My passion for cooking started over 30 years ago....

I grew up in an Italian household with a Mother that cooked all day everyday. I spent many hours watching and helping Mom cook. My Mother always had her own vegetable and herb garden so all of our meals were made with fresh home-grown ingredients and that tradition carries on today in my own cooking.  I started cooking as a profession at the age of 17 in a small Italian family run deli in the East Bay.  My experience grew from there as I picked up more authentic practices from the Italian owners and many of the techniques that I will be sharing with you have been passed along for generations.  I helped my brother open his own restaurant a couple years back.  I prepared all of his specialty salads for his menu and created some signature dishes for his restaurant as well.  Creativity in the kitchen runs in the family!  More recently I worked as a private chef  for several families in the bay area.

My philosophy on cooking and food is that it is an everyday part of life that brings people together, keeps families communicating and is a huge part of romance and happiness.  I have always made hosting dinner parties a part of my life and cooking is something I love to share with my family, friends and now you!

Come learn, laugh, and enjoy the benefits of cooking with me today!

La Famiglia Delicatessen ~ The Family Deli in 1979
This is where it all began.....Back in 1979 my Grandmothers Italian Deli in San Ramon, La Famiglia Delicatessen(The Family Deli). From right to left, my grandmother Antoinette, my auntie Yvonne and my auntie Pricislla. I remember eating so much Italian salami when I was a kid! Yummm..(I started Simmer and Sear under my divorced name Hadley but have recently changed back to my maiden name Brincat which is featured in this article, my Grandmother and one aunt kept their maiden names) It is so awesome to still carry on the family name, business and recipes getting written up in the press 31 years later. :)


Google listing with reviews and more information can be found here:

Click here to see what people are saying on Google reviews about Simmer and Sear!


Testimonials:

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0  The Cookin' Bachelor - Amy - Mar 19, 2009

Chef Anna can teach anyone that cooking doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. My family was lucky enough to get a private class in her funky Haight street apartment. Our levels of experience varied from advanced (my mom) to beginner (my bachelor brother). Anna knew just want to do: pairing my mom and me together to make risotto (a different approach than either of us had tried), she took my brother by the hand and led him through all the steps needed for preparing Braciole (a kind of Beef roulade with lots of tasties in the middle). Before we knew it he was in an apron chopping garlic, while I was learning the way to get the most out of your saffron purchase with a little trick on how to bring out the strongest flavor. All the while we were sharing stories, sipping wine and snacking on some VERY delicious hors d’œvres. While I manned the risotto pan and Mom kept careful watch and read instructions, Anna showed my brother that all he had to do was take his ingredients and layer them together on top of the beef, roll them up, secure with twine and drop them in a pan. He couldn’t believe that anything could be so simple and look so complicated. Once everything was cooked and cut we sat down and ate. It was all Delicious, like something you would expect at a very snazzy restaurant. The best thing about working with Anna is that she put us at ease and showed us that cooking can be a lot of fun, super tasty and easy to do. We left with recipes for everything we had made and a few more so we can try things again at our home. I enjoyed it so much I signed up for a second class. Can’t wait to see what we will make next!

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Great birthday event!! - Marcy - Feb 10, 2009

I attended a Simmer and Sear party for a friend's birthday. Chef Anna had a great venue and guests were greeted by a birthday message for the guest of honor and some candles that let you know you were at the right place. We were a group of 20. The large kitchen was organized with cooking stations and we spent a few minutes saying hello and socializing over wine and appetizers prepared by Chef Anna. We were placed into groups and sent off to get to cooking. Anna spent time with each group getting us started and continued around the room checking on our progress. It was a fun and casual environment where everyone participated - even a novice cook, like me. Somehow, everything was timed just perfectly. We socialized a bit more while the tables were set for dinner. I made sure the wine glasses were full (especially mine) and we sat together to enjoy the dinner we prepared with our own hands and a little help from Chef Anna. The food turned out great (despite my involvement) and we had a really enjoyable evening. I cannot wait for my next event with Chef Anna!


Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Great Birthday Dinner - a Cooking Party! - Bea - Feb 10, 2009

I wanted to thank Chef Anna from Simmer and Sear for making my Birthday dinner so memorable and undeniably fun! She was able to wrangle 20+ guests into following directions to cook a delicious 3 course dinner that we shared over many bottles of wine with my closest friends and family! She spent the time to customize the meal with my husband to bring some Italian inspired flair to the menu in homage to my heritage. I cannot thank her enough for what will prove to be a very memorable celebration !


Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Amazing Birthday Celebration - adonohugh - Feb 13, 2009

Chef Anna helped me put together a large birthday party for my wife and 20 friends. The cooking experience in our group varied from non cooks to a former chef yet Chef Anna guided us through so all of our dishes turned out perfect. Everyone commented to me that the evening was amazing and that it was a great way to celebrate a birthday. Thank you Anna!!


Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Love it! - Pamela - Feb 26, 2009

What a creative and fun way to spend a night with friends! If you're looking for something yummy and different to do in the city, look no further. Chef Anna will take care of all the details (and the dishes!) and put together the perfect evening for you and your friends. Great food, great venue, great idea. Love it!


Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Great bachelor party - Alon - Mar 4, 2009

We hired Anna for a bachelor party and she did a great job. Anna was very professional; the setting, atmosphere, and food (even though we had to cook it) was perfect. We highly recommend

I went to Simmer & Sear's "Taste of Spain" on a Tuesday night last month... what a great experience.  Going solo, I thought it might be a bit awkward but Chef Anna knows how to make everyone relaxed and it was such a great way to get out and meet new people during the week... Plus it was so much fun!  The theme was Tapas and we spent the evening preparing different dishes and then passing them around to share. The vibe was casual and relaxed and everyone was involved.  By the end of the night our bellies were full and we were happy :)

A great event for singles, solos, friends, partners and groups.  Would be fun for a family event too!  The possibilites are endless.  I can't wait til her next event!!

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Cooking with Anna...- saiman_hsu- Sep 30, 2008

I looked very long on line to find the perfect cooking event for a corporate event.. I really liked the business concept that Anna has and finding "cool" kitchens that are representative and at the same time affordable.. Some of the cooking events are set up for larger groups, but with Anna you can mix and match the right venue with the number of guests and also the prices... Anna is a great host and we loved the food.. Perhaps we can do it another time soon?

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Baby shower.....awesome food.....and fun - nabil - Aug 2, 2008

Anna planned the menu and purchased all the food for our baby shower. Then she guided us through the process of preparing and cooking all of the food. We all enjoyed the hands on cooking experience and learned how to feed 50 people really good food. The menu included Kabobs, Salmon, chicken and salads. It was a great success and we learned a lot. We recommend Simmerandsear and will use her at our next baby shower! Nabil

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0
07/30/2008

Chef Anna is a real professional and organized this corporate event for us. She selected a great location and the menu was amazing. My team really enjoyed the interaction and the end result was fabulous. I would recommend her to anyone that is looking for an active and engaging evening activity.

Seattle, WA
ardie e.

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0
07/12/2008

Simmer and Sear is one of the truly hidden gems of the Internet.  Chef Anna Hadley coordinated a corporate team-building event for our group of visiting VIP's in a beautiful Telegraph Hill home.  From the moment we arrived in a candle-lit living room, to the time we completed our Epicurean journey; we were not only fed, taught, laughing, but most of all -- bonding with each other like we've never done before. The wine, the music, the getting down with the Goat Cheese and the Pork Tenderloin...the evening changed the dimensions of our staff and left us craving for more. 

Thank you, Chef Anna!  We'll be calling you again soon!

-Donn, San Francisco, July 2008

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Good birthday idea turned in to great night - Rob - May 28, 2008

What a great night we had. I have done the group dinners in the city for years and years and this was such a good change. It blew us all away how well it worked out. Prior to the night, Chef Anna was both helpful and flexible on the menu. When we showed up, everything was organized and prepared. She had all the little things taken care of so we could focus on each other and the wine we brought. For those in our group that love to cook, she engaged with them and taught them new things. For those like me, she had everything written down for me to follow. The cooking and dining were fun and very relaxed which is what I had expressed I wanted. We didn't have to do any of the table setting, dish cleaning, or prep yet we felt like we were having a fancy home meal. What is most critical for a private party is making sure the person you hire fits the group personality. Chef Anna was professional, engaging but most importantly, cool. I have not mentioned the fantastic venue, her ability to make a change on the fly, the price being so reasonable, and the quality of the food but it was all good. If you are organizing a group event, this is such a good call.

"I had the pleasure of participating in a group cooking class lead by Anna. It was absolutely the best culinary experience of my life.... The food turned out fantastic and I learned how to make a great dish, but most importantly, she managed the large group with ease and made it fun for everyone."

T.S.
Mill Valley, CA

"a super fun way to spend time with friends while learning helpful, quick cooking tips and tasty new recipes.  also loved anna's hip idea to host her classes at different locations in and around the city--our venue was overlooking the bay with spectacular, panoramic views from the bay bridge to the golden gate!"  
thanks,
hayley p.

I recently attended one of Simmer and Sear's classes in Tiburon and had a blast.  I think
Chef Anna Hadley has come up with a terrific cooking school model  that caters to people of all
skill levels.  She's very flexible - she can come to your home or you can go to one of her classes
- and her recipes are delicious.  I personally love some of her more decadent dishes, but she also
has a wonderful selection of healthy original recipes that taste fantastic.  All in, I think she's a
delight and would highly recommend her service.  You'll definitely have a great time and learn
something.

Jessica K.
San Francisco, CA
05/15/2008 5 star rating

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Loved cooking with Anna - suzanne- May 17, 2008

I attended a very fun and social evening of cooking with Anna and a great group of people. She provided concise, easy to follow cooking instructions, yummy recipes and a fun group to do it with. I recommend Anna's classes for anyone looking to learn more about cooking, have a fun, interactive night with friends, and enjoy a great meal when the cooking is done!

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 Cooking with a real expert.... - Rebecca - May 14, 2008

I attended a cooking lesson party.....and let me tell you, this was one of the most fun I've had in a long time, especially in the kitchen :-). All of the food was so well organized and we even had fun games to go along with it. Everyone was engaged and the entire event was a blast. I would recommend this for anyone whether you're looking for just a small group or a big one. Anna is great!!!!