About
Primal means first, and Alchemy means creation. One could say that the first science practiced by man was cooking and thus, the first creation, the Primal Alchemy.
About Primal Alchemy
Founded in 2001, Primal Alchemy is an award-winning chef-owned, food-forward catering firm focused on seasonal, locally sourced, hand-crafted foods while utilizing sustainable practices. With a thorough background in traditional culinary preparation, and a progressive approach that incorporates the increasingly popular Farm To-Table Philosophy, Primal Alchemy collaborates with local producers to provide a diverse array of food that is extremely fresh, simply seasoned, and prepared in the most straightforward manner.
Primal Alchemy creates customized menus for every event. As the first true Farm-to-Table catering company in Southern California, they’ve enjoyed ‘Making Memories and Marking Milestones’ for corporate and social clients for over 20 years, including birthdays, anniversaries, life celebrations and weddings, producing events for up to 2000 guests. Some of their clients include the LA28 Olympics, Ferrari, TED Conference, Port of Long Beach, Edison, Greenpeace, Molina, Chipotle, Quicksilver, Matson, Rip Curl, Billabong, Urban Decay, Garnier, and the United States Green Building Council. They have also partnered with non-profits such as Pathways, Rancho Los Alamitos, Cabrillo Aquarium, and Guidance Center.
Recognized for their efforts as the first food business in Long Beach to attain the state sanctioned Green Business Status, in addition to the Blue Certification, Foam Free Certification, and Ocean Friendly Certification. With a responsibility in their hearts to the community, their advocacy for sustainability and passion for teaching our youth about food and nutrition, rest assured that choosing Primal Alchemy for your event is your contribution to the same effort.
Our Story
We Are a Local Charcutier
We Are a Sustainable Catering Company
We use environmentally friendly practices that help your business reduce its impact on the earth. In the food service industry, this can be through reducing energy usage, cutting down on the use of disposable products, minimizing food waste, and many other creative practices, like packing linens in carboard instead of plastic and thus no need for hangers, and using fruit and floral garnishes for cocktails, instead of umbrellas and the like.
When you hire us, you’re contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable earth.
Locally Sourced Ingredients
For our grocery & dry goods, we go to INGARDIA BROTHERS; SUPERIOR SEAFOOD for their sustainable practices; HA’S APPLE FARM for their apples, pears, peaches and eggs; TAMAI FARMS for their kale, strawberries, tomatoes and herbs, CHAVEZ FARMS for their citrus and berries; WEISER FAMILY FARMS for their potatoes, carrots and radishes; GONZAGA FARMS for their persimmons; and other general needs from the HARBOR’S AREA FARMER’S MARKET.
Chef-Driven
Primal Alchemy is a chef-driven catering company serving all of Southern California, specializing in cooking with organic, seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
Seasonal and Customized
Our menus are constantly evolving to reflect the seasons and resources. We work with our clients to customize and create menus with ingredients at the peak of their season.
Serving the Greater Southern California Area
From intimate gatherings to large functions, from traditional to unique venues such as historic buildings, art galleries, farms and waterfronts, and from the desert to the sea, we got you covered.
Why Primal Alchemy?
Local, Seasonal, and Sustainable.
- Leaders: We were the first to embrace seasonal, sustainable and local catering. We founded our company on it.
- Relationships: Your event will benefit from long and trusted relationships with our Ingredient Resources
- Farmers are Our Friends: You will know where your food comes from.
- We Cook On Site
- 100% Self Staffed
- Fully Licensed & Insured
- CA Certified Green Business
- Owner Operated
- Venue Relationships
- Work alongside other vendors to ensure success
- Custom & creative menus for each client
- Our food will leave a lasting impression on your guest’s pallets
How Can You Make Your Business Sustainable?
