Today we’d like to introduce you to Gemma Matsuyama. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Gemma Matsuyama was born in Chiba, Japan, but grew up in New Jersey, where she attended an international Japanese school. Gemma learned to cook from her Italian mother and loved to bake cream puffs for her Japanese father. At 16 years old, while visiting family in Italy, Gemma spontaneously enrolled in a culinary high school in Abruzzo. Feeling destined to become a chef, Gemma finished the program in 4 years and stayed an extra year to work at a small farm-to-table restaurant. After returning to the U.S., Gemma worked at a bakery in New York City before moving on to a restaurant in Tribeca and finally to a farm-to-table restaurant in Upstate New York. By then, Gemma was completely immersed in the world of pastry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My family doubted my path for years, letting me know that I can choose a different path for my career if I wish to do so. Working in the hospitality industry and moving away from my immediate family at such a young age definitely gave me a set of challenges like dealing with SA, racism, and sexism. I spent many years in therapy in my late 20s to process all the trauma and to heal my mental health.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My path as a pastry chef led me to many wonderful opportunities that keep me excited every day. I am most proud of proving to myself that I can forge a path that is my own. I specialize in Japanese-Italian desserts. I take what I have learned over the years to create unique and delicious culinary moments. My mochi pop-ups, Kimochi, have been my recent project since Covid, where I take seasonal delicious fruit and wrap it in fresh mochi. I love supporting local farmers and businesses and connecting with the community that way.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I am very fortunate to have been able to travel to both Japan and Italy to visit family growing up. Spending time with my grandparents, visiting the farmer’s markets, and getting to eat my grandmother’s cooking were my favorite memories.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: gemnator
Image Credits
Karina Vaca
Gemma Matsuyama
