Founder and co-owner, Le Gourmet Kitchen Ltd.
An artistic soul with a passion for cooking is the ‘Edge’ that Bruce possesses. He is best described as a creative, fun loving people-person with a good sense of humor. These personality traits are what drive the marketing and public relations side of the business and Bruce’s out of the box thinking has made Le Gourmet Kitchen successful for 25 years.
Born and raised in Hyde Park, a small historic town along the Hudson river in upstate New York, Bruce moved to Los Angeles to advance his career in the kitchen and bath design industry. Accepting a design position with a prestigious firm in the Pacific Design Center exposed him to the growing contemporary trends that were coming out of Germany and Italy in the early 1980’s. A fast track advancement to general manager of the Poggenpohl Beverly Hills showroom helped develop the business and marketing skills necessary to succeed in the upscale kitchen market. Bruce spent the next several years completing numerous projects throughout Southern California and the Western United States.
A kitchen is really like a painting; you begin with a bare canvas then add the elements that are inspired by listening to the clients’ desires. Balance and proportion are essential. Good design is timeless.
In 1990 he relocated to Orange County to work for a startup kitchen company in Newport Beach featuring Poggenpohl. His experience with the product line helped the business grow, however, due to the economic downturn and subsequent OC bankruptcy; the company closed its doors. This led to an opportunity for Bruce and a former business partner to establish what is now Le Gourmet Kitchen.
Bruce is an accredited Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD), whose work has been featured in several publications. He has been designing innovative kitchens and baths for 35 years. “The kitchen should expand and contract to meet the needs of those using it”. He believes the space should function like a commercial kitchen, where tasks are compartmentalized with the equipment meeting the requirements of the cook, unlike a commercial kitchen the environment needs to reflect the individuality of the client. It must also seamlessly integrate into the architecture of the home. Understanding the fundamentals of commercial design and kitchen ergonomics are essential to provide the correct setting for a novice or seasoned home chef. “You have to be able to ask the right questions and know what to do with the answers, most importantly, listen to the client”.
When not working at LGK, Bruce can be found at his home enjoying a glass of wine, entertaining and cooking. He resides in Mission Viejo with his wife of 25 years and their two children. He loves the outdoors and can often be found biking or running trails in the back country of Orange County.