From Our Table to Yours
Okay, we skipped August. We know.
In our defense, it was genuinely that kind of summer — the kind where you’re moving too fast to write about it and just have to live it. Rooftop parties that went well past midnight. Affogato bars that made grown adults close their eyes on first sip. Events that reminded us exactly why we do this.
So here we are in September, a little sun-kissed and a lot energized, ready to tell you everything. Fall is coming in hot — and if October is already on your mind, you’re going to want to read all the way to the end.
— Tom, David & the whole Big City Chefs crew 🍂
The summer that kept going — and a dessert we're absolutely not over
The event that summed up this summer better than any other? A nighttime rooftop pool party that nobody wanted to leave. The city glittering below, the water still warm, residents who came for “a quick drink” still lingering hours later. That’s the thing about a well-set scene — you can’t manufacture that energy, but you can absolutely create the conditions for it. Good food, great drinks, the right vibe, and people do the rest.
Another moment we keep coming back to? Our very first affogato bar. Cold brew espresso poured over Italian gelato, with a spread of toppings for people to customize their own. It sounds simple. It was transcendent. We watched person after person take their first spoonful and just… stop talking for a second. That pause is everything.
We loved it so much we’re bringing it back — and then some. This fall, look for affogato bars with seasonal flavors and toppings (think salted caramel gelato, spiced fig, toasted pepita crumble, and warm cardamom syrup). And come the holidays, we’ll go full festive — peppermint, dark chocolate, gingerbread, candied cranberry. Stay tuned.
Meet Chef Geordie — San Diego born,
Grand Champion certified
Chef Geordie was born and raised in San Diego — and if you spend five minutes hearing his story, you’ll understand why this city is so thoroughly in his bones.
While other kids dreamed of being astronauts, Geordie was dreaming of cooking in a kitchen. He followed that instinct all the way to the International Culinary Schools at the Art Institute, and by the time he graduated, he was already Chef de Cuisine at The W Hotel’s fine dining restaurant. At 21, he opened his first restaurant and craft cocktail lounge in North San Diego — Cin Cin Simply Italian — sourcing most of his produce from his own farm in Escondido. Farm-to-table before it was a buzzword.
Then came the competitions. After a three-time winning streak on Sunday Night Chef Fights — with liquid nitrogen pushing him over the top — he was named Grand Champion. He followed that up with back-to-back People’s Choice wins at the Great Chef Throwdown at the Hotel del Coronado, a charity event for cystic fibrosis. Between all of that, he found time to create menus for kids with Type 1 diabetes at a summer camp, managing strict dietary requirements without losing an ounce of deliciousness.
Chef Geordie is our Southern California Executive Chef, covering San Diego, the Inland Empire, and South OC.
October is coming — and Chef Geordie has some tricks up his sleeve
Fall is one of our favorite programming seasons — the weather shifts, residents want to gather indoors again, and there are so many excuses to do something memorable. Here’s what’s on our radar for October across the country:
🍂 Oktoberfest Happy Hours & Dinners — Pretzels, beer cheese, schnitzel bites, and steins. Communal, festive, and wildly popular with residents of all ages. A great mid-month anchor event.
💀 Día de los Muertos Celebrations — Especially meaningful in Southern California, this is a beautiful opportunity for culturally rich programming with vibrant food, florals, and atmosphere. We love helping communities honor this tradition with care and authenticity.
🎃 Halloween H’ors d’Oeuvres — And now, the thing we’ve been waiting to tell you about.
Chef Geordie has put together a Halloween menu that is genuinely one of the most creative things we’ve seen, and we need you to know about it. Available in San Diego, the Inland Empire, and South OC — think charcoal crostini with black garlic and fig blood reduction, beef tenderloin “grave bites” on pretzel brioche, silky butternut bisque shooters with sage smoke, and darkly elegant black magic cupcakes for dessert. And the cocktail — “The Witch’s Brew” — is Grey Goose vodka with elderflower, edible glitter, and dry ice. It shimmers, it smokes, and it is absolutely unhinged in the best possible way.
Reach out at info@bigcitychefs.com to book — October fills up faster than you’d think.
Until Next Month
That’s Issue Three — and we’re so glad to be back. If something caught your eye or you want to start planning a fall event, we’d love to hear from you at info@bigcitychefs.com.
See you in October. 🎃
With love and good food,
— Tom, David & the Big City Chefs team