For owner Rose Marie Gueta, the restaurant is more than a business. It’s an extension of her family’s passion for food, hospitality, and bringing people together.

A Family Dream

Food has always played an important role in Rose Marie’s life. Inspired by her love of cooking and creating memorable experiences around the table, she and her family set out to build a restaurant that celebrates Filipino culture while welcoming everyone through its doors.

Their vision was simple: create a place where customers could enjoy familiar flavours, discover something new, and feel at home from the moment they arrive.

Rebuilding Through Challenges

Like many entrepreneurs, Rose Marie faced unexpected obstacles along her journey. After a fire incident beside the restaurant forced a temporary closure, the family was faced with the challenge of rebuilding and reopening. During this difficult period, Rose Marie sought support from BACD to strengthen her business knowledge, improve operations, and confidently navigate the road ahead.

Through the Starter Company Plus program, funded by the Government of Ontario and mentorship from advisor Patrice Esper, she received guidance in areas such as marketing, financial planning, food costing, and long-term business strategy.

BACD helped Rose Marie take a step back from the daily demands of running a restaurant and think more strategically about the future of GIMIKZ.

The support she received during the reopening process was particularly meaningful, helping her make informed decisions while rebuilding customer awareness and confidence. The experience also reinforced the importance of planning, adaptability, and continuous learning as a business owner.

A Restaurant Rooted in Community

Today, GIMIKZ Kitchen & Bar employs approximately eight team members and continues to serve the Pickering community with the same family-focused values on which it was founded.

The restaurant has grown through perseverance, learning, and a commitment to creating memorable dining experiences. From special events and live music to everyday family dinners, GIMIKZ continues to bring people together around great food.

Social media has become an important part of the restaurant’s growth strategy. Through Facebook, Instagram, customer photos, videos, special events, and word-of-mouth referrals, Rose Marie and her team have built strong connections with customers and continue to introduce new guests to the GIMIKZ experience.

Their focus remains on sharing authentic stories, celebrating community, and showcasing the people and flavours that make the restaurant unique.

Most Proud of Never Giving Up

The accomplishment Rose Marie is most proud of is successfully reopening the restaurant after an incredibly challenging year.

Seeing customers return, hearing how much they missed the restaurant, and welcoming the community back through the doors reminded her why the hard work was worth it.

She is equally proud of the team and family members who stood together through difficult times and helped keep the dream alive.

Advice for Entrepreneurs

“Don’t feel like you have to know everything before you start.”

Rose Marie encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to ask questions, seek help, keep learning, and take things one step at a time.

Building a business comes with challenges, but growth happens when you’re willing to learn, adapt, and keep moving forward.