Fresh Face: GEM’s Catering

Cooking has always been a big part of Emily Gisselle Gonzalez’ life. Growing up in Puerto Rico, she was constantly in the kitchen with her family. Her grandma’s house is where everyone would gather, and those gatherings would always include lots and lots of food.

When it came to cooking, things didn’t change much for Emily after she moved to the United States at age 12. As an adult, she even took over for her grandma as the main host of family events.

In 2018, she took all of that experience and her love for cooking and channeled it into opening GEM’s Catering. Her new business provided an array of food options to customers—from Puerto Rican fare to Dominican, Cuban, Asian, Jamaican, and just about anything else you can imagine.

“I’m limitless—I can do whatever a customer wants,” Emily said. “But when you dig in, it feels like grandma’s cooking. It’s love, without the word ‘love’ being said.”

GEM’s Catering has grown quickly and currently serves parties of up to 300 at more than 25 events a month. Emily also opened a storefront in Downtown Lancaster with take-out options to serve the greater community through food. Her hopes are for continued growth for GEM’s Catering by opening a second kitchen and purchasing vans that will allow her to host even more and even larger events.

Stop by for a bite at GEM’s Catering at 601 North Queen Street.

Want to discover more local? Follow Fig on Facebook and Instagram for inspiration.