Queer Women We Love, Red Hot Entrepreneurs, Wonder Women

Workin’ It 2010

November 8, 2010 Cheryle Burke, Kat Long

Some chefs spend years in pricey culinary institutes trying to master natural foods. Deborah Gavito, proprietor of the snazzy NYC vegetarian restaurant Counter, learned the art of cooking with seasonal produce and edible weeds from her grandmothers. Gavito’s early fascination with natural cooking has grown into a long-time dedication to local and sustainable foods: her first venture, an all-natural baked goods business called Body & Soul, debuted in 1993. She sold her scrumptious treats at the Union Square Greenmarket, where she developed an appreciation for family farmers, and earned enough dough (pun intended) to open Counter in 2003. As Counter’s proprietor, Gavito designs fresh vegetarian fare, biodynamic wines and cleverly named organic vodka martinis (one is called “The Angry Lesbian”). “I waited on tables years and years ago, but other than that, I’ve only worked for myself,” Gavito says. “I don’t think I could take orders from any one else.”

45 of 2010’s Red Hot Entrepreneurs

A multi-faceted director, producer, writer, actor and businesswoman, Kanithea Powell began her career in the arts as one of the founding members of the Orlando Black Theatre, that city’s first African-American theater company. She directed, produced and performed in several plays before taking her creative acumen to Atlanta, where she founded Qwest Films, a motion picture company, in 2003. Now located in Washington, D.C., Qwest is one of the most successful lesbian-owned production houses; Powell’s latest release, Finding Juliet, has appeared in more than 13 film festivals. This award-winning entrepreneur has also launched Qwestfilms.com, Qwest Productions and Qwest Casting to complement the original brand, and will soon unveil Qwest TV. Powell suggests that budding entrepreneurs should “be audacious in your goal setting, and surround yourself with great people who make you feel that you, too, can be great.”