Gale's Open Road

GALE GAND

Pastry Chef / Food Network Host

LEADER INFO:

INTERESTS:

Food Television

THEMES DISCUSSED:

Determination Individualism Instincts Opportunity Courage Dedication Inspiration Perseverance Hard Work Passion Character Experience Desire Honesty Choices

FOUNDATION:

Being Creative

BIOGRAPHY:

• When she was in high school, she got into jewelry making; took every class possible, exhausted the school's metal-working classes.
• Found more classes outside of school, negotiated getting extra credit for them; says that's the start of her being a "self-managed person."
• Eventually went to art school to keep pursuing jewelry-making; began to hate it, but loved her after-school waitressing job.
• One day, one of the chefs didn't show up, they threw Gale an apron and said, "You can cook; get in the kitchen."
• She was panicked, but once she stepped into the kitchen, "it was like speaking a language you didn't know you knew...like a calling."
• She quit art school, moved to France for a year; would go into restaurants and ask if she could watch from a corner, would help out with grunt work.
• Friend asked if she could fill a pastry chef position, she didn't know pastry but said yes; says always say yes, even if you don't know how to do something.