Throughout my life I was always so unsure about what my dreams were. Growing up with very open minded artist parents, I was given the freedom to always believe I could do and become whatever I felt like becoming. I spent most of my life as an only child living and traveling all over the world with my parents, I could be living in Switzerland one year and next thing you know we would be living in Russia. I had no stability because we constantly moved and not because my parents had a fancy job that obligated us to move, only because my parents enjoyed traveling and starting from zero in new countries. These adventures continued until the day Gabby was born, my little brother changed our life. After Gabby, my parents decided to stop their nomad life and stay in Canada, Montreal.
After living in Montreal for most of my teenage years, I felt the urge to experience that feeling I would get from traveling. Starting from scratch was such a familiar memory from my childhood, I needed to ''fly'' free again. After university I took my first plane ticket from Canada to France and lived in Marseille for a year.
Barcelona was only a few hours away from Marseille. As cheesy as it sounds, it only took one visit for me to know Barcelona was IT. I instantly fell completely in love with this city. The culture and the easy going lifestyle was different to anything i'd ever experienced. I moved a few months later and I've been here for almost 4 years now. I love this city, I can honestly say that it is the only place that has ever felt like home to me.
I spent my first year in Barcelona working for a start-up and quickly realized it wasn’t for me. I was only 19 years old at the time and I was so confused. I didn’t know what to do with myself and how to feel ‘’happy’’ and satisfied with my career. I decided to go back to university and studied economics for two years. At this point I decided to do something risky, stepped out of my comfort zone… I asked myself what do I love? I love cooking and my favorite meal ever is hands down breakfast. I grew up with brunch and spent some of the best memories of my life with my family in greasy spoons back in Canada. I had been to a few brunches in Barcelona but everytime my passion and my urge to make something different grew, I didn’t want to create one more brunch. I wanted Gabby’s to be an experience, to be unforgettable and different.
It’s something about breakfast, no matter the culture or country everyone loves breakfast.
I saved up, created my business plan and decided to risk it! I fell completely in love with the location I found for Gabby’s, the terrace was everything. I found a decor that felt timeless and different, in a city saturated with brunch places or restaurants trying out brunch concepts, I had massive competition. I needed to be different.
I went for a classic/retro timeless decor, filled with art pieces I love, including my father’s art.
Most of my furniture is second hand, I love the character and life behind second hand items.
At this point I had the place, I had the decor, but that’s about it. I gave myself one month to open, find a team, build a menu and start my marketing... There was no going back, I had spent my entire life savings on opening this place and had to make this the best brunch in Barcelona! What makes brunch perfect? What do people appreciate and come back for?
To me, it was simple: quality, quality, quality and price!
I aimed for quality over everything and tried my best to make it affordable and give generous portions. I needed to make each plate delicious and satisfying, but trust me this is probably the hardest thing to do because e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e is different! Let’s face it, pleasing everyone is impossible but I made it my goal to satisfy that 99% if I could. Offered a variety that could please different cultures and preferences, from vegan, to vegetarian, to hallal meat, to crispy bacon, I have something for everyone and I that was really my goal - Gabby's is for everyone!
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