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Chef Denis knew he wanted to be a chef by the time he was 10 years old. Born and raised in France, he loved working with his mom in the kitchen and especially loved making pastries. Even though his parents had other ideas for him (like being an electrician), his perseverance paid off. At 14, his dad found him a 4-year restaurant apprenticeship in his native region of Alsace-Lorraine that alternated 1 week of school with 3 weeks as an apprentice. The first assignment for the eager young chef: learn how to clean the kitchen. Later, of course, he advanced to essential culinary skills like deboning and butchering. When he graduated, his mentor placed him at a one-Michelin star restaurant in Colmar, France, where he trained as a pastry chef. The military soon called – fortunately for just one year – but he was still able to use his cooking skills while enlisted. After he left, he spent the next several years at two different one-Michelin star restaurants in France where he honed his skills.
In 1986, the opportunity arose to come to California, and Chef Denis quickly got a job as the banquet chef at Hornblower Yachts in San Francisco. He later became the executive sous chef at Maxwell’s Plum in Ghirardelli Square. In 1989, Chef Denis felt it was time to move his restaurant career to hotels, and over the next 10 years he had top positions at Hyatt, Le Baron Hotel, and Hilton in the South Bay.
While hotels were challenging and banquets included up to 1,000 guests, the real challenge lay ahead when Chef Denis began to take on 30,000 guests at a time at the Santa Clara Convention Center, managing some 100 employees. Chef Denis was in charge of more meals than ever before, but he was no longer intimately involved with preparing the food or with serving the people he loves – the guests – and so it was time for yet another shift, which took him to the Peninsula Regent just down the street. And then, the best thing ever happened – Chef Denis became an essential part of Sterling Court where he has prepared food with love and care for the past 11 years – his longest time at any one place during his renowned career.
It’s clear Chef Denis is at home at Sterling Court. “Thanks to the residents we have a job. We have to make sure the food, the presentation, the service, and everything is great, so they won’t leave. I’m blessed to work here and make sure everything goes well for these residents,” said Chef Denis.
Learning about Chef Denis’s illustrious experience and remarkable achievements led to some up-close-and-personal questions.
What kind of food did you grow up with? My parents cooked very simple food in Alsace-Lorraine, and Mom grew just about everything and made everything fresh. The only time I remember her going to the market was in the winter.
Do you have a signature dish? For the first 20 years of cooking, I loved making Alsatian sauerkraut. But more recently I’ve turned to jambalaya because my wife loves it!
What is your least favorite dish to prepare? Anything that is fatty or greasy. I had a heart attack in 2019, so I changed the way I ate as well as how I prepared food for others.
You mentioned your wife. Tell me about your family. I have a wonderful daughter and three step-daughters, two that live at home with my wife and I right here in San Mateo. We also have one grandson. We are fortunate to have all our children here in the Bay Area.
What is your favorite cuisine to eat? French cuisine because that is where I am from and where my heart lies. My wife is from Mexico, so I am very fond of that as well, but really, I love any kind of food.
How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy at Sterling Court? Healthy eating. We don’t use salt. There is no salt in the kitchen; it is on the tables but not in the kitchen. And there is very little sugar. I season from the beginning with spices and herbs to get maximum flavor and we adjust recipes to make the health aspect of utmost importance. We try lots of new ideas, and sometimes they don’t go over with the residents at first (I recall the first time I put fruit on a salad!) but we win them over 😉.
Name 3 kitchen tools you can’t live without. A plastic spatula to get everything out because there is no waste for me. A sharp chef’s knife is essential, and I love a spaetzle machine for making this German pasta that I used to make by hand. Once I discovered the machine, I couldn’t live without it!
If you could cook a meal for anyone in the world who would it be? I wish I could have cooked a meal for my parents. Unfortunately, in the past couple of years I lost them both, but that is who I would love to cook for.
Our conversation ended with some words of wisdom: “We all have good and bad days. Even if one resident has a bad day, I go home every night and say ‘You know what, I made that person have a better day.’” That’s what matters most to Chef Denis.
Judy and Bruce Belding are both born and bred San Francisco natives who grew up about 10 blocks from each other in the Sunset District but never met until they were both at UC Berkeley! Bruce was majoring in pre-law and Judy was studying to be a teacher.
“We met at a fraternity and sorority exchange. I was social chairman of that event. After that we started seeing each other pretty steadily – matter of fact, quite steadily. That was in 1956 – 62 years!” says Bruce.
“I would love to tell you a little snippet of a story,” says Judy. (This receives a questioning look from Bruce!) Judy said that at the event, she walked into the room with a girlfriend from another sorority, took one look at Bruce and said, “Oh, now there’s a handsome specimen of a man!” The other co-ed responded, “Do not get interested. He dates everybody on campus one or two times!” Hearing that, Judy thought, “Really? There’s my challenge!” She laughs and says, “And here I am.”
After college, Bruce fulfilled an ROTC commitment by serving two years as a military officer stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. “The word Bliss is not accurate!” he informs. Mid-way through his stint, he and Judy got married and when he got out, he attended Hastings Law School in San Francisco.
The first year they lived in San Francisco, but the rents sent them to the East Bay where they managed apartment houses – Judy did most of the managing while also looking after their first child, and Bruce had a nighttime job parking cars. “That was three years,” says Bruce.
“But they were fun,” says Judy, “because all of us, all of our friends, everybody was flat broke, so we had a lot of fun.”
Bruce practiced law in San Diego for three years and then they came back to San Francisco, where he practiced civil law focusing primarily on business, commercial, and breach of contract until the late 1990s. It was then that he became a full-time neutral arbitrator. Companies would come to him with disputes, and he would basically act as a private judge. He would hear the evidence, handle the case, and make a decision. Bruce did this for almost 30 years and was on the arbitration panels of over 500 cases. He was involved in enough huge cases that he was invited to join the College of Commercial Arbitrators and ultimately became its president!
Judy was also working hard. She taught Junior High and implemented a Junior Great Books program where they introduced students to great works of literature. “I found it very educational for me!” says Judy.
Judy may not be a lawyer, but she has a strong interest in and knowledge of the judicial system and she brought that to the students in her school. First, she would go into classrooms to explain the legal system and various procedures. Then later, she would take the students to a San Francisco courtroom where they would observe a trial and meet with the judge to ask questions. “It was a wonderful endeavor,” says Bruce.
After several judges asked if she’d be interested, Judy applied and was selected to serve on Civil Grand Juries in both San Francisco and Marin, investigating government activities. “It’s detective work, basically. You ask a lot of questions,” says Judy of the highly confidential work. “She did it very, very well,” says Bruce with obvious pride, and Judy thanks him.
Somehow these very busy people also raised three children – a daughter and two sons. Their daughter, a trained geologist, lives in the San Diego area and is raising three children. One son was a high school teacher and the other had his own marketing/advertising business in San Francisco, which he has sold. They both live on the Peninsula. “We’re very proud of our kids and our grandkids,” says Bruce.
While raising their children, they lived in a “big house in San Francisco” but once the kids were out in the world, Bruce and Judy moved to an “adult house” in Sausalito and lived there for 25 years. “It was a lovely home with great views, but it had 20 steps on the outside of the house and 20 stairs on the inside of the house,” says Bruce. “We were getting a little old to keep going up and down those steps every day.”
It was those stairs, and of course their sons on the Peninsula, that brought them to Sterling Court. They visited many senior retirement homes, but they liked the mix of people at Sterling Court, the look and openness of the design, and the independent living!
“We enjoy our freedom and we had heard good things about the meal service here.” says Bruce. “It has lived up to our expectations and we’re very happy here,” says Bruce. “We enjoy life and we enjoy people.” And with that, these two legal eagles rest their case.
Jolene Reed has a wonderful laugh and an easy-going attitude that has served her well through life, which includes a happy marriage of 55 years, two amazing children, a career as a teacher and education administrator, and travels through the US, Europe, and Africa!
Jolene was born in Pasadena and grew up in Monrovia, a small town in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, just 22 miles outside of Los Angeles and so charming that it has been used as the “hometown” backdrop for many movies.
Her father came to Monrovia when he was 12 years old and his family’s Pennsylvania home burned down. He grew up to become a firefighter and retired after 30 years. Jolene’s mom was a homemaker who was very active in the PTA, Cub Scouts, and Brownies. Jolene made good friends in Monrovia. In fact, there are 12 high school friends who meet up a couple of times a year. Currently, they gather on Zoom every other week!
Jolene wanted to be an elementary school teacher so she went to Fresno State, majored in education, and got her teaching credential. At the time she was dating her future husband Ric, whom she had first met in Junior High but didn’t start seriously dating until they “re-met” in High School. He was going to UC Santa Barbara, so she got a teaching job near there.
“I taught for six years, first 3rd grade, then I taught 5th grade,” says Jolene. Her husband, also a teacher, taught 7th grade for 38 years.
“He loved it – loved that age,” says Jolene. “It was cute, the year he retired, they let him go through graduation, saying he’d finally graduated from Junior High!”
When their son, Jeffrey, was born, Jolene became a fulltime homemaker. Then their daughter Kristen arrived very quickly afterward. Jolene stayed home about six years until they were both established in school.
Jolene’s next career was doing public relations work for Motel 6. “It really was $6 a night then!” She responded to all the customer letters – both complaint and complimentary. Then in 1985, she began working for the Santa Barbara Unified School District in the curriculum department. Providing curriculum help to the teachers. Then in 1990 she was hired for a management position. “Basically, my job was to hire, and sometimes fire, teachers. Keeping our schools staffed. It was a fun job!”
Jolene’s husband had retired in 2004 and Jolene retired the next year. “After that, we traveled!” says Jolene. On their very first trip — the Panama Canal, which Jolene had always wanted to see – they made good friends who joined them on a few future trips. “We’ve been to every western European country and a lot of eastern European countries – Baltics, Russia, we went to St. Petersburg. We went to South Africa, north to Kenya and went on safaris – exhausting but great.” They’ve taken a boat up the Nile in Egypt and been to Greece, Australia, and New Zealand.
After retirement, they stayed involved in the community, working with Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization, active in the US and the world. Plus they continued their educations taking classes with OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) for adults over the age of 50 who want to be part of a learning community with peers.
They always returned home to Santa Barbara. “We lived there for 50 years! It’s beautiful and a great place to bring up your family.” They weren’t planning to leave but an unexpected event changed that.
Their daughter Kristen had been born with cerebral palsy, but it didn’t slow her down. “She was smart and talked early!” says Jolene. “She worked with preschool children and did recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. She would go out to schools to promote the service.” But in 2007, Kristen developed breast cancer. Jolene says she fought it. She and Ric joined Kristen and all her friends in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. “Kristen was in a wheelchair – she pushed herself the whole way,” says Jolene. Sadly, Kristen passed away in June 2013.
It was then that Jolene’s other amazing child, Jeff, suggested they move closer to him. Jeff is a vice president at Google and lives in Burlingame. Jolene and Ric sold their home, “That was a big job!” and moved to a condo in Redwood Shores. They loved being close to Jeff’s family, which includes grandchildren Nick and Penny.
Then in 2020, Jolene lost Ric and realized she felt lonely in the condo. That’s when Jeff had another great idea – would she like to move to senior housing? They looked at a lot of places but then Jolene found Sterling Court. “I realized it was a place I could live,” says Jolene.
She’s still very involved with her son’s family but has also made good friends here and participates in activities and goes to the musical events.
“I’d never played Bingo before, but we play once a week!” says Jolene. “I like being around people and making friends.”
Lois (Almen) Everett and Ted Everett are very enthusiastic people and if you spend even a little time with them, you start to feel enthusiastic too! They’ve both performed on stage, had careers they’ve loved, plus they’re still active in the community and gather with friends and family as often as possible!
They met at a small party thrown by a mutual friend. It’s a second marriage for each of them. “A second marriage that’s lasted 31 years!” Ted is quick to point out. Lois was a widow with two grown children and Ted had four grown children. They soon became a “happily blended family” says Lois. Their family now includes seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and one more on the way!
They both already had full lives before they met too. Ted was born in Santa Cruz, but his family soon moved to Palo Alto. Ted excelled in school and was accepted to the prestigious Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. His parents thought he should have the East Coast experience. “The weather was the biggest culture shock!” says Ted.
He majored in Economics and, as part of the Glee Club, traveled to New York to perform on both The Perry Como Show and The Ed Sullivan Show! After graduation, he worked at Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York and learned all about graphic design. By 1960, Ted had had enough of the job and weather, so he moved back to California to take a job with his biggest client, Waller Press, as a sales rep. He happily stayed at that job for over 27 years.
During this time, Lois was having her own adventures. She started life in Minnesota but was soon on the move making fast friends wherever she went. During her college years at the University of Missouri, she worked a summer job at a Glacier National Park café in Montana. All summer long she gave free ice cream to members of the Blackfeet Indian Tribe. By the end of the summer, they had made her an honorary tribe member naming her “Princess Morning Star.”
That was just the beginning of the honorable titles bestowed on Lois. She received a master’s degree in speech and theatre from Temple University. She was an award-winning actress performing in the play Dark of the Moon and then in The Heiress – playing two different roles at different times in her life. When Lois moved to San Mateo, she used her performing and speaking skills to teach. During the day she practiced speech therapy, and in the evenings, she taught speech and interpersonal communications at the College of San Mateo – and she did that for 20 years!
Perhaps Lois’s most acclaimed role was as executive director of HIP Housing, a non-profit organization that finds home for thousands of people in San Mateo County. In 1995, she and Jolly Perkocha wrote the proposal to start the home-sharing program and received a grant. Soon they were finding homes for 300 people a year. “When I was there, we built houses for single parents” says Lois proudly. Lois’s show business background even came in handy for a fund-raising event. “When we first started, we put on a show, ‘HIP HIP Hooray, We’re on Broadway!’ at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City,” laughs Lois.
Soon others noticed Lois’s outstanding efforts and, among many other honors, she is listed in Who’s Who in America, named to the San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame, and recognized for Outstanding Service by congresswomen Jackie Speier and Anna Eshoo.
Ted and Lois showcased their individual skills when Ted, who has been on the board of directors at the San Mateo Historical Society for six years, was asked to run their Fund Raising Campaign. Ted said he would, but only if Lois could do it with him. Together, pooling their talents and contacts, they raised over $500,000!
When they decided to move to Sterling Court, they didn’t have to do any research as they both already knew it well through past professional and personal contacts. They’ve settled in nicely making a new circle of friends, playing Bridge, and enjoying the dinners. They’re also just five minutes away from their old house so they still see those friends and of course nearby family regularly. They are still busy, friendly, and curious. (For this interview, they asked almost as many questions as they answered!) They just keep having new experiences and even sing together!
“We never thought, when we got married, that we’d live this long!” jokes Ted.
“The important thing,” says Lois, “is that we have each other. We’re very fortunate.”
It’s no wonder they’re so enthusiastic!
Michael Moberg is a man of action. In his 20s, he was a paratrooper who jumped out of planes; in his 30s, he ran marathons and competed in Ironman triathlons; and then in his 60s, he took up hang gliding! This year, he achieved another great feat – becoming a first-time great-grandfather!
Michael comes from strong mid-western roots. Born in Sioux City, Iowa in 1934, he was one of four children. When Michael was 11, his family moved to Seattle for job opportunities, but the move was difficult, and it took him a little while to make new friends. For the first year, the family lived in a trailer and then moved into a house that became their long-time family home. Soon, Michael made friends, enjoyed sports, and even played guard on the high school football team.
While Michael didn’t love being a student, he was surprisingly good at it and earned a scholarship to Wesleyan University in Connecticut. However, university didn’t go as well as he expected. “I was not satisfied with my progress,” says Michael. So, he left school and joined the Army becoming a paratrooper stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. While he called those days “exciting,” after three months, he was transferred to a clerical position in Kentucky, where his job was to “bring their records up to date.” After three years, due to a “special rule,” he was discharged early to attend the University of Washington where he earned a B.A. in Business. He took his aptitude for numbers and worked as an accountant at several companies including Boeing.
Around this time, a good friend of his named Paul suggested to his sister-in-law that she should meet Michael. The matchmaking worked and at 23, Michael married Donna Lou Page. Their first child, Cynthia (Cindy), came along two years later, followed by Eric, and then Barbara (Barbie). By now they had moved to the Bay Area and Michael capped off his education by obtaining an MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Throughout his life, Michael always stayed active. Along with the marathons, Ironman competitions, and hang gliding, he also loved long bike rides. He once biked from San Francisco to Seattle to visit his parents. Another time he put his bike on a plane to Spain where he biked and camped across Barcelona.
Michael’s legacy now includes seven grandchildren – Grace, Grant, Mark, Katrina, Nicholas, Ciera, and Brooke – and most recently he became a great-grandfather when Katrina gave birth to Avery earlier this year.
Michael’s daughter Cindy helped him find Sterling Court and he has now made his newest group of friends. Michael maintains his competitive edge by playing Bridge, Bingo, Wii Bowling, and also appreciates the wonderful meals. He is enjoying life and the people around him – this Ironman isn’t getting rusty!
Special thanks to Cindy Moberg Domecus for her contributions to this interview.
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