Meet Gaby Ducourtial of Gaby’s Gourmandise

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gaby Ducourtial. 

Hi Gaby, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Growing up in the rural Loire Valley of France, my twin sisters and I enjoyed the bounty of fresh produce that was available at our fingertips and the craftsmanship of the many boulangerie and patisserie. My mom would often lovingly comment “vous aimez tous les bonnes choses,” that we loved “the good things” in life. 

It was my love of food and how it brings folks together that led me to become a chef, training in Michelin-rated restaurants in Paris. I fell in love with San Francisco during a school trip and moved there in my early twenties, where I honed my craft as Executive Chef in restaurants throughout the city, as well as Tasting Chef and Manager in a large fine dining catering company. I enjoy inspiring everyday people to fall in love with cooking, just like I did, and also spent many years as a culinary instructor in Berkeley, California. 

It has been my dream to bring traditional and unique treats from my little corner of France to a shop of my own. In 2020, my wife and I got married and months later, moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to be closer to family and to be part of the booming West Michigan food community. 

I began my journey in Grand Rapids by selling my goodies at the Fulton Street Farmers’ Market. Not too long after, a unique opportunity to be part of the Downtown Market Grand Rapids came to me. In May 2021 (just over 2 months after our baby arrived!), I opened Gaby’s Gourmandise. It’s been quite a journey of many firsts and new adventures. 

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 – while “gourmandise” may literally translate to gluttony in English, it is something more in the French language. Gourmandise is an appreciation of something so good, so indescribable that you cannot help but indulge. 

It is my hope that my customers smell, taste, and feel the love I have for food and my pleasure in sharing it with the world. 

Gaby was previously known as Jean-Gabriel Ferrandon and, as such, previous interviews and press refer to him as such. His current name is Jean-Gabriel Ducourtial.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest struggles has been recruiting and maintaining skilled staff in the kitchen, as well as front-of-the-house staff. We’ve had some great folks come work with us who then had to return to school or to other obligations that pulled them from the area. When we have more stable staff, we would like to expand our catering services and participate in farmers’ markets and events. Staffing challenges and rising food costs have affected us as they have many other small businesses in the industry.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Gaby’s Gourmandise?
Gaby’s Gourmandise brings centuries-old, traditional recipes and techniques to modern life, with a focus on local, sustainable, organic produce and ingredients. Gaby’s Gourmandise seeks to fill a niche in West Michigan for high-quality, authentic French baked goods. I bring decades of experience and a drive for perfection to all of my recipes and products. I’ve also found that my skills are unique in the culinary world, as I’m experienced in both sweet and savory foods. Although Gaby’s Gourmandise focuses on desserts and sweet treats, we also offers sandwiches, tartines (toast loaded with veggies and/or meat and cheese), soups, and salads. We’ve recently began serving sweet and savory crepes, as well. Some of our most popular items include cream puffs (flavors include pistachio, cardamom, chocolate, and coffee, as well as a current seasonal pumpkin spiced cream puff), chocolate chip cookies with Valrhona chocolate, madeleines, seasonal fruit tartelettes, and quiches.

Much of the vegetables, fruits, dairy, eggs, and honey that we use come from local farmers, including Visser Farms, Green Wagon Farm, Mooville, and Melody Bee Farms, and we’re continuously looking to expand that list. We also use organic flour and organic cane sugar.

In addition to our daily menu, we also are able to do make custom cakes, including wedding cakes and dessert spreads. One of our popular specialty items is the croquembouche, a tower of cream puffs held together with homemade caramel usually served at weddings in France. Our clients who’ve ordered croquembouche have commented how pleased their guests were with such a unique item. It’s incredibly satisfying to see how our customers’ faces light up when they bite into a cream puff for the first time or are handed their special birthday cake. Knowing that I’ve brought a little joy and indulgence to people’s lives makes the long hours and hard work that I put into my business all worth it.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I really enjoy music and even got into DJing at a local bar while I was living in San Francisco. 

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?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

Image Credits
Ryan Brinkerhoff
Avery Phillips