Gourmondo Catering

Gourmondo Catering provides a variety of creative menus for buffets and box lunches. Gourmondo has been serving Seattle gourmet catering and boxed lunches for over a decade.

Over the last 12 years, one thing has remained consistent: a commitment to quality. Executive Chef and Co-Owner Ronald Johnson prides himself on only using the finest ingredients, from the best prosciutto and gourmet meats all the way down to top-of-the-line mustard.

That commitment to quality wasn't always easy to maintain, but ultimately drove the success of the gourmet catering company. After cashing in IRAs, refinancing cars and emptying savings accounts (for a grand total of $8,000), Alissa Leinonen, Ronald Johnson and their business partner at the time, Jennifer Clancy, teamed up to open a 420 square-foot café called Gourmondo, wedged north of the Hillclimb between a tattoo parlor and shoe store under Pike Place Market. On August 1, 1996, after Ron had cooked for two days straight, Gourmondo opened its doors and made $36 on its first day.

It must have been tempting to cut corners and compromise on quality, but Gourmondo never did. We had an opportunity to sample their new spring menu (official debut – April 17, 2008), last week at Suite 410, and the food is rather remarkable in both flavor and presentation. Our favorite items included Smoked Salmon Cigars with Dill Roulade and Tobiko Caviar, Lobster and Cucumber Salad Served in Edible Cones, and Svaneti Spice and Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin Served with Horseradish Crème.

Gourmondo owes its success to dishes like that, and to Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz. The first two months Gourmondo was open were pretty rough. Local architect and early Gourmondo supporter Peter Miller brought in his friend, Howard Schultz, in for lunch. Afterward, he asked for a few brochures and said he would return to Starbucks to see if he could “drum up some business” for them. Soon, Gourmondo’s phone started to ring with box lunch orders from Starbucks. The company’s VP dinner meetings were held in the café on a regular basis until the space grew too small. Most importantly, Starbucks quickly became Gourmondo’s first corporate account and remains its largest to this day. Starbucks was solely responsible for keeping Gourmondo’s doors open that first year.

Gourmondo has grown in leaps and bounds since then. In 2001, Gourmondo moved from its 420 square-foot space at the market first into a 1,200 square-foot location and then its current 4,000 square foot production facility in South Park. After 12 years, Gourmondo has become a $2.5 million company and employs more than 50 people. Alissa and Ron are still very involved in the day-to-day business and operation of Gourmondo.

Gourmondo has an extremely successful boxed lunch business, and has developed a strong reputation for gourmet catering. Presidential hopeful Barack Obama recently joined the customer list. After catering a donor event late last year, Obama's campaign specifically requested Gourmondo on short notice, when Barack returned to Key Arena for a rally in February.

Gourmondo Catering Company
309 South Cloverdale Street, Suite B-24
Seattle, WA 98108

Phone: (206) 587-0190
FAX: (206) 587-0248
Email: gourmondo@gourmondocatering.com