A look at what we served at the inaugural TOAST: Brunch!
Clockwise from top: fruit & nut rye morning bread, sprouted rye bread, jam, honey & walnut from Gjusta; caramelized onion, zucchini, & sundried tomato frittata; rainbow carrot & flower petal salad; photo The Dinner Party Association
Artisanal Toast Bar: avocado & sea salt on sprouted rye, nut butter & truffle salt on fruit & nut rye, ricotta & jam on sourdough baguette, and radish & microgreens on sprouted rye
Mimosa Bar: ice sculpture wine cooler crafted by Troubled Ice; Brut sparkling wine from One Hope Wine; Orange, peach, and mango juices to round out our mimosa mixers
Cinnamon Toast Crunch filled jam jars
Want to learn more about our Toast:Brunch? Take a peak…
When I launched Toast Meets Jam I knew that I wanted this to be a place not only to showcase awesome female entrepreneurs but also a place to bring them together. I had the idea to create a brunch series and invite all of the young women who had been, or would soon be, featured on a Toast Meets Jam interview. We could gather and nosh on some tasty bits and sips while making new friends and building a community with like-minded women.
As luck (or the power of attraction- your call) would have it, just as I was trying to figure out how to pull this off, I was introduced to Megan Ranegar of The Dinner Party Association. Megan’s forte is hosting amazing pop-up parties and backyard soirees. Much to my overwhelmingly appreciation, she offered to team up to help bring my idea to life.
For our series, we chose the theme TOAST: A Brunch for Gals we Raise our Glasses to. Our invite list included top notch lady bosses that crossed both our networks and our menu plans stuck close to theme.
We hosted the brunch at the Toast Meets Jam HQ – aka my house in Venice and were joined by nearly twenty incredibly talented women.
Before we dove in for our meal, the group went around and introduced themselves. From running a PR and branding agency, to producing a top ranking podcast, to owning a healthy cookie company, and beyond, these girls’ have more than earned their #girlboss stripes.
One of these women was Tatiana, the owner and ice sculptor behind Troubled Ice. She was the creative genius behind this jaw-dropping center piece for our Toast Mimosa Bar. To top it off One Hope Wine stepped in and as our amazing sparkling wine sponsor and served up their yummy Sparkling Brut.
Of course this brunch wouldn’t have been complete without a Toast bar. If you follow me on Instagram you’ve likely heard me rave about Gjusta, the bakery/cafe concept from the Gjelina family. This generous bunch offered us their to-die-for breads and spreads to create this fabulous looking tray of deliciousness.
We wanted to send every girl off with one last toast, so we created a special take home treat, a jam jar of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Hallmark also hooked us up with adorable cards from their new Signature collection.
I’d dreamed up an amazing day filled with great food, new friends, and incredible connections. Thanks to Megan, our sponsors, and these women we made it possible. Now, I will certainly #ToastToThat!
Want to join us for the next TOAST Brunch? Drop me a line at jen@toastmeetjam.com
Coming Up Next…
I’ll be sharing a few of our favorite recipes from our TOAST menu… mmm mmm : )
I was first introduced to Pace Webb just over one year ago. Since that time, I’ve known that she would make a rockstar interview guest. Lucky for me, when I tossed the idea her way, she was more than on board.
Pace is the chef and founder of Taste of Pace, a Los Angeles based catering company that focuses its menus around fresh, seasonal ingredients. When she’s not in the kitchen, this natural entertainer finds her self in front of the camera and behind the mic. She shares her passion for food as a lifestyle expert for many well known brands and media outlets like Yahoo Shine and on her radio show TOP Talk.
