Dennis Harrigan thought he finally arrived – with more than 100 spectators intently watching as he began to prepare his version of Chicken Étoufée on the demonstration stage in the early ’90s of the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
Then came a question from the audience for the local veterinarian and home cook: “How do you make it vegetarian?” asked a female spectator.
Harrigan paused for a second and then, peering at the local newspaper clipping listing the schedule of events, realized why he received such an out-of-left-field question. He politely pointed out that he was a veterinarian, not a vegetarian.
Harrigan realized then and there that he shouldn’t quit his day job, as the stands began to empty.
“It was pretty funny,” said the now 57-year-old doctor of veterinary medicine (Class of ’84 from UC Davis) who partners with colleague Greg Martinez at the Gilroy Veterinary Hospital. “I told (his wife) Renee that I had 100 people watching; I was going to write a cookbook and become famous,” Harrigan said.
Almost famous, Harrigan shrugged it off – and, nearly two decades later, he will live on in the annals of Garlic Festival lure as the President of the 35th annual garlicky-palooza.
Not too shabby for the cook who previously dressed like a surgeon and put chicken stock in an IV drip to entertain as many Garlic Fest onlookers as he possibly could during another demonstration.
“I liked cooking a lot,” said Harrigan, who, along with his two brothers and one sister, would fend for themselves in the kitchen growing up in Fresno. “When I went to the festival, I really liked the atmosphere and just loved the food…I was hooked.”
His first volunteer gig in 1989 was handing out water bottles, along with his wife of 34 years and other parents, as part of the fundraising efforts for Rod Kelley Elementary School, where his two sons, Brian, now 28, and Kyle, 24, attended.
“I enjoyed it immensely,” said Harrigan, who was born in Concord, raised in Fresno and eventually settled in Gilroy on Feb. 6, 1987. The Fresno State alumnus has “not regretted it one bit.”
Along with his wife and two sons, Harrigan is proud to be a grandfather of two boys, David, 4, and Anthony, 23 months.
Over the years, Harrigan has volunteered in Gourmet Alley – for at least one day each festival – as well as on the demonstration stage; been a member and chair of the signs committee and the advisory committee. In 2010, he was appointed chair of recipe Cook-off stage committee and assisted Master of Ceremonies Don DeLorenzo with emceeing the Great Garlic Cook-Off
“They just keep recycling me,” joked Harrigan, who was then asked to join the Garlic Festival Board of Directors before being named 2013 president.
