grew up in Romania, where food was never just fuel. It was community, culture and care on a plate — cooking from scratch, fruit and veg shops on every corner, and farmers’ markets woven into everyday life.

Food has always been in my blood. I started at the very bottom as a commis chef and worked my way up to Junior Sous Chef in a Michelin-starred kitchen. But it was this little shop in Brampton that truly captured me — first as a customer, falling for its produce and its people.

When the previous owners retired after five years, I couldn’t bear to watch it disappear. I had felt first-hand how much it means to this town, so I did everything in my power to buy it. At the end of January, I took over — a fresh start, and a new chapter I’m now writing as Little Gem.

I also live with a chronic illness, and it has quietly taught me something I hold close: