he opened Élevé, a fine dining bistro in his hometown of Phoenix, where he developed a wonderful clientele and heartfelt praise from local and national media, including selection as one of Phoenix’s best new chefs, comparisons to the legendary Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and a write up in Food and Wine as one of the top new restaurants in Phoenix.

In 2013, he moved to San Francisco, where he has led in-office food programs at companies including Google and Tesla. In 2024, he joined Cheat A Little Catering (now CAL Catering) as our new Executive Chef, happily trading in the paperwork and politics for a role back in the kitchen, doing what he loves. In his free time, he can often be found fixing things around the kitchen, testing out new recipes, and desperately trying to find storage space in his San Francisco apartment to store his growing collection of oversized, commercial-grade kitchen equipment that absolutely won’t fit in his San Francisco apartment.

Ali — Although Ali started her career in sports medicine, she found her way into the hospitality and event planning industry by chance. After discovering her natural eye for detail and passion for bringing people’s vision to life and having planned her own destination wedding, she quickly realized how much she loved the process. From there, she began helping friends and family with their wedding and private events, eventually turning her passion into a full-time role as a wedding coordinator for Pageo Lavender Farm before deciding to move to the SF Bay Area.

After moving to San Francisco, and previous to joining Cheat A Little, Ali was the manager of executive events at an elite members-only social club in San Francisco, Amador (formerly known as Wingtip), leaning towards executive-level members and hosting corporate dinners, high-level meetings and larger-scale gatherings. As our company’s event manager, Ali is responsible for planning all the event details; including conducting site visits, scheduling staff, developing and managing timelines, coordinating with venues, handling logistics, and overseeing events day-of. In her free time, Ali enjoys volunteering for events at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, cooking, trying new restaurants, and cheering on all Bay Area teams, especially her first love, the 49ers.

Jamie — Jamie is a key part of our logistical operations. She keeps everything flowing smoothly — from organizing event needs, running essential errands and maintaining our fleet of vans, to making sure every piece of equipment and serveware is in its place and ready for the celebrations ahead. Whether she’s prepping for the next event or resetting after the last, Jamie handles every task with care, consistency, and dedication.

Jamie’s journey in hospitality started at age 19, when she picked up dishwashing shifts to make a little extra money — and discovered a love for the fast-paced, collaborative world of catering. Over the years, she worked her way up from prep chef to event coordinator, gaining hands-on experience in every corner of catering. She knows that great events start long before the guests arrive. After a decade working events throughout the New Jersey tri-state area and then in Berkeley, California, Jamie brought her passion and expertise to C.A.L Catering, where she continues to make the magic happen behind the scenes.

Outside of work Jamie spends her free time wandering trails with her dog, getting lost in the energy of live music, and soaking in the beauty of the outdoors — always on the lookout for her next adventure.

"In addition to excellent food and service, CAL Catering also provided a fabulous bartender with a great demeanor and knew how to mix a perfect cocktail." 🤍 “Your staff went unnoticed. I mean that as a compliment and appreciate it because your service was seamless.” 🤍 “So many guests commented about how delicious the hors d'oeuvres were. After the party, your folks cleaned up quickly, thoroughly, and discretely.” 🤍

Call to plan your special occasion today: 650-227-1125