Ghetto Gastro founders Jon Gray, Lester Walker and Pierre Serrao are on a mission to turn breakfast into a day-defining moment. This week, the Black-owned, Bronx-based culinary collective is bringing its inspiring take on the morning meal to Target through an exclusive collection of bold-flavored breakfast offerings. (Think Sweet Potato Pancake & Waffle Mix, Spicy Maple Syrup, Chocolate Raspberry Toaster Pastries and more, all under $10.)
Want a closer look at the Ghetto Gastro brand and Target-exclusive collection?
We chatted with the Ghetto Gastro founders to learn more about how they aim to elevate your plate.
What's the meaning behind your company’s name “Ghetto Gastro”?
Our intention is to take the idea of where we’re from to create something special and reinvent the vernacular. Similar to hip-hop, taking disparate ideas and sampling culture to form an ethos. To us, ‘ghetto’ represents resilience, innovation and creativity — it means home; and the ‘gastro’ signifies our intention to revolutionize your palate in thoughtful ways.
What is it about food that inspires and ignites your team?
Food is a link to history. For us, when you honor food history, you honor ancestral histories of humankind. It’s a portal into culture and a way to connect with people you might not typically connect with otherwise. Break bread to build bridges.
Your exclusive line of breakfast products is launching at Target. Why breakfast?
When we think of breakfast, we think of routines and rituals. We want to push the envelope by turning that first meal into a day-defining, must-have moment. It’s where we connect conscious cuisine and better living to yield higher results for your day. Naturally, we chose pantry staples that we felt needed a fresh perspective and some excitement.
What are some unexpected ways to serve these items?
These food items are more than viable breakfast options. Take our pastries, toast them up for a midday delight or eat them out of the pack for an on-the-go snack. Whip up a stack of pancakes with our original mix and top them with land caviar [slang for tonburi, an edible Japanese seed], crème fraîche, chives and our maple cider syrup — or try our sweet potato mix with smoked sorghum butter and crispy cauliflower and our spicy maple syrup. The mix is perfect for a late-night fix or a savory switch. We want guests to feel empowered to flex their creativity when they’re in the kitchen.
What do you hope Target guests take away from Ghetto Gastro?
We want people to continue to foster meaningful relationships with food and the people they share it with.
Ghetto Gastro products will be available in select Target stores and Target.com, as well as through our industry-leading, free same-day services (no membership required), beginning July 30. Prices start at $5.99, with all products under $10.
