about us

US

This is our story of what we create in 20 sq. ft. kitchen based in San Francisco.  Our kitchen has a small stove, not our dream La Cornue Stainless Steel Stove/Oven.  One and a half counters to work on, and one cupboard to put everything in.  We want to share with YOU how we live small but still eat big.

My name is Denise.  I confess, I am a foodie.  I love everything about food, in fact, the first thing on my mind when I crawl out of bed, besides that first espresso, is what I will be cooking that day.  It is a sickness.  My partner is Laudalino. He is not a foodie, he is an eater .  Neither of us are in the food business.  We are both in the video communications field.

We met 9 years ago, when he was a starving climber, and bachelor who longed for his mother’s good Portuguese cooking. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; I like to think I got to his heart through many means, cooking just happened to be one of them. He loves my cooking so much that he thinks we only need to eat at Chez Us.

We care about not only what goes into our bodies but from where it came and how it came to us.  We shop organic and as local as possible. The nice thing about having no cupboard space, everything we eat is fresh!  We do admit we have a few guilty pleasures such as wines and cheeses from other countries but over all 80% of our food comes from within a 150 mile radius of Chez Us.  Most of our recipes are originals of Chez Us, or have been in our family’s cookbooks.  We may poke around a site or in a few magazines/cookbooks for inspiration but overall what we put into our mouths came from our minds first.

If you can’t find us in the kitchen just look out the door, and you may find us anywhere in the great outdoors either camping (gourmet  food will be included), road and mountain biking or climbing some of the high peaks.  When we are not cooking and eating we try to enjoy life to the fullest by keeping active.  Our passions are traveling to  far away lands, submerging ourselves in the culture and of course eating!  We also love to spend time behind a video and/or camera.
So come along and join us on our culinary capers.

 

17 comments

Elizabeth - 18/01/2012 - 2:02 pm

Denise,

I recently started a blog where I share recipes, projects and inspiration in all facets of life. I would love to feature your Basque Parsley Potatoes recipe and was wondering if that was ok.

Hope you enjoy living in San Francisco. I am originally from there and just got married and moved to Houston. I miss home.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth
The incredible and Sometimes Edible EGG

Kathy Martinez - 13/11/2011 - 7:04 pm

Dear Denise,

First my apologies about my typo below … and lastly…
Just wanted to check in one more time to see if you are interested in joining us before time runs out for this particular project. Please remember this organization runs year long so feel free to check back with us soon.

Warm regards,

Kathy

Kathy Martinez - 08/11/2011 - 9:42 pm

Hello Darla,

My name is Kathy Martinez, and I’m one of the volunteers working on the Admin Team for the 2011 Paint it Purple Cupcake Gallery. I’m just following up with you to make sure you have received the invitation to participate on this fun opportunity along with your food/baking blog to benefit our cause this month all while helping to paint the internet purple.

Feel free to check us out on either Facebook or Twitter but please, if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,

Kathy

Mandana - 23/10/2011 - 12:42 pm

Wow! I was searching for a salted caramel chocolate chip cookie recipe and stumbled onto your blog. You are living (and cooking) my dream life! Your words are so simple but flow so beautifully and I felt an instant connection to your foodie ways. I’m so glad I found you and can’t wait to read more and indulge in other recipes! :)

Tim Billingsley - 08/09/2011 - 9:36 am

Nice

F. Luis - 26/09/2008 - 1:03 pm

I love your blog and was even more excited to know your husband is portuguese descendent. I was born and raised in Portugal and also love to cook, to eat, to read about it, and to feed others (my neighbors love having me around!).
My husband loves eating and is also my food critic.

Keep up the good work! You are an inspiration.

~luis

Ken - 26/09/2008 - 7:17 am

The question is… will Lenny still admit to having eaten the half-price burgers at the Pour House?

Leonor - 08/09/2008 - 1:21 pm

I’ve loved this “about us” section! We’re also a couple: I cook, he takes pictures and is also my food critic… :)

I’m happy to get your comment and to found another portuguese in this world!

Regards,

Leonor

ntsc The Art of The Pig - 25/04/2008 - 11:54 am

Followed the crumbs back from Chez Pim and the Iron Chef.

I’m on the bleeding edge of technology, of the ‘if it works it is out of date’ school of electronics. I also supply things for my wife to cook and sometimes cook myself.

We sit down for dinner at a given time, no TV, linens, decent china and some time. Have been for years.

Tony - 05/04/2008 - 12:57 am

Long live Foodie’s! … Hey Denise and Laudalino, the site looks great.

Carol - 03/04/2008 - 7:02 am

When you say you have a new website, has this existed and I didn’t know about it? How could have that happened????? I guess it did!!!! Love, love, love…..

Carol - 03/04/2008 - 6:59 am

Okay…. I read ABOUT US!!! I love it…. and just who designs the webpages for you and Lenny???? Ho Ho Ho!!!! I have a lot to do today so I can’t get into all of what you have written, but I love it…. love it. Is this going to be a free website? I would love to share it with lots of friends. I guess if it is free you can get company’s to advertise on your pages just as I have seen you have.

I grew up being served lovely meals. My father generally was dressed for dinner in a coat and tie or at least a tie and a shirt. We had linens and sterling flatware always. My grandmother from Miss. was a wonderful cook. She had lots of help, but she got into the kitchen and directed and tasted. When Evelyn and Robert were growing up, we most often ate in the dining room … always with linens and sterling flatware. Of course our food mainly came from a Southern Tradition, but people generally loved the things that I prepared. Today so many more foods are available.
Again… you are one amazing young woman with so many talents. How you manage to do all you do is a miracle. Much love, Carol

May I be president of your Fan Club??????

Andrew - 02/04/2008 - 10:24 pm

Lovely blog.
I love your ‘about us’ section highlighting what a meal should be. It is all about ‘the loving’. I am in high tech also. By the end of the day, I am usually so tired to even think about food. Thankfully, my wife thinks otherwise and she does whip up a good meal. All I have to come up with is a decent wine to pair with the food.
Thanks for your notes and I should put some more appreciation into food (or meal)

Basque Parsley Potatoes « EGG - 30/01/2012 - 7:02 am

[...] put it to good use. after I found the recipe I started to do a little research about its creator, Denise of Chez Us. I was so excited to hear Denise and her husband are living in San Francisco cooking in a 20 sq. [...]

[...] pares food down to modern, tasty and elegant recipes.  This recipe is adapted from one chosen by Chez Us for Hay, hay it’s Donna day.  I tinkered a bit to turn it into a vegetarian autumnal feast [...]

[...] “My Butcher” is my farmer, a family of skilled and caring paysans/bouchers, the Famille Chapolard who literally transform ‘semence to saucisson‘ every week, from 150 acres of rich Gascon soil they grow the grain that they feed to their pigs. Every week they slaughter, butcher and make sausages, hams, bacon, coppa, boudin, pate and terrines. Every week they sell this good food at the farmer’s markets just 10 miles away. Come vote for my butcher and the fabulous video created by Lenny and Denise of Chez Us. [...]

[...] Denise and Lenny are a foodie couple who share their culinary capers at their blog, Chez Us. [...]

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