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Meet John Gilbert, Catering Character

By Luke Gildemeister

If anybody has had a nontraditional route to working in the catering industry, it’s John Gilbert.

Gilbert, the founder and president of G Texas Custom Catering, oversees daily business transactions for his company, which now has over 170 employees. Gilbert’s path to leading G Texas is a story to be told. Persevering through a childhood filled with heartbreak and setbacks, Gilbert was first introduced to catering while attending Dallas County Community College. Of all places, his early hands-on catering experience came through working at an amusement park.

“I started in the theme park industry. I did large picnics and events for Six Flags,” says Gilbert. “That got me interested. I got to know some caterers in the industry and region, and eventually decided to go off on my own and start my own business.”

In 2002 Gilbert founded G Texas, which started as a small family company. “I was the chef,” says Gilbert. “I catered with a couple of friends and family members.” Throughout the decade, as G Texas formed relationships with a larger and more diverse clientele base, Gilbert expanded his staff.

The company has a different feel today. “I am not as involved now,” says Gilbert. “I am overseeing the process. Our venues are way more diverse. More guys in the kitchen with more experience has enabled us to add a lot more diversity to our menus.”

One guiding principle has remained with Gilbert through his decades of working within the industry. “We take the good with the bad,” says Gilbert. “We focus on how we can be doing business with [clients] long-term. Building partnerships is what you call it.” In addition to forming positive partnerships with clients, Gilbert hopes to provide valuable experience for his G Texas employees.

“I was lucky enough to meet guys that taught me [about] the industry and food,” says Gilbert. “I have tried to do the same for people in the industry and within our organization, and build them up the same way.” G Texas is currently teaming up with local culinary institutes to provide internship experiences to prospective employees, and, hopefully, to eventually add new full-time employees.

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