Presenting - Michelle Gebhart - A True Renaissance Woman

My Celebrate Toronto article series is startingcost of a few hundred dollars. At one point she
with the Beach, one of Toronto's coolestneeded to get a washing machine hooked up in
neighbourhoods. Not only does the Beach offer athe basement in order to be able to wash the
resort like feel and sports opportunities akin tolinens and napkins on site. She called in a local
Southern California ocean front communities, it isplumber to get an estimate: $900! Michelle figured
also a great entertainment area with a widethat the job would take at the most 20 minutes
variety of restaurant choices.and maybe $50 in parts. She dispatched the
I had heard some interesting things about a fairlyplumber and ended up doing the project herself.
new restaurant called "Michelle's Beach House" andNow here is an empowered woman!
decided it was time to check it out in person andA TV show about restaurant renovations called
meet the owner behind this establishment. Last"Opening Soon" even interviewed Michelle and
Wednesday, after doing some shopping in thetaped the "before" segment with her. When the
local Book City in the Beach I sat down at one ofproduction crew came back to tape the progress
the tables by the window and watched peopleof the project, Michelle and her dad had already
walking back and forth along Queen Street East.finished the renovation. The crew said that they
After settling in I had a chance to take somehad worked too fast and indicated that they
photos of the restaurant and was particularlywould not be able to use the footage after all. As
enchanted by the suspended fish tanks that area result the show about the renovation of
home to a diverse range of brightly colouredMichelle's Beach House never got produced. Talk
tropical fish. One of the fish tanks on the northabout getting punished for working efficiently....
side apparently contains a species of man-eatingShortly before the official opening of the
fish. Fortunately they are well encased in thickrestaurant, Michelle was hosting a special event: a
glass.promotional launch for a winery that had booked
The light-coloured birch and teak décor isher premises for a private event. Michelle had
very avant-guarde, and the two round elevatedbeen doing renovations all day, shoved all the tools
tables in front of the bay windows provide aand materials into various closets, got her clothing
perfect view of the busy street. Walls areand hair fixed up in the last moment - a local
decorated with black and white photos and thestore down the street did her make-up - and
granite bar provides a solid anchor in this stylishafter a hard day's work Michelle played the role of
establishment. Interesting architectural touches arethe gracious hostess all night long.
added by the washrooms, an area that is usuallyOn May 18 finally her establishment opened and
not paid enough attention to by restaurant"Michelle's Beach House" was born. There were a
owners: I have to admit Michelle's Beach Housefew glitches at the beginning, for example a chef
has some of the most attractive restroomwith a super-sized ego. But Michelle doesn't
facilities in town, with cutting edge glass bowltolerate divas in her kitchen, whatever work
vanities and beautiful pictures inside the privateneeds to be done needs to get done. Michelle will
stalls. The hallways are adorned with interestingeven bus the tables herself if the need arises.
oversize art. And interestingly enough, the men'sThe restaurant is certainly hard work. Michelle
and women's washrooms don't have anyactively works every day in both restaurants. If
permanent signs attached. No, the women'sshe opens one place for lunch, she'll close the
restroom is indicated with a bikini, while a pair ofother one after dinner and vice versa. Being
swim trunks signals the men's facilities. Nowpresent on site on a daily basis is very important
someone definitely had a sense of humour here.in maintaining control over quality and costs.
I had arrived a little early and just a couple ofMichelle picks up fresh fish every day at a local
minutes after 7 pm Michelle Gebhart, the ownerfish store and used to handle all the purchasing
of "Michelle's in the Beach", incidentally also theherself, a task that required her to get up at 4
owner of "Michelle's Brasserie" in Toronto's upscaleam every day. Now one of her employees
Yorkville Neighbourhood, arrived. A tall, young andassists her with the procurement tasks.
very attractice-looking woman with a definite flairMichelle loves the kitchen and has done extensive
for fashion introduced herself and after takingcatering. Her philosophy is based on high quality
care of some staff questions, we sat down atfood and fresh ingredients, yet despite the
my table and I got a chance to get to know thisupscale quality of her cuisine, she believes in
successful hospitality entrepreneur.providing solid portion sizes. The menu is changed
Michelle spent her early days growing up as anon a seasonal basis, and she describes the cuisine
"army brat" in Timmins and later moved with herat "Michelle's in the Beach" as French Riviera style
family to British Columbia. Her father, an officerwith lots of olive oil, lemon and various
with the Canadian Armed Forces, is of GermanMediterranean influences. Signature dishes include
descent while her mother, a retired high schoolbouillabaisse, paté, a salad Niçoise
teacher, is from France. She arrived in Toronto asand bacon-wrapped dates.
a teenager and says she always had a CinderellaI asked about the specifics of this restaurant and
complex, being the middle daughter.Michelle indicated that the restaurant has 63 seats
There is no doubt that Michelle is an adventurer:inside with another 87 seats on the patio. Michelle's
at 16 she hitchhiked across the country and laterBeach House is certainly a popular hangout in the
worked on a horse ranch. An even moresummer. Her restaurant frequently hosts
interesting item graces her resume: she used towinemakers' and brewmasters's dinners. Another
run a trap line. When I inquired what that is shespecial initiative are the "Manicure and Martini
explained that she used to trap wilds cats andMondays" which she organizes with a local
beaver for a company that used to sell the peltsmerchant called Five Star Nails. Guests can come
to fur makers. Michelle also tried tamer activitiesin on Mondays and enjoy some pampering, try
such as selling life insurance. At a young age,some tasty appetizers and wash them down with
Michelle got some work experience as a bara martini. Michelle also calls these events "a
tender and soon developed a liking for themanicure + a martini + a mouthful", all at the
hospitality industry.affordable price of $30.00. At her Yorkville location
After high school Michelle took a program inshe organizes the same event as a collaboration
graphic design, but she never worked in that field.with Jeanette's Spa.
But her keen eye for design shows, both in theWith all these interesting initiatives, there certainly
tasteful, modern design of her restaurant, and herhasn't been much time for riding her motorcycle,
personal taste in fashion. Soon Michelle decided toone of Michelle's favourite pastimes. Michelle owns
open her own business, and started a restauranta V-Star 1100 Yamaha Cruiser and had it
called "Michelle's Alibi" in Newmarket, butcustomized. This past year she did not get to ride
unfortunately a business partnership with a friendmuch at all, not surprising considering she has her
went sour. Michelle says she got "cleaned out" byhands full running two restaurants. She wants to
her business partner and went back to becomingstart building her own motorbikes, and I don't
an employee. She worked for a time for thedoubt for a second that she has the skills to do it.
Founders Club at the Skydome and gainedEven though her time on the road is limited, she
valuable experience in the high-end hospitalitystill regularly socializes with her friends form the
business.Silverados, and has been inducted into the Royal
Michelle was offered a location for her ownOrder of the Silverados for her community work.
restaurant in Yorkville five times, but she turnedIncidentally, Los Silverados is a group of
all those offers down. In 2002 she finally mademotorcycle aficionados (definitely not a gang) that
the jump and created La Brasserie in one ofstarted in August of 1997 with the goal of raising
Toronto's most upscale entertainment districts.money for the Yonge Street Mission, an
She was not deterred by setbacks such as herorganization that helps the poor and
partner bailing out on her, or the SARS epidemicdisadvantaged of Toronto, regardless of race,
which hit Toronto's hospitality and tourism industryreligion or background. The motto of Los
like a ton of bricks back in 2003.Silverados is "To make a contribution and to
With a lot of determination and hard work Michelleenjoy the ride" and their website explains that the
made it through those tough times, and in latename is derived as follows: Los = "the" and
2005 she started to look for another restaurantSilverados ="people with silver in their hair, silver in
location. She chose the Beach for her newtheir jeans who are looking for life's silver
venture and started to look at differentlining"....the name could come from a mine in
properties. A placed called "Stoney's Sports Bar"Mexico, or from a pickup truck - no one knows
had gone out of business, and when Michelle had afor sure. I did not even realize that there was a
look at the property, she saw a sugar locust treemotorcycle group out there whose stated mission
growing on the backyard patio. The same type ofis to make a positive contribution to the
tree is growing at her Yorkville restaurant, socommunity.
Michelle saw this as a sign and bought the locationOne thing that Michelle does take time for is her
in November of 2005.dog "Puppy". She bought the Bernese mountain
Due to a very busy winter season at herdog & golden retriever mix as a Christmas
Yorkville Restaurant, Michelle postponed thegift for her brother's children two days in advance
renovation of her new location to March of 2006of the holidays and fell in love with him instantly. It
and then rolled up her sleeves and got to workwas definitely going to be hard to give him up, but
on completely gutting the existing establishment.fortunately Michelle's employees pooled their
The centerpiece, the heavy oak booths, themoney and bought her a pure-bread golden
drywall, everything was removed, and Michelleretriever as a present which she could give to her
could get started on her own design.brother, allowing her to hold on to Puppy. Not
But Michelle did not only take care of the designsurprisingly, Michelle's Beach House is a dog-friendly
and the organization of the renovation, she wasrestaurant, and Puppy often hangs out in the
right in there, working herself on the plumbing, thebackyard.
electrical, she cut the granite for the bar'sAs we were getting close to wrapping up our
countertop, laid the flooring, put up the drywall.conversation, out of the corner of my eyes I
Some of the renovation tidbits included ripping outsaw our waiter approaching with two sample
ceilings with dead mice dropping the floor. Despiteappetizers: Michelle's famous baked clams with
all these minor details, Michelle and her dadherbed bread crumbs and the renowned
completely restructured the premises and finishedbacon-wrapped dates served with grapes and
the renovation about two months later. Todayonion chutney. Both were exquisite and the dates
she has a gorgeous looking restaurant to showjust melted in my mouth. But her business
for.needed her attention, so Michelle had to excuse
She had a few extra helpers: teenagers from aherself and return back to work. Meanwhile I had
downtown Toronto drop-in location called thea chance to sample the menu.
Evergreen Youth Drop-In Centre assisted her withI ordered a potato soup topped with gruyere
the construction. Michelle regularly volunteers forcheese and bacon as the first course and a
this organization. Every other Monday she cooksCanadian cheese plate as a second course. Michelle
for the kids, donates the food and brings along asent over her talented chef, Ben, who explained
few of her employees to make it all happen. Thethe ingredients to me: the Canadian cheese plate
Evergreen Centre has a day-care centre, providesincludes a Benedictine Blue, a Canadian Brie and a
initial housing for teenagers and helps street kidschevre goat cheese. Walnuts, cut grapes and
with job search efforts.dried berries add a pleasant counterpoint to the
I asked Michelle how she connected with thetasty cheeses and a fresh warm baguette
Evergreen Centre, and she said her motorcycleaccompanies the delicacies. I thoroughly enjoyed
group, "Los Silverados", regularly donates to thisthe atmosphere and the Canadian-Mediterranean
organization. My jaw dropped: I had thought I onlyspread.
had a talented hospitality entrepreneur in front ofI took a picture of Michelle's entire crew this
me; now it dawned on me that I was talking to aWednesday evening and I could tell this bunch of
woman who is able to do plumbing, electrical andyoung people enjoyed their jobs and the
construction work; a woman who rides aatmosphere. As Michelle was attending to her
motorcycle; and a woman who regularlyresponsibilities I had a chance to savour her
volunteers at a downtown youth drop-in centre,restaurant's cuisine and reflect on a woman with
using her own time and resources.....so many interesting and unexpected facets- a
If I was wearing a hat I would have taken it offmulti-talented Renaissance woman and
at this point. Being a totally hopeless klutz myself,entrepreneur who cares about the community. I
a woman who can operate power tools (includingfigured that in her modesty, there were so many
a motor cycle) and who does community workthings that this intriguing woman did not even
will always get my attention.share with me.
All the while Michelle kept insisting that there isAfter our personal meeting I visited the website
nothing to her story, she claimed she really didn'tfor Michelle's Brasserie and was struck by the
have anything interesting to share, and the morewelcome message on her home page:
I listened to her I realized that despite herAs we sit at the bar called life, precariously
modesty, I was talking to a multi-talented,balancing our overfilled glass of morals, snacking
multi-faceted, highly unusual woman right then andon plates of somewhat mediocre integrity, one
there. I started to enjoy the conversation moremust ask why?
and more.I believe we are always in search of something
Michelle's design in the guest bathroom called for anew to shake up the martini we call life. We
stylish bowl-type vanity, the type of vanity that iswander from establishment to establishment in
really in fashion right now and can cost severalthe hope that somewhere, someone will offer the
thousand dollars. Michelle simply went to Homeultimate pimento to fill our proverbial olive.
Depot, bought several components, andMichelle's was created to fill this need.
constructed her leading edge vanity itself at aMay you find your pimento with us.