Bruce Colucci
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 when combined with Bruce’s out of the box thinking, have made Le Gourmet Kitchen successful for over 25 years.
Born and raised in Historic Hyde Park, New York, a small historic town along the Hudson river, Bruce moved to Los Angeles in 1983 to advance his career in the kitchen and bath design industry. Soon after, he worked in the Pacific Design Center and was exposed to the growing contemporary trends coming out of Europe in the early 1980’s.
A promotion to General Manager of the Poggenpohl Beverly Hills showroom helped Bruce develop the business and marketing skills necessary to succeed in the upscale kitchen market, and for the next several years he completed numerous projects throughout Southern California, the Western United States and overseas.
“A kitchen is really like a painting; you begin with a bare canvas then add the design elements that are inspired by listening to the clients’ desires. Balance and proportion are essential. Good design is timeless”.
In 1990 Bruce relocated to Orange County to work for a startup company in Newport Beach, but the company closed its doors due to the economic downturn. This event provided an opportunity for Bruce and his 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 kitchens and baths for over 35 years and in that time completed more than 1000 projects. Bruce believes that design doesn’t need to be compromised for budget. He encourages his clients to invest in the design and carefully select the materials that best suit their budget.
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 26 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.
Jonathan Salmon, CKD, CBD, CID
Co-owner, Le Gourmet Kitchen Ltd.
Jonathan is best described as an accomplished home chef who loves to cook and learned how at his grandmother’s knee. A creative spirit with a keen business sense makes Jonathan a perfect person to lead the administrative side of Le Gourmet Kitchen.
Jonathan was born and raised in South Africa and moved to the US in 1990. He studied architecture before focusing on kitchen and bath design as a profession. Jonathan has earned the credentials of Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer (CMKBD), and Certified Interior Designer (CID). His travels abroad and residency in other parts of the world have given him a broad perspective from which to draw upon when designing for his clientele.
The cultures, geographies and design elements from his travels offer him a rich resource of ideas. Jonathan possesses over 20 years of experience in the Kitchen and Bath Industry and brings his enthusiasm and originality to every project he works on.
Described as “a less-is-more, keep-it-simple kind of person,” he considers the welfare of the client in every design choice he makes, be it aesthetic or mechanical. He seamlessly blends form and function with an elegant style to create kitchen spaces that are warm and comfortable havens in which to work.
“My clients are more than my customers – They’re my friends. I don’t provide anything to them that I wouldn’t have in my own home”.
Jonathan is a boating enthusiast, and when he is not working can often be found on his boat enjoying the ocean surroundings. This passion has spanned more than half of his life and during his youth he was a crewman in the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). Jonathan resides in Anaheim Hills and is always honing his culinary skills on another gourmet dish to share with his wife and family.
Katharine Van Gilder
Katharine was born and raised in Laguna Niguel. She went to college at Westmont in Santa Barbara and completed her BS degree in Engineering Physics. Following that, she worked several years with Santa Barbara Design and Build designing residential remodels as well as specializing in designing cabinetry. She returned to the Laguna Niguel area at the end of 2018, working from home for KMS Design for a few more years, focusing on just cabinet design.
Le Gourmet Kitchen invited Katharine to join their team after she featured a portfolio of photo-realistic renderings of her unique kitchen and bath designs. She is meticulous and very technical. She has an endless knack for problem solving which she uses to find a perfect harmony between the client’s wish list, the best possible layout, and the overall budget. The goal is to create each room so that it is aesthetically relaxing as well as functional.
Katharine has a love for traveling which began in her childhood. She has visited Australia, England, Ireland and many US states with her family, culminating in spending a semester abroad in New Zealand during her junior year in college. Additionally, she loves hiking, rock climbing, tennis, snowboarding, wood working, and playing the cello. She is very excited to further her skills and career with Le Gourmet Kitchen!
Lianna Awbrey
Drafting Technician
Lianna heads up the technical side of Le Gourmet Kitchen, and has been immersed in the design industry for over 10 years.
She works side by side with Bruce and Jonathan- providing detailed plans and aesthetically pleasing 3D conceptual renderings to ensure your vision is brought to life!
Her #1 priority is getting you (our valued client) immensely excited about the haven you will be coming home to everyday!
When not in the office, she’s either trotting the globe or enjoying a quiet night at home with her husband and 3 cats.
Lianna Awbrey | Principal