Some people would rather go to the dentist than go to a networking meeting. Darlene Calcagno gets it. Starting up a business from scratch under not-so-great circumstances isn’t easy. And, walking into a room full of strangers can be paralyzing to some. But, (she realized quickly) there are so many other people out there in the same boat----and, if she put herself in a position to meet them, they could possibly help each other.

Darlene, owner of  “Cuisine By Darlene”, is a personal chef and the director of the South Shore Chapter of the Downtown Women’s Club (DWC), a national networking group.

The goal of DWC, which was formed in 1998 by a group of Boston professionals, is to make networking effective, fun, affordable, and casual--- which is why most of the meetings don’t take place in a stuffy conference room, but rather in a casual ‘cocktails and conversation’ atmosphere. This month’s meeting, on Tuesday, February 8^th, is happening at The Face Place in Hanover.

The meeting is open to anyone (non-members pay a $10 fee). It is an informal meet-and-greet in which Darlene opens up the evening with a welcome and a little background on what DWC is about. But in general, these meetings are meant to be a fun night out, pleasure--- mixed with business--- if you will.

Darlene understands business. She started her career as a human resources director at a physician-owned company. Two of the doctors were ‘foodies’ and exposed Darlene to Boston’s best fine-dining. Darlene became interested in food, as a result, and started taking cooking classes. Eventually, she realized that HR was not for her, but a hot oven and a really good recipe was! Hence, Cuisine By Darlene was born.

It couldn’t have happened at a better time, either. As a single mom starting all over, Darlene turned her corporate background and culinary education into a business in which she had control over her own schedule in order to be there for her son.

Currently, Darlene has about ten clients located mostly on the South Shore--- although she does travel to Brookline and Chestnut Hill. When she arrives, she prepares not just one meal, but nine to 10 dishes--- cooking for several hours in her client’s kitchen resulting in a gorgeous meal for them to come home to, and more than a weeks worth of dinner packed away in the refrigerator and freezer. Before leaving, she cleans up and leaves heating instructions.

Darlene is passionate about food, exercise, and nutrition, she says, and makes sure she has her clients’ needs in mind as she prepares their meals. She can customize menus for people with health issues, such as diabetes, heart conditions, or allergies. And, she says, she always ensures a nice range of recipes. “Every Monday I look on the Internet for ideas and then balance out the food for the week,” she says. “Maybe fresh seafood that night and then I package beef, chicken, and soup, for the week.”

 The price of her service varies, but, she says, it costs about the same as it would to go out to dinner.

Perhaps the only downside for Darlene is that she works alone. She is very outgoing and likes to socialize---and, it turns out, to network, too---which is why she has become so involved with DWC. What does she get from the experience? Recognition and referrals, she says. It’s a great venue for her personally and for her business!

Visit the Downtown Women’s Club website for information on local meet-ups or to become a member and gain access to the member directory, teleclasses, and much more! www.downtownwomensclub.com

For more information on Cuisine By Darlene go to: http://www.cuisinebydarlene.com/

By Stephanie Neil

Stephanie Neil is a journalist. Her business, technology, and human interest stories have appeared in a variety of print and online newspapers and magazines including eWeek, Managing Automation, The Harvard Alumni Bulletin, Huggies Baby Network, South Shore Woman, and The Boston Globe.  She lives on the South Shore with her two kids, two cats, and a dog. Contact info: stephanieneil@comcast.net  or 781-378-1652. Follow her on Twitter @StephanieNeil