About our staff
The Catering Management Team at Il Fornaio is comprised of experienced catering sales and banquet operations staff who are committed to bringing restaurant-quality food, beverage, and hospitality to all of our events.
Our authentic Italian menus and dedication to staff training and event ambience will create the experience that your guests will always remember.
Ted Laymon, Managing Partner
With 21 years of Catering experience including positions with the Fairmont Hotel, and ARAMARK, his background brings fine-dining, hotel catering, large volume off-site catering, Sporting Arenas and large Convention Center catering experiences.
Over the past 20+ years, Ted has catered and executed Black-Tie formal events for Heads-of-State, events for the US Olympics, PGA Golf, World Cup Soccer, a 4,000 person seated dinner for a top Silicon Valley corporation, over 1,000 weddings, a 20,000 person BBQ, and coordinated hundreds of conventions, business meetings, bar mitzvahs, and social events throughout California, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona. Ted's goal is to provide all of our catering guests and events with the same dining experience you would receive sitting inside any of our restaurants and to tailor the event, no matter the size, to the client's exact needs.
Gino Gramegna, Chef-Partner
Gino Gramegna, Catering Chef Partner for San Jose, has been working for Il Fornaio for 17 years. After being hired by Vice President and Executive Chef for Il Fornaio, Maurizio Mazzon, as a Sous Chef for the Palo Alto Restaurant, Gino was promoted to run the San Jose restaurant, catering and bakery for Il Fornao. Now, Gino is in charge of the food for all catered events for the company.
Gino holds a B.A in business and also graduated from the California Culinary Academy. His background is Italian, with his Father from Bari, Puglia and his mother, who is also Italian. Gino's credits her for teaching him everything he knows about Italian food, developing that passion in him since a very early age.
Il Fornaio was the culmination of his dream to become a Chef. Gino considers himself fortunate to enjoy every day the flavor of all the regions of Italy and to bring Il Fornaio and authentic Italian cuisine to each of our events.
Peter Ochoa, Senior Sous Chef
Peter was raised in Southern California before moving to San Francisco to attend the California Culinary Academy, where he graduated in May of 2003. Peter's past experience in Butchery gave him a love for the culinary arts, and has worked in nearly every aspect of restaurants and commercial food operations. He started as the sous chef for the catering department in San Jose in 2006 and after 2 years of working and executing hundreds of events, weddings, conventions, and corporate affairs for Il Fornaio, has now been promoted to Senior Sous Chef.
Sergio Lopez,
Associate Director of Catering
Sergio joined the hospitality industry about 18 years ago. After graduating from college, Sergio came to California, where he started working at the Santa Clara Convention Center, developing his skills in dining service, bar service, and event management for groups ranging from 20 to 10,000 guests. Moving to Il Fornaio as the Banquet Manager at the Hotel Sainte Claire in San Jose and then being promoted to Associate Director of Catering, Sergio has led the Operations and front-of-house staff at Il Fornaio Catering for the last 10 years. Drawing on his 18 years of experience in the hospitality business and off-site catering, Sergio can produce events of any scope or size!
Dina Ardizzone, Senior Catering Sales Manager
Dina began her career in the Hospitality Industry in 1991 with the Fairmont Hotel, San Jose .She joined the grand re-opening team for the Sainte Claire Hotel, in Downtown San Jose, after the hotel was unoccupied for four years. Over the years, Dina was promoted to Director of Group Sales selling hotel conference and food and beverage packages. After working with the Hilton corporation for two years, Dina has moved to Il Fornaio Cateing as the Senior Catering Sales Manager, specializing in our off-site catering sales. With 17 years of direct group sales experience, Dina remains as excited now as ever to get to meet people each day and assist them on planning either a special day for themselves and family or, an important VIP event for an organization.
Raul Hernandez, Banquet Manager
After several years working at different hotels and country clubs in the Bay Area as a bartender, bar supervisor and headwaiter, Raul started with Il Fornaio at the San Jose location at the Hotel Sainte Claire in 1992. When Il Fornaio opened a banquet facility in Sausalito, CA, Raul was promoted to the Assistant Banquet Manager then promoted to Banquet Manager. Returning to San Jose as the Banquet Manager for both the on-site and off-site catering operations in the Bay Area, Raul brings the highest levels of service, professionalism and guest satisfaction for each and every one of our events.
Fabio Terzi, Banquet Manager
Fabio Terzi, Banquet Manager, at our Sacramento location, runs all of the operations for our off-site catering events with professionalism, hospitality, and true Italian style. Fabio graduated from San Pellegrino culinary institute in Italy and after working in both Italy and England, emigrated to the United States. Being hired at Il Fornaio as a manager for the restaurant, Fabio has discovered that he loves to bring our Authentic Italian Cuisine to events throughout the Sacramento Valley and demonstrate our Italian hospitality and service. Your events are in great hands with Fabio in Sacramento!
Gretchen Wacholder, Sales Manager
Gretchen has been event planning for Il Fornaio for over 10 years. Having over 20 years in the food service industry from busser to bartender, Gretchen started "part time" for fun at Il Fornaio because she missed working in the fast paced restaurant business, while still maintaining her position as a property manager.. After 6 months she had left her full time job of 5 years in property management to follow her heart and go to the fun and exciting full time job of working for Il Fornaio as the catering and event manager at the Sacramento location. Ten years later, Gretchen is recognized in the Sacramento Valley area as one of the premier sales and event coordinators. She is a current member of NACE, the Sacramento concierge association, Cares Fund development committee, Sacramento CVB and Team Sacramento.
Joel Barajas, Assistant General Manager & Banquet Manager
With more than twenty years of experience in the hospitality industry, Joel Barajas brings his knowledge of business and love of food to Il Fornaio Catering in Southern California. Heading up the operations team, Joel ensures that each event is executed with top-notch service and professionalism. Joel's past experience includes working with Patina Group, Chevy's Fresh Mex, and Outback Steakhouse catering and restaurant locations.
Lisa Bell, Catering Coordinator
While attending San Jose State University, Lisa began at Il Fornaio as a part-time catering assistant. Upon completion of her degree 2+ years later, and after being promoted to the Corporate Catering Coordinator, she has now been with Il Fornaio Catering for more than 5 years. Lisa's professionalism, corporate event knowledge, and ability to interact with clients, banquet and kitchen staff insures that all of her events are coordinated to a "5-Star" service level.
Hilary Mercante, Catering Coordinator
Hilary started working for Il Fornaio Catering as a banquet server in August of 2005. Learning the operational side of events, Hilary was then promoted to the Catering Assistant position and this year has taken over as the wedding and social coordinator.
Hilary's success lies in her enthusiastic and caring support for the brides, grooms and their families as she assists them with every detail that goes into this most special day.
Sandy Camacho, Catering Assistant
Sandy is a recent addition to the Il Fornaio Catering team as our Catering Assistant in San Jose. As an office manager for a real estate company for 7 years, and as an Auto Claims Representative, Sandy brings to our office a complete knowledge for details and customer service. She maintains a control of all of the events that are dispersed to our operations department which helps to make our guest's events, whether in house or off-site, a memorable occasion.
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