April 2008 | Press Release

Food as Theatre-Brilliant Reproductions of Historical Dinners In the Kennedy Style

Excerpt:
Simply Gourmet has taken fine cuisine to a whole new level. Chef Larry Barrett begins presenting Gourmet fare as historical theatre. His signature productions will be based on famous gatherings held during the Kennedy and Reagan White House eras and will feature authentic reproductions of the actual meals served.

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January 30, 2008 | Sarasota Herald Tribune

Good things come in small glasses

Excerpt:
"...."Apparently, if you give me a shot glass, the creative juices start flowing," said Simply Gourmet caterer Larry Barrett.

Last summer, he e-mailed me about soup shooters, 2-ounce shots of cold or warm soup that had his clients amused. Not long after that he created dessert shooters, layered in 2-ounce glasses and served with baby spoons..."

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January 16, 2008 | Sarasota Herald Tribune

A taste of luxury at home

Excerpt:
"...Larry Barrett, who runs Simply Gourmet catering company in Sarasota, was a personal chef in Los Angeles, where he cooked for Danny DeVito and Michael Douglas, among other Hollywood stars and producers. He tried being a personal chef when he moved to Sarasota but abandoned it in favor of a catering service..."

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December 5, 2007 | Sarasota Herald Tribune

A classic comfort food goes edgy and sophisticated

Excerpt:
"...There's just something comforting and even therapeutic about soup as a first course or as dinner ladled into generous bowls and enjoyed with crusty bread and salad.

We all have favorites -- chicken noodle, velvety tomato, pea soup, vegetable or maybe hearty black bean. But today's international top chefs are experimenting with new soup flavor combinations and they say that serving an unusual soup may be just the thing to spark appetites and lively conversation..."

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June 25, 2006 | Sarasota Herald Tribune

A second act for the Barretts: running a catering business

Excerpt:
"...Seated side by side at a small, round, glass-topped table in the cozy dining area of their Simply Gourmet eatery, they have worked their way through a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water recounting the tale of how an actor from Brooklyn and a dancer from Seattle wound up, well, sharing a bottle of sparkling water in their Sarasota restaurant.

The short version, as Jamie tells it: "So many people don't find a passion. We've found this."

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