Meet The Team
Paul Buchanan
Owner & Executive Chef
After graduating with honors from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Chef Paul Buchanan honed his cooking skills in some of the best kitchens in Southern California, including Water Grill, Patina, Pascals, La Brea Bakery and Campanile. At Patina, he executed large scale events like the Oscars, Emmys, and SAG Awards, gaining valuable experience in logistics as well as cooking with finesse. After working for esteemed chefs Nancy Silverton, Pascal Olhats, Joachim Splichel, among others, his passion for locally sourced ingredients drove him to open Primal Alchemy Catering (PAC) in 2001. Now a leader in the Sustainability/Slow Food Movement, Chef Paul takes pride in honoring what originated in Italy as the crusade to eat regionally, impassioning local food culture, and taking the time to enjoy all the beauties and enjoyment of a meal within its tradition and element, all while being conscious of the effect of how the way we consume imprints on the world.
As a recipient of many awards, including multiple years as Best Chef and Best Caterer by the Readers of the Press Telegram and the Long Beach Post, award-winning Chef Paul has been instrumental in cultivating the urban agricultural movement. An active participant in Slow Food, Chefs Collaborative, Master Food Preservers, and the American Institute of Wine and Food. He’s been premiered at several “Real Food” events throughout the years and has been featured in many cookbooks, such as the Community Table: Recipes for an Ecological Food Future by Alice Waters & Evan Marks, an entire chapter feature on pacific halibut recipes in Wild Alaskan Seafood: Celebrated Recipes from America’s Top Chefs & Ocean Friendly Cuisine: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the World’s Finest Chefs by James O. Fraioli.
In addition to events, Chef Paul is also an experienced Salumiere, bringing in whole Iberico pigs from a farm in Napa Valley and curing all the salumi in house, head to tail. From catering to charcuterie, to hand-crafted jams and pickled foods, he brings the beauty of nature to your kitchen and table. Chef Paul has always treated his cooking as an expression of art, which combined with his culinary talents, makes his food a masterful combination of flavors and visual presentation.
Personal Life:
Chef Paul enjoys traveling to try new places to eat, bike riding, hiking, camping, roller-skating, reading (cookbooks of course), commiserating with fellow like-minded chefs, spending time with his wife and business partner, Dana, playing frisbee with his son, Drew, a graduate and now employee at UCSB, and cooking on his 1884 Vintage Garland Woodburning stove at their cabin.
Dana Buchanan
Owner
Dana is a community driven entrepreneur with an ethos of giving back by being a catalyst and a connector. After successfully selling her first business in 2004, a commercial design and office furniture company, she partnered with her husband and chef, Paul Buchanan to form Primal Alchemy Catering (PAC). Dana believes that community engagement is part of a responsible business. She is actively involved in many organizations, including LB Rotary, Leadership Long Beach, CCEJ, Friends of Pathways, Long Beach Sustainable Business Alliance, Long Beach Green Business Council, Long Beach Alliance for Food and Fitness, Long Beach Fresh, Wilson Girls Aquatics, PTSA, Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Holistic Chamber of Commerce and, as founder, the Long Beach Urban Farm Dinner benefiting The Growing Experience Urban Farm. She’s on the board of California Conference of Equality & Justice and currently serves as a Commissioner for the City of Long Beach. Dana is also a board member for the Belmont Shore Business Association and Steel Magnolias, a fundraising arm for the Stramski Center and Long Beach Memorial-Diagnostic Center for Autism.
With a Bachelor of Science, Interior Design & Architecture from Cal State University, Dana is also a graduate of both Leadership Long Beach and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Business program. She has become a regular fixture on Clubhouse, a global social network of people learning from each other, and has been honored by the Press Telegram as the recipient of the Amazing Woman Award in Business, by the Long Beach Post as one of the 30 Women to Watch and by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Mujeres de Ano, Empresaria.
Personal Life:
Dana grew up in a home where organic, natural foods were the norm. She refined her palate starting at a young age during the food renaissance of the early 80’s by experiencing the food of now illustrious chefs like Joachim Spichel, Wolfgang Puck, John Sedlar, Thomas Keller, Ken Frank, Roy Yamaguchi and many others. It’s no mistake that Dana married a chef! Together they created Primal Alchemy to share their passion for seasonal, sustainable, local cuisine.
Morgan Benton
Director of Events
Morgan is new to Long Beach from Denver Colorado. She has joined Primal Alchemy as the Director of Events, working to establish new relationships for PAC, as well as foster previous ones. With 15+ years in food and beverage and events, Morgan has worked in venue sales, catering and consulting. Having lived in over 7 different states and living coast to coast, she brings to the table a unique insight into events and catering. From her first job as a carhop in Kansas, to now leading Primal Alchemy Catering and events, Morgan has always enjoyed bringing people together through food and community, one event at a time!
Personal Life:
Morgan enjoys spending time with her husband, Angel, and their two rescue dogs, Maxamillion and Izzy. Playing volleyball at a collegiate level, she still enjoys the competitiveness of playing softball and volleyball with friends here in Long beach. Even in her off time, Morgan spends her time planning and hosting events for family and friends; hoping to bring a little bit of herself to each experience.
Rafael Chuela
Sous Chef
Rafael, a dedicated culinary professional who began his journey with our team as a Prep Cook, swiftly ascended the ranks to the esteemed role of Sous Chef. With a culinary certificate in hand and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Rafael’s journey has been marked by exceptional achievement. His extensive kitchen experience and comprehensive understanding of various positions make him the perfect match for this role.
Personal Life:
Beyond his culinary prowess, Rafael’s heart beats for basketball, showcasing his passion and precision on the court. When he’s not crafting culinary masterpieces or perfecting his jump shot, he finds solace in creating cherished moments with his beloved family. With a unique blend of culinary finesse, athletic fervor, and strong family values, Rafael embodies a multifaceted life that enriches both the kitchen and beyond.
Cindy Goss
Event Sales Manager, Staffing Coordinator, Equipment Manager
Cindy has been an integral part of the Primal Alchemy team since 2014 and has taken on various roles within the company’s evolution. As well as Sales & Account Management, she currently serves as Staffing & Equipment Manager, guiding the hiring, training, and scheduling of event staff and overseeing the warehouse & catering equipment. Prior to working with them, Cindy ran a not-for-profit for eight years that harvested backyard fruit, donating to food banks to help those who are food insecure, and as an Executive Assistant/Office Manager in several corporate environments.
Starting in the kitchen at Primal Alchemy as a Prep Cook with zero knife skills, Cindy quickly excelled, and after only six months on the job, she led her first event. From there, she took on the roles of Equipment Manager and Staffing Coordinator, as well as Event Lead, and finally landed in the position of Sales Manager. Cindy now has nine years’ experience in hospitality working as an event lead, event cook, event supervisor, event captain, and event server. She feels deep satisfaction in making clients happy they chose Primal Alchemy.
Personal Life:
As a master multi-tasker in her career, Cindy likes to keep it light in her free time.
She loves eating good food, frequent yoga classes, her cats and tending to her garden (replete with opossums, raccoons, skunks, birds, bees and monarch butterflies).
Jon Pacella
Warehouse Manager / Event Assistant
Jon, a jack-of-many-trades and a journeyman, originally hails from the Northern VA/Washington, DC area. After a 15-year career in IT supporting the Department of Defense, he came to California in 2017. Working in nightclubs, breweries, record stores, Netflix events, museums, and more, Jon arrived in Long Beach in 2024 and his path connected him to Primal Alchemy, putting his varied skills to work as Warehouse Manager and assisting on events.
Jon takes care of all of the equipment in our warehouse, ensuring they are ready to go out to our events and that everything is in its place when they are done. Tending to our local garden where we resource from, and painting and repairing equipment are just some of the things Jon does to make sure Primal Alchemy is ready for the next event.
Personal Life:
Jon is an avid music fan, always listening to something or seeing a show, no matter what the genre. A thrift shop junkie and lover of almost anything from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, Jon fills his days with cooking, mosaic art, biking, yoga (especially doom metal yoga), movies, and sunny beach days.
