 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Davis took the traditional path, graduating from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor's degree in Economics. She went to work right after college at Merrill-Lynch. Not long after she started, she decided that working in corporate America wasn't what she wanted from life. She didn't know what her next career step would be, but some advice from her hairdresser struck a nerve. When he asked her what she really liked to do, her answer was cooking. She applied to the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco that very day.
Davis enrolled in the academy's world-renowned comprehensive program and never looked back. After graduating, she worked as a private chef. Later, she joined Il Fornaio in San Francisco as the pastry chef, and eventually ran the Il Fornaio bakery in Montclair. At the end of the day, she'd take the leftover bread and bake up garlicky croutons that wafted a scent through the Oakland Hills neighborhood. Customers loved them and she couldn't make them fast enough. Her then boyfriend, and future husband, kept saying ‘You've got to make your own croutons!" In 1996, she made the leap and started her own business.
Hard work, attention to detail, vision and a commitment to quality are center stage in Davis' approach. She believes the key to Live a Little's success are fresh, delicious and natural ingredients. For her dressings, she uses quality Italian olive oil and cheeses that balance the flavors. She also uses only freshly minced garlic, onions, basil, parsley and chives, never dehydrated. "Look at my label," she says. "My dressings don't start with water or thickeners. That's why they taste so good."
For her croutons, she starts with tangy San Francisco sourdough bread, then bastes and bakes the cubes with olive oil, salt, natural seasonings and fresh minced garlic. Davis takes pride in the fact that her croutons are tasty enough to eat all by themselves. KCBS Radio host Narsai David agrees: "You have a hard time to just stop from eating them out of hand!" he said on his show when she first introduced them.
Working as a professional chef for many years, Davis learned that great cooking is as much about managing time as about managing flavor. Great chefs need to prepare in advance as much as possible, without compromising quality. She feels her dressings and croutons allow the discerning home chef to make a terrific salad that doesn't compromise flavor — without any prep time at all.
"I love to eat," says Davis, who can just look at a recipe and know if it's going to taste good. Being in the food business, and raising a family (3 boys!), Virginia knows how busy people are, and that consumers want delicious, high quality foods that are quick, easy to use, and healthful. Her products give consumers the opportunity to slow down, enjoy a wonderful salad with a dressing and croutons made by a real chef. Says Davis, "This is my way of helping people "live a little" — have the very best on your salad tonight. And have as much as you like, because I'll be making more."
