GABRIEAU’S BISTRO WHERE KITCHEN AND COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER by Gabrielle Gamblin
s a young child, Mark Gabrieau developed a passion for cooking by being in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother. He is a first-generation immigrant who fell in love with rural Nova Sco- tia and carried his food culture with him throughout his journey to owning Gabrieau’s Bistro. As someone who is always willing to learn, Chef Mark continues to advance in his career. Alongside his wife Karen, they explore new business opportunities in and out of the kitchen, while always keeping in mind what is benefi - cial to the community they love. A
Mark Gabrieau was born and raised in Windsor, On - tario. As a first-generation immigrant, the food culture in his household may have appeared unconventional to the average Canadian. “Both my mother and my grandmother were amazing cooks. We ate things that most people didn’t. They didn’t waste anything. They had the ability to cook things most people might dis - card” he explained. His parents and grandparents moved to Canada from Normandy, France before he was born. Sadly, his father died when he was a baby. With a passion for cooking at an early age, Chef Mark worked for an Italian family as a part-time cook. He gained a lot of experience while working for them that he carried on throughout his career. As a teenager, he packed up for a summer vacation with his friends to Nova Scotia. However, they all enjoyed the East Coast so much, they did not return to Ontario. After moving to Nova Scotia, Chef Mark was able to take the necessary courses to obtain his high school
diploma while attending culinary school. After complet - ing his culinary program, he went to The Culinary Insti - tute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He returned to Nova Scotia and had many excellent jobs as a cor - porate chef. In spite of the job opportunities, Chef Mark no longer wanted to live in the city of Halifax. He went seeking a rural area for a quieter lifestyle and landed at Lobster Galley Restaurant in St. Ann’s Bay. He then took the role of executive chef at the Inverary Inn in Baddeck. After a couple of years, his attention turned to the town of Antigonish. He thought Antigonish was a small, beautiful town with the right amenities for him to settle there. He took a job as as a chef and food and beverage manager at a Best Western Hotel. The own - er of the Best Western also owned a bakery that Chef Mark took over as well. Three years later, an opportunity arose for a pur - chase-owner partnership of a café in downtown Anti - gonish. Chef Mark always said he was going to own
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 23 ISSUE 3
VOL 23 ISSUE 3 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
44
45
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease