A year after Gov. Pat Quinn led the groundbreaking ceremonies, $80 million Cinespace is starting to come together like the major Hollywood-like studio complex it promised it would be.
Gala Catering is the first L.A.-based company to announce setting up permanent shop at Cinespace, with full-scale plans for expansion ready to go.
“With them, we are getting off to a great start in building our vision of a total, one-stop, film friendly community,” says Cinespace general manager Alex Pisseos, with more vendor move-ins to follow shortly.
Gala Catering, a 30-year old, national company with branches in four locations, is serious about becoming a permanent fixture here. “We’re here for the long haul,” says Gala founder/owner Fred Gabrielli.
“We’re treating Chicago like a location right now, but if everything goes as planned, we will be operating Chicago headquarters by the first of the first of the year.”
Gala’s biggest commitment is the building and equipping of a 10,000-sq. ft. commissary, in partnership with Cinespace, on the second floor of the Cafeteria Building on 16th Street, where “Boss” and “Chicago Fire” offices and sets are located.
The yet-unnamed commissary will have a fully-equipped restaurant kitchen staffed with 30 full-time employees, who will serve sit-down breakfast, lunch and dinner to Cinespace tenants. It will also serve as the venue for the many private events that are held at the studio.
Gabrielli also plans to open “a nice little pub” across the street in first floor space in a smaller building, for the exclusive use of production personnel.
“We’re also thinking of adding a couple of more food trucks for fresh juice and coffee and hot dogs,” he says.
When both sites are completed, Gabrielli expects Gala will have 50 to 60 employees.
Capability to feed 500 persons per meal
Gala is presently catering Starz “Boss,” NBC’s upcoming “Chicago Fire” and MTV’s “Underemployed” series. There is a possibility that a pair of big budget features may land at Cinespace this fall for which Gala will ramp up operations.
Heading Gala’s Chicago branch is partner Donna Cushing, a culinary chef who has been with Gala for 20 years, and works with a staff of 12.
“We have the capacity to feed 500 persons per meal with our equipment,” she says. “We have three trucks assigned to each show and staff of four to five caters each meal. Extra staff is hired as needed and we have had no trouble finding good workers.”
Figuring also in Gabrielli’s plans are “a couple more food trucks, for fresh juice and coffee and maybe a hot dog truck” to bring the total number of food service trucks up to a dozen on the premises.
Gabrielli says his commitment to the new location is so strong that he has is looking for condos to buy for Cushing and for himself.
Gala Catering is headquartered in Sunland; California and has operations in L.A., New Orleans, Atlanta and Boston.
