Emmanuella A.

Emmanuella grew up between Nigeria and the United States before moving to Toronto. Raised on her mom’s African cooking, Emmanuella developed an interest in food early on. Today, she describes her role at Eataly as both her very first job and her first love.

In 2019, Emmanuella joined the Grand Opening Team at Eataly Toronto Yorkville working as a QSR Sales Associate. She assumed roles in different stations and eagerly embraced the opportunity to keep learning, initially training as a Table Support and later becoming a Server in our full-service restaurants. Emmanuella then joined her second Grand Opening Team in 2024, this time at Eataly Don Mills as a Server.  A few months later, she was promoted to Lead Server.

Emmanuella has shown her tendency to go above and beyond by stepping into different roles as needed, supporting new team members, and maintaining a high standard of service even during the busiest shifts. She has had a notable impact on the team, leading with confidence and professionalism, all while continuing to build her product knowledge. Her teammates see her as someone who leads by example and is always willing to help.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Eataly so far? 
“Opening after the COVID-19 pandemic was memorable because the atmosphere was electric, and I remember sometimes I would scoop 80 gelato a day.”

What is your favorite part of your job? 
“As a Lead Server, my job is like a balancing act. I love being present on the floor with team members but also being able to zoom out and solve any needs around the restaurant.  It’s very exciting to engage with so many different people and learn diverse ways of communication so we can work well as a team.”

What have you learned since joining Eataly?
“Starting my journey with QSR and then moving over to the restaurant side has helped me learn so much about myself as a person. I’ve realized that I’m not complacent – I’m somebody who always aims to grow and find more exciting opportunities.”

What do you enjoy doing outside of Eataly? 
“I just love karaoke and singing but especially getting to have other people there with me. I’m also a homebody, so even having my friends come over to my place and watch a show or just sit down can be the best time.”

Here is Emmanuella in action!