The only thing better than learning food secrets from a chef is sampling the results afterward. Come to our showcase kitchen to witness exciting personal recipes demonstrated by local chefs.
Raley’s is the proud sponsor of this exciting fair feature.
To celebrate its new store in Petaluma,
Raley’s is conducting a Raley’s $500
Grocery Giveaway!
Enter at the Showcase Building throughout the fair!
Chef Demonstration Schedule
Showcase Building
Wednesday, June 24
3:00 pm Carol Laird, Senior Pastry Decorator, G&G Market
6:00 pm Patty Crone, Chef Demo Coordinator
Thursday, June 25
3:00 pm Carol Laird, Senior Pastry Decorator, G&G Market
6:00 pm Elijah Blackburn, Chef
Friday, June 26
1:30 pm Kathy Pappas, Personal Chef, Caterer, Party In Style
and Kelli Sullivan
3:00 pm, Chef TBD, Raley's
4:30 pm Gerard Guidici, Sally Tomatoes
6:00 pm Glenn Cybulski, Fregene’s on the Boulevard
Saturday, June 27
1:30 pm Graziano Perozzi, Graziano’s Ristorante
3:00 pm Bert Smith, Bert’s Desserts
6:00 pm Glenn Cybulski, Fregene’s on the Boulevard
Sunday, June 28
1:30 pm Amber Balshaw, Preferred Sonoma Caterers
3:00 pm Scott McGlothlin, Kitchen Manager, Cattlemens
4:30 pm Michael Tognoli, Five Star Catering
6:00 pm Wayne Van Akin, Executive Chef
More coming!
Cheese Contests Wednesday through Friday at 4 pm in the Showcase Building
Entrants get free fair admission with their entries!
About Amber Balshaw
Amber Balshaw is the Chef and Owner of Preferred Sonoma Caterers, one of the most successful
Catering companies in Sonoma County. Amber, born in Petaluma, started her career as an apprentice
in Innsbruck Austria, then graduated first in her class from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, the
country’s leading cooking school. While the Pastry Chef at West Point Military Academy and later at the Ojai Valley Inn & Country Club, she had the honor to cook for 5 past US Presidents. Amber is regularly involved in community projects, having founded Petaluma's Art & Garden Festival, and recently hosted a wonderful benefit for PEP Housing. For more information please see her website www.SonomaCaterers.com and her blog blog.SonomaCaterers.com.
About Elijah Blackburn
Elijah Blackburn’s earliest memories are of peeking over the counter-top to help his
grandmother cooking in the kitchen. Being a naturally social person, he gravitated toward fine
dining service for over 12 years, learning to refine his skills of public interaction, anticipating the
needs of diners and taking great pride in his customer’s enjoyment and satisfaction.
Being a server at some of the Bay Area’s finest restaurants, Mecca in San Francisco, Charlie
Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, has exposed him to many types of cuisines and flavor
combinations, which he incorporates into his own unique cooking style.
Realizing his passion for great food, and love for cooking, he began to polish his culinary skills
by hosting small parties and creating delicious meals for his friends and family. Later he enrolled
and completed the Culinary Arts certifcation program at SRJC, where he recieved high honors
from hs professors and felllow students. During his stint as a culinary student, he was invited to
cater at some of Sonoma County’s premier winiries, and work side by side with some of his
professors at many public events. Since then he has started his own personal chef/catering business,
Eclectic Appetites, serving the Bay Area and works as a chef at the elegant Olema Inn.
About Glenn Cybulski
Glenn Cybulski, Executive Chef and Founder of Fregene’s Italian Pizza Inc. was born and raised in Novato and has been a resident of Sonoma County for 20 years. Chef Glenn gained his love for the culinary arts as a child from his father “a great cook” Glenn says, and then developed his own style of blending natural fresh ingredients to create award-winning recipes. Much of his creative passion comes from years of travel throughout Italy and Europe. Chef Glenn lives with his four children in Penngrove and currently owns six Restaurants and is a highly regarded Restaurant consultant.
Locally, Glenn Cybulski has been a guest judge at the Cinnabar Theater “Great Petaluma Chili Cook Off” and the “Taste of Petaluma” Fregene’s Pizza also won first place in the “Taste of Petaluma” 2006. Glenn has won 40 Culinary Awards at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Professional Food Division.
Glenn received national recognition when Terry Collins the Founder of Papa Murphy’s Pizza commissioned Chef Glenn to develop a thin crust recipe for his company in November 2004. This recipe is used nationwide by franchise and corporate stores alike.
Chef Glenn was invited to join the World Pizza Champions Team and competed in the World Pizza Cup in Naples Italy on June 12-13 2007, and took Second in North America with his Dungeness Crab Pizza. At the International Pizza Competition in Las Vegas, he regularly wins awards for his specialty pizzas. Chef Glenn appeared on the Food Network show Glutton For Punishment where the World Pizza Champions were featured competing and performing in Naples Italy and the Citti De Napoli Original Margherita Pizza Championship.