Melissa Jones
Event Chef
Chef Melissa is a 40-year veteran in the culinary industry. She is a personal chef, had a catering company at age 19 and is an accomplished cooking instructor. She became a part of the culinary team at The Ecology Center, a farm specializing in regenerative farming, where her love for cooking over live fire started. The connection she has being on farms fuels her in spirit and in her culinary journey to create delicious meals. Chef Melissa is studying to be a Sports Nutritionist to ensure young athletes understand the importance of eating healthy to support their endurance, hydration, and overall health in these growing, active years. She was the youngest of five and found herself the one in the kitchen. She’d help her parents shop, prep and serve meals for their large family events as well as fine dining dinner parties. Melissa’s father, a legendary journalist in LA, entertained many high profile political leaders, people in the music industry, other entertainers and friends. This is where she started to hone her skills of combining culinary with community.
Melissa volunteers her time working with non-profits, like Food Finders, with fundraisers. She is passionate about introducing new flavors and dishes from different cultures and is committed to creating nutritionally sound dishes with the highest quality ingredients
Personal Life:
Melissa enjoys supporting her grandchildren (ages 12 & 13), whom she is raising, in their academic and athletic activities. Both are scholar athletes. She loves watching her grandson play at a high level in soccer, traveling with him and supporting his dream to be a professional player. Melissa also supports her granddaughter, who is on a volleyball team that also travels. Her love for traveling fits in with her journey with the kids, as it allows her to do what she loves and share the educational part of traveling with them. Melissa also loves music, going to outdoor live music festivals, riding her bike, the beach and the mountains, and anything outdoors. Her passion is cooking and creating dishes utilizing freshly picked ingredients, while supporting local farms.
Kevin Scott Allen
Event Supervisor
Kevin has been in the food-service business for over twenty years and has catered events for such luminaries as the Prince of Wales, Presidents Bush and Clinton, A-list stars as well as mom-and-pop downhome dinners. He has worked in all areas, from event planning and food preparation to floor and beverage service, rentals, and scullery. In short, there isn’t one aspect of an event in which he doesn’t have abundant hands-on experience, enabling him to oversee your party down to the tiniest detail, so that you can sit back and enjoy yourself as a pampered guest.
Personal Life:
In addition to his event experience, Kevin is a traditionally published author and licensed scuba instructor. His written works include Conquering the Film and Television Audition, Stolen Empire, a historical fiction set during the lead-up to the Mexican-American War, optioned by Universal Studios, and an animated historical adventure series entitled Firewalk, again for Universal Studios, and most recently, Murder Can Be Fatal.
Thomas Cason
Cook
Thomas Cason has been a marvelous cook for Primal Alchemy for 23 years now. New Jersey born, he came out to California in ’89 to check what all the fuss was about, and for better winters. After finding his love for cooking in the Navy, Thomas went from cooking in the service to cooking at Beachwood BBQ. From there, he got referred by a mutual friend to Chef Paul and Primal Alchemy, and the rest is history!
Personal Life:
On his personal time, Thomas loves bike riding, watching his grandson play football, and spending time with his family.
Matt Cohn
“Garden Gnome”
Matt Cohn is Primal Alchemy’s “garden gnome.” He is responsible for tending to some of the organic gardens that provide the company with fresh, seasonal produce, which is an essential ingredient in Primal Alchemy’s farm-to-table ethos. He has also served the company by working at events and by helping keep the ever-growing office files organized.
Personal Life:
Matt is a writer who is often on assignment for the City of Long Beach and the Downtown Long Beach Alliance. He also works early in the morning at a local Lowe’s Home Improvement Center as a Botanical Hydration Specialist (in other words, he waters the garden!). His focus outside of Primal Alchemy is music; He has been a professional musician for decades, playing clubs and private functions, creating independent film scores, and composing children’s music. He was a member of the ’80s band Berlin, and recently re-joined the group for some road shows. He recently crossed a big item off his bucket list when he played two shows with the band at the Hollywood Bowl.
…and an amazing staff of kitchen chefs and cooks, event captains, servers, and bartenders! All of our staff put the utmost detail into ensuring the food and service is of the highest quality.
What Our Clients Say
We Love What We Do. Don’t Just Take Our Word For It…
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We transform fresh ingredients from local farmers and artisanal food sources into amazing food. All of our seasonal menus are customized for your unique event.
