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

When attorney Bevin Branland-
ingham was laid off from a real estate firm in 2008, she decided to go it alone. Her practice, The Best Little Law Firm in Brooklyn, offers real estate and entertainment services as well as legal self-advocacy coaching; Bran-landingham frequently works with LGBT clients. “Being out has only enhanced my career,” Branlandingham says. “I think that other than legal expertise, the key element in picking a good attorney match for a client is personality. Being an out queer is an essential part of who I am and why my clients trust me.” Branlandingham finds work- ing for herself conducive to her other careers: performance artist, activist and “flamboyant femmecee” at Rebel Cupcake and other queer events. “Keeping my legal work focused on a couple of areas and keeping costs down enables the firm to provide clients with lower cost legal work and allows my work to be more portable,” Branlandingham says. “I travel a lot for performance opportunities and I work from the road quite effectively.”