For our interview, I wanted to introduce Pace to my favorite spot on the block Gjusta. If you’re an Angeleno then chances are you’ve at least heard of, if not yet dined at, the acclaimed Gjelina restaurant located on Abbot Kinney in Venice. Gusta comes from the same owners and serves similar style fair in a more casual bakery/cafe environment. You can find everything your stomach desires here from fresh baked breads to house-made sauces to gourmet sandwiches and salads. Oh yeah, there’s a fancy barista bar inside too. Seating is limited to benches and overturned milk cartons in the rear of the building so we opted to take our food to go. Whether you dine in or take out you must find a reason to come try their baklava croissants – you won’t be disappointed!
While we indulged our sugar cravings, Pace filled me in on the founding of her company, how she grew her career both inside and outside of the kitchen, and her advice for other aspiring chef-preneurs. Definitely an interview not to be missed!
More About Pace
Pace’s journey to start her own lifestyle food brand and catering company started at the age of 17 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She took this experience as an indication that she needed to reevaluate what she put in her body. Studying alternative nutrition gave her the foundation and love for the impact clean food has on the body. After studying abroad in Rome, she became classically trained in Western European cuisine. Now, cancer-free with a fresh lease on life and a passion for traveling, living in over seven cities around the globe, Pace created her company to focus on wellness, new creative food combinations and most importantly, rich joie de vivre!
Pace’s sparkle, and performance-like art for feeding people comes naturally as a fourth-generation entertainer. Her unique view on food and general panache for incredible flavor pairings has caught the eye of major brands such as Yahoo, Jell-O and Acura, hiring her to create recipes and host web series. She pens her own blog, and contributes to various food and lifestyle magazines, including C Magazine, Angeleno, Utterly Engaged and Chalkboard Magazine. Hosting weekly cooking classes in her downtown loft/kitchen allows Pace to give back to her community and inspire a new generation with healthy, simple and fresh local ingredients. Pace currently lives the fabulous life in the downtown Los Angeles Arts District with her dog, Willie Nelson. www.Pacewebb.com {Source Taste of Pace}
What is Taste of Pace?
Taste of Pace Catering is a full service catering company based in Los Angeles specializing in Western European Cuisine with international elements utilizing seasonal and local ingredients. The Taste of Pace team is suitable for private parties, corporate events and weddings. You can get a Taste of Pace by attending a Monthly Supper Club hosted in secret locations boasting courses of fresh seasonal food off the cuff. {Source Taste of Pace}
An Interview with Pace Webb, chef & lifestyle expert behind Taste of Pace
Coming up next on Toast Meets Jam… Pace Webb, the chef and lifestyle expert behind Taste of Pace.
I remember as clear as day the first time I met Pace. She was decked out in a fantastic yellow print dress and wearing the most “catch-me-if-you-can” color of pink lipstick. I knew I liked her before even getting introduced.
If you’ve ever encountered Pace you know just how irresistible she can be. Her kick-ass outfit drew me in but as soon as we got to talking I could see that her personality was just as colorful. You can’t help but want to hang with this vivacious lady.
Though she earns high marks for her sense of fashion, Pace’s real talents come to life in the kitchen. She is the founder of the catering company Taste of Pace, the host of an invite-only supper club, and a regular TV personality for various food and lifestyle media including Oprah’s OWN Network.
This time around we mixed things up a bit and held our interview at my house in Venice. I wanted to introduce Pace to one of my favorite new brunch spots, Gjusta, but their set-up was less than ideal for filming. Instead, we grabbed a box of pastries to go and brunched take-away style.
Over our baklava croissoints Pace and I talk about the founding of her company, her evolution from chef to TV personality, and why dessert just doesn’t get any better than chocolate cake. Make sure to check back next week to catch the full interview!
Pace’s journey to start her own lifestyle food brand and catering company started at the age of 17 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She took this experience as an indication that she needed to reevaluate what she put in her body. Studying alternative nutrition gave her the foundation and love for the impact clean food has on the body. After studying abroad in Rome, she became classically trained in Western European cuisine. Now, cancer-free with a fresh lease on life and a passion for traveling, living in over seven cities around the globe, Pace created her company to focus on wellness, new creative food combinations and most importantly, rich joie de vivre! 
