We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jean-Gabriel Ducourtial a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Jean-Gabriel with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic was instilled in me from a young age – I started working at a bakery in my small village in France at 13. I learned dedication and appreciation for food and ingredients from that experience on. When I trained in Michelin-rated restaurants in Paris, the attention to detail and pursuit of perfection was driven into me. This not only applied to the food, but customer service, presentation, atmosphere, everything about a dining experience. Being around professionals who cared so much for food, ingredients, and a passion for serving others had a profound effect on me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I grew up in the rural Loire Valley of France, where I learned to appreciate the beauty of fresh, local ingredients. I always had a love of food and the way in which it brings folks together. This led me to pursue the culinary arts. After spending years training in Michelin-rated restaurants in Paris, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and further honed my skills as an executive chef, catering manager, and teacher.
After marrying my wife in 2020, we decided to move closer to her family in Michigan, choosing West Michigan as our new home. My dream was to bring elevated French patisserie and savory goods to a shop of my own. In 2021, I was able to realize that dream at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market
With my shop, Gaby’s Gourmandise, my aim is to contribute to elevate the Grand Rapids food scene with a focus on local ingredients and hand-crafted products. We don’t take shortcuts – everything is made from scratch, from our tartelette shells, to the butter on our jambon beurre sandwich.
Gaby’s Gourmandise is a celebration of the finer foods in life and enjoying something so much that you don’t want it to end. “Gourmandise” literally translates to gluttony in English, but it is something much more in the French language. Gourmandise is an appreciation of something so good, so indescribable that you cannot help but indulge.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most impactful aspect of my journey has been all of the dedicated, hard-working people that I’ve had the fortune to learn from and work alongside. This includes everyone from dishwashers to executive chefs. Additionally, working in different aspects of the food industry, from fine dining to catering to instructing students, as provided me with a fairly well-rounded understanding of the food industry. Finally, my pursuit of learning and growing has helped me consistently improve my skills. I’m constantly doing recipe and food research, talking to food and farming folks, cooking new recipes, and exploring new cuisines.
My advice to those starting off in the journey to becoming a chef is to never stop learning. Never think that you know everything, always be open to learning from your coworkers and peers and beyond. Find mentors who care about food as much as you do and learn everything you can from them. This is a very challenging industry. Above all, you have to love what you do and have a passion for food, service, and people.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
The food industry is hard and being a business owner is even harder. I spend a lot of time away from my family. I do what I do because I have such a passion for food and how it connects people. There is nothing better than a client who shares this appreciation and understands the skill and work it takes to make my products.
The other day, I had a customer call for a custom birthday cake. She came to my shop later that day to meet me and discuss final details. She was all smiles and told me how excited she was to discuss the cake. Her excitement and joy were infectious and just made my day. Making my clients smile, bringing them a bit of joy through a cream puff or juicy peach tartelette, that’s why I do what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gabysgourmandise.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabys_gourmandise/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gabysgourmandise
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gabys-gourmandise-grand-rapids
Image Credits
Ryan Brinkerhoff
