From the age of 7, I knew I wanted to be a chef—it was the only career I ever dreamed of. Instead of going to culinary school, I jumped straight into the industry, landing my first line chef job at 17. I worked tirelessly in kitchens until, at 20, I developed severe eczema, which later turned out to be triggered by gluten. The rashes on my hands became unbearable, making it impossible to continue in the career I had worked so hard for. At a crossroads, I did what anyone would do—moved to Italy for seven months. When I returned home, I took a job at a local coffee shop, where my boss became an incredible mentor. She guided me through the process of filing permits to start my own cottage food operation. allowing me to bring my love of food to life in a new way. At 25, I officially launched Excited to Eat as a business. A 100% vegan and gluten-free home bakery. What started as a pre-order menu for the holidays quickly evolved when I realized I could connect with more people through farmers’ markets. After I tried my first artisan bread loaf, I knew this was something that needed to be shared. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s the absolute best gluten free bread out there. Ocean Beach was my first market—if you’ve ever tried to get in, you know it’s a game of persistence. After chasing Dave down with my papers, I finally got my shot, and I’ll always be grateful for that opportunity. Now, Excited to Eat is a growing presence at Ocean Beach, Little Italy, and La Jolla farmers’ markets. Though I started as a one-woman operation, I’ve begun expanding my team and working toward moving into a commercial kitchen. My goal is simple: to serve the vegan and gluten-free community with high-quality, freshly baked from scratch goods. As we continue to grow, I’m exploring opportunities for investors and expansion—first across California and, one day, nationwide. This journey started with a dream, a challenge, and a whole lot of determination—and it’s only just beginning.
- Gabriella Quattrone
owner & operator of Excited to Eat