In Las Vegas 2008, Chef Glenn signed a marketing and consulting agreement to promote IRON CHEF WINES.
About Gerard Giudice
Gerard Giudice, president of The Big Tomato Inc. was born in the Bronx in New York City, the oldest son of a second generation Italian family. Gerard has lived in Northern California since 1970 and in Petaluma since 1992 with his wife Suzanne and two daughters Katarina and Isabella. After receiving his degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Gerard worked at various restaurants in Marin and Sonoma counties including Joe LoCoco’s Ristorante, Pappalardo’s Gastronomia (his own), McInnis Park Golf, Oakmont Golf Club, Johnny Garlic’s before opening Sally Tomatoes in 2005. Gerard is active in his community and currently serves as the President of the Cotati Chamber of Commerce. He is an amateur wine maker and wine judge and a member of the following clubs just for fun: Small Batch Bourbon Society, Single Malt Scotch Club, and Moet and Chandon Saber Club.
About Carol Laird
Carol Laird is the Senior Pasty Chef at G & G Market. Carol has resided in Petaluma since ’82. Carol started with G & G Market in Petaluma in March 2001 as a bakery clerk. Approximately two years after starting she began to help the cake decorator part-time and it eventually became full-time. Carol took over as Senior Pastry Decorator when the former pastry decorator left. Carol had training years ago in the late 70’s in Bucks County Tech School in Levittown Pennsylvania. Now, many years later she is using that trade.
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About Scott McGlothlin
Scott McGlothlin is the Kitchen Manager of Cattlemens restaurant in Petaluma. Cattlemens has been operating in Petaluma for over 40 years and is one of the oldest operating restaurants in this town. Scott earned his degree at San Francisco’s renowned California Culinary Academy and began his career as a chef Rainwater’s Restaurant in San Diego – voted one of the top steakhouses in the country by Gourmet Magazine and winner of the “Best of Excellence Award” from Wine Spectator for nearly 20 years.
When Scott moved north, his culinary expertise was welcomed and put to good use by Cattlemens Restaurant, one of the last steakhouses to age and hand-cut Harris Ranch all natural beef on the premises. Scott personally oversees the care and cutting of every steak.
When the 2000 MS Waves to Wine Tour cyclists needed tri-tip cooked for them, they called on Cattlemens and Scott was onsite to help execute the event and grill the steak! As the Kitchen Manager at Cattlemens, Scott participates in the planning and execution of all large-scale events, outside caterings, banquets and BBQs. For more information about Cattlemens banquets, catering, charities or events call 707-763-4114 or go to www.beststeakinthewest.com.
About Kathy Pappas
Kathy Pappas started Party In Style in 2004. She plans and caters parties,
formal to casual, wedding to an intimate part for two. She does all the
cooking.
Kathy began her career as a Fashion Merchandise Buyer for several major
department stores in San Francisco. After moving to Sonoma in 1999, she
began working for a local caterer where she did the prep work and cooking
for parties up to 300, and later, on-site execution of events, management of
kitchen and staff, as well as serving as lead chef. During the off seasons,
she worked as Personal Chef for private and winery families.
About Graziano Perozzi
Graziano Perozzi has been chef and owner of Graziano’s Ristorante in
Petaluma, California for 26 years. He started his passion and love for
cooking at the young age of seven helping his mother in the kitchen at
their home in Italy. From there Graziano went on to study in the
culinary academies of Sardinia, Canterbury and Switzerland.
His talent as a young chef took him to Bermuda and Bahamas where he
served many late night “Graziano spaghetti” to the likes of Frank
Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sidney Portier and Betty Davis to name a few.
In 1969 Graziano arrived in America as executive chef for a new
restaurant, Mirabeau, in Oakland. Once Graziano experienced Sonoma
County it reminded him of his home in Italy and he quickly decided to
settle down and open his own restaurant. Graziano’s Ristorante opened
in 1983 where it has been serving many “Graziano’s gnocchi” to the
likes of Jewel, John Travolta, Ty Murray and the wonderful community of
Sonoma County. For over 50 years his passion and love for food has been
bringing pleasure to the pallets of many.
About Bert Smith
Bert Smith’s candy-making company Bert’s Desserts is part of a lifelong dream. Bert started her working career as a receptionist for a stock brokerage firm in 1979, eventually becoming a Senior Executive Assistant in both San Francisco and New York City. After 20 years in the brokerage industry she decided to try something new and ventured into the pool of “start-up companies.” After the second one failed...Bert’s Desserts was born. Five and a half years, later she is enjoying making candy in a successful business. Bert credits her success in large part to her first career. On a daily basis she uses the finance and professional skills she learned in her first career in her candy business. The things she enjoys most about Bert’s Desserts are being able to be creative each day, working with the local schools and charities, and working with wineries. She currently makes specific wine truffles (using a reduction of their own wine as the flavoring) for four wineries. She enters candy/desserts in the Sonoma County Harvest Fair every year and wins awards on everything she’s entered.
About Kelli Sullivan
Kelli Sullivan was born and raised in Sonoma. She is a student at Santa Rosa Junior College where she majors in Biology. She has been baking her entire life, starting out watching her Grandmother after school, to when she made her first peach pie all by herself at seven years old. She has now taught herself to bake for weddings and formal events. Kelli has been working with Party In Style creating delectable desserts for the past two years. She is constantly creating fresh and fantastic desserts for her family, friends and clients. She enjoys baking very much, and one day hopes to open her own bakery after completing college.
About Michael G. Tognoli
Michael G. Tognoli has been the lead Chef of Five Star Catering in Ukiah, California for approximately eight years. His career as a Chef spans 25 years. He was raised in the Bay Area and spent a lot of time in his grandmother’s kitchen, which was the beginning in learning the art of cooking. In realizing his joy of cooking, he decided to take culinary classes at Canada Community College in Woodside, California. Over this span of years, Michael has owned his own restaurant in Mariposa, California. Of course, the restaurant was Italian and the name was “Tognoli’s.” He also has extensive background in catering for movie and video production companies, small intimate dining and large events all over California.
Michael’s specialties include Old World Italian, as well as French Cuisine. From his premier soups and sauces, to his mouth watering Osso Buco or his tantalizing Oyster Rockefeller. One taste of Michael’s culinary mastery and you will know why he is one of northern California’s premier Chefs. To see what Five Star Catering has to offer visit their website at
www.fivestarcateringonline.com
Sonoma-Marin Fair • 4th District Agricultural Association 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA 94952
voice: 707 283-3247 • fax: 707 283-3250 • email: info@sonoma-marinfair.org
The Fair Office is open weekdays, year-round from 8 am to Noon and from 1 to 5 pm
Sonoma-Marin Fair Television
Network and Virtual Fair
Amber Balshaw is the Chef and Owner of 
Elijah Blackburn’s earliest memories are of peeking over the counter-top to help his
grandmother cooking in the kitchen. Being a naturally social person, he gravitated toward fine
dining service for over 12 years, learning to refine his skills of public interaction, anticipating the
needs of diners and taking great pride in his customer’s enjoyment and satisfaction.
Being a server at some of the Bay Area’s finest restaurants, Mecca in San Francisco, Charlie
Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, has exposed him to many types of cuisines and flavor
combinations, which he incorporates into his own unique cooking style.
Realizing his passion for great food, and love for cooking, he began to polish his culinary skills
by hosting small parties and creating delicious meals for his friends and family. Later he enrolled
and completed the Culinary Arts certifcation program at SRJC, where he recieved high honors
from hs professors and felllow students. During his stint as a culinary student, he was invited to
cater at some of Sonoma County’s premier winiries, and work side by side with some of his
professors at many public events. Since then he has started his own personal chef/catering business,
Eclectic Appetites, serving the Bay Area and works as a chef at the elegant Olema Inn.
Glenn Cybulski, Executive Chef and Founder of 
Gerard Giudice, president of The Big Tomato Inc. was born in the Bronx in New York City, the oldest son of a second generation Italian family. Gerard has lived in Northern California since 1970 and in Petaluma since 1992 with his wife Suzanne and two daughters Katarina and Isabella. After receiving his degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Gerard worked at various restaurants in Marin and Sonoma counties including Joe LoCoco’s Ristorante, Pappalardo’s Gastronomia (his own), McInnis Park Golf, Oakmont Golf Club, Johnny Garlic’s before opening 
Scott McGlothlin is the Kitchen Manager of Cattlemens restaurant in Petaluma. Cattlemens has been operating in Petaluma for over 40 years and is one of the oldest operating restaurants in this town. Scott earned his degree at San Francisco’s renowned California Culinary Academy and began his career as a chef Rainwater’s Restaurant in San Diego – voted one of the top steakhouses in the country by Gourmet Magazine and winner of the “Best of Excellence Award” from Wine Spectator for nearly 20 years.
Kathy Pappas started Party In Style in 2004. She plans and caters parties,
formal to casual, wedding to an intimate part for two. She does all the
cooking.
Graziano Perozzi has been chef and owner of 
Bert Smith’s candy-making company 
Kelli Sullivan was born and raised in Sonoma. She is a student at Santa Rosa Junior College where she majors in Biology. She has been baking her entire life, starting out watching her Grandmother after school, to when she made her first peach pie all by herself at seven years old. She has now taught herself to bake for weddings and formal events. Kelli has been working with Party In Style creating delectable desserts for the past two years. She is constantly creating fresh and fantastic desserts for her family, friends and clients. She enjoys baking very much, and one day hopes to open her own bakery after completing college.
