Time for Tea...on a ‘Table for 6’ - Page 2

Wu spent time as a chef's assistant at L'Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, and also worked as a cake decorator at CakeLove, a bakery in D.C.; and created custom, multi-tiered cakes as a tea party caterer to philanthropists and socialites in Georgetown.

Two years ago, Wu and her family moved to the Bay Area from Virginia when she accepted a corporate job offer. Then, in summer 2024, she says, "I was laid off from my job. I ended up looking into a little cottage bakery where I could sell my sourdough, because everyone was telling me how great it tasted."

After finding a program called the MEHKO (Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation), Wu obtained her official certifications and inspections, and opened her 'Table for 6' business in fall 2024.

Now, with warmer weather here, Wu is happy taking her parties outdoors, in the front and back of her Eichler, where visitors enjoy the patio, gardens, and a special pieces of furniture that traveled with her to California.

"Our real estate agent found us this beautiful Eichler in the [San Mateo] Highlands," she says. "We re-did the front patio, making it into a larger 12 by 12 space with a grid of concrete squares with river rock in between."

Wu also installed a giant cedar pergola that she hauled all the way from Virginia. "It was handmade by my husband's family so it could be taken apart," she says. For those interested in visiting for a party, she adds, expect "a very elegant table setting that's not pretentious."

Always finding something new to share, Wu is excited about her latest idea—bringing blue crab to the Bay. "In June we're creating dishes around blue crabs, from New York to Louisiana. I grew up with them. They're sweet, and pretty much the size of your hand, nothing like the Dungeness crab everyone knows here."

For Wu, food is all about bringing people together, and she finds that those who share the Eichler lifestyle are especially grateful for connection through common experiences.

"It's a joy for me to be with other people and cook for them," Wu says. "If I could pay my mortgage off of the satisfied looks and full bellies, I'd be so incredibly wealthy."

Open on weekends, 'Table for 6' operates only by reservation, so plan in advance. Guests select either the brunch or tea party menu (each presently priced at $85 per person). Menus can be customized to accommodate every type of dietary preference, and seating is available for up to 12.