Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Gonzalez.
Hi Katherine , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
For 17 Summers, I was a food vendor in Northern California farmers markets, I loved ‘the romance’ in all of the fresh picked produce, handmade baked goods, local dairy and meat, local wine & fresh flowers and how it made me feel.
I knew that at the end of each day the market brought a ‘food life’ that I wanted to savor and recreate for my community in the Southern California area of the Coachella Valley.
I took time to put a business plan together and shared my ‘food vision’ at a brunch in a clients home in La Quinta. I created beautiful breakfast dishes with a menu & dishware & linen to give ‘the feel’ and share a sneak peek on how I wanted my place to feel and to share my food story with people in a new restaurant in their own neighborhood. And on that day, I started collecting funds in support of my food vision, and Chula Artisan Eatery was born in 2017.
My commitment to sourcing with small producers and buying from local growers while reinventing family recipes in the Coachella Valley has not changed.
In 2022 Food Network called us and gave us an opportunity to film a segment with Guy Fieri, who seeks out scratch kitchens/restaurants. We also have been featured in many magazines like LOCALE Magazine & Palm Springs Life.
Today, we operate 2 unique scratch kitchen restaurants in the Coachella Valley, Chula Artisan Eatery and The Blushing Peony Wine Bar & Cafe, and hope to keep building on our premise of supporting local and sourcing quality ingredients for our community and visitors.
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?
Every business faces challenges, but we have stayed positive and become creative which has helped us persevere through the hardest first years of a new restaurant. We survived Covid by diversifying the business offering with local food delivery, daily menu and operating changes. We became a community grocery store offering delivery, catering and fresh take out for our customers.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a business owner and chef of two stores, I am constantly creating seasonal menus, planning Special Events like Farm Dinners & Wine Dinners, training staff, teaching cooking classes and Catering.
No day is ever the same as the last as I thrive on change, creativity and perfecting my craft. I have always wanted my customers to experience the WOW Factor when dining in my restaurants or sitting in my cooking class. I take great pride in artfully constructing every dish with locally sourced ingredients, quality and big flavor.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
The total customer experience matters most. There are so many factors that have to align just right so that the service, the vibe of atmosphere/environment and food quality all come together as one.
When I go out for a meal, I look for the same things: Quality, creativity, service, and finesse. That’s what brings me back.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chulaeatery.com
- Other: www.theblushingpeonycafe.com
Image Credits
LOCALE Magazine
Coachella Magazine
Lily Mindell
Amber Linn Photography & Events
