Meet Sydney Gavin | Business Owner & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sydney Gavin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sydney, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Teaching our community how to prepare wholesome, zero-waste meals that are budget friendly is a passion of ours. Don’t get me wrong, we love butter and cream too…but when you see the positive impact these skills have on people, their families or communities– it truly warms our hearts.

There are the obvious factors; cooking for yourself or your family saves money and helps you make healthier choices overall, but there are social and economical impacts, too. A healthy diet can prevent chronic illnesses; creating a delicious home cooked meal that you are proud of builds confidence; cooking at home reduces food waste; making a meal with your family at home fosters intimate relationships.

Food has always had a unique and powerful way to bring people together for a variety of reasons—both practical and emotional. From shared meals to cultural rituals, food plays a central role in human connection, and we simply love that.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I got where I was today by trusting the process, and making a ton of mistakes early-on. It helped me learn what worked and what didn’t. I also observed a lot of what *not* to do– I felt this towards so many leaders throughout different organizations and was inspired to not be like them in certain ways, and apply only the parts I found beneficial. When it comes to challenges, accountability is key. Look at your own decisions, behavior, process– and do better next time.

My path has been far from easy. I was a single mother at 19, and have been working and managing businesses and people for 20 years. I now own my own dream business and while it isn’t easy, we are doing amazing things every day by bringing people together over a shared love of food. PREP is a truly special place; you can feel the warmth and light the moment you walk into the shop.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
YES I love this ok, we would:
Do at least 1 hike at Peter’s Canyon.
Walk up and down the pier and Main St. in Seal Beach and visit the shops.
Grab some hot wings and beer at Seal Beach Bar & Grill.
Grab a dinner (chicken parm with spicy rosa sauce) at Romano Cucina in Sunset.
Take the dogs to Dog Beach in Huntington.
Drive down to Laguna for a morning snorkel and do a full beach day + sunset.
Grab a slice from Taste of NY Pizzeria in Seal Beach.
Visit the little boutique wine bar at PREP Cooking Classes, and follow up with a fun cooking class- I’d choose the Peruvian class (our saltado green sauce + tres leches is to die for).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to the entire team at PREP. These women have been a blessing to both me personally, and my business. Their ownership, support and willingness to step up is truly appreciated. I like to say that for our small businesses, the community is the bloodline that keep us going, but the staff is the heart. And PREP has one of the biggest, best hearts I’ve ever known.

Website: https://prepcookingclasses.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepcookingclasses/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneygavin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PREPcookingclasses

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/prep-cooking-classes-seal-beach?osq=prep+cooking