Meet Abreaze Parra | Holistic chef/restaurant owner

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

Hi Abreaze, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was raised in Paonia, Colorado. As a child I was raised surrounded by organic farms and fruit orchards. Pulling your food straight out of the ground was always much more normal to me than going through a drive through. As a child my mom raised me eating eating real, simple food. As I grew up, it became clear to me that not everyone lived this life style. I think being raised in the North fork valley had a huge influence on where I have found myself today and I am so grateful for the innate knowledge of good food, a healthy life style and community that I have been surrounded by.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Good Love lives true to its name and is a continual reminder of not only the the experience we aim to give my guests but also the way we treat each other and our community through our daily actions. I started Good Love as a catering company with Oakley Moore. Our dreams quickly came falling into our lap and we got the opportunity to open a restaurant/cocktail bar. Our intention was to showcase the beauty our valley has to offer. From the locally grown food and produced wine, beer and spirits to the art displayed on the walls and our late night music scene we have achieved a showcase of art in many forms. I like to think that we are set apart from your average restaurant/cocktail bar because of our mission and our unique community.
I graduated a few years ago with a degree from Bauman College as a