How It All Began
(continued)
It was not too long after working at the World Trade Center, that she was invited by her brother to join him to start a restaurant in Brooklyn about 1984. With business in her blood, not knowing anything about restaurant ownership nor management, took up the challenge.
As Ms G would say, fate had it that a Chef looking for work accidentally called their newly opened restaurant and was invited down to help them as a chef.
Ms G, being teachable, gladly took lessons from the experienced chef who taught her portion control, how to effectively cook commercially, as well as restaurant management. Her brother got mentored as well.
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Though the restaurant was thriving, Ms G never took off from working at the Trade Center to be at the restaurant. She made the sacrifice to be up and out of her house by 4:00am to get to the restaurant; cook and leave in time for her evening shift at the World Trade Center; only to return home at approximately 2:00am each morning to get what is called a “shot-eye sleep”- to get to the restaurant by 6:00am. Ms G kept that schedule for approximately thirty (30) years.
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When her five young children came to the US in the eighties, she instilled the same discipline and mindset that was her family’s tradition. Each had to go to school and get to the restaurant immediately after school. There was no time to relax and have teenage fun as most usually expect to do. Each child was groomed for the industry.
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In 1986, the said chef told Ms G of a restaurant opportunity in Jamaica Queens. She parted co-ownership of the Brooklyn location with her brother to take ownership and management of what became an iconic food place for Caribbean food connoisseurs of Southeast Queens. Her children maintaining consistency and loyalty, continued to learn the trade and assist in the continuity of the Brand.
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Continuing the spirit of entrepreneurship, Ms G opened a second location, the G’s Eatery and Bakery in 2005 and a third location in Rosedale in 2013.
Over a span close to 40 years, the G’s Family Restaurant Group have mentored over a thousand employees in various capacity of the industry.
Today a number of former employees have gone on to be head cooks at restaurants, some are
owning their own restaurant; some are supervisors and managers. A number of those said employees returned to say thanks periodically, and to inspire current employees to be all they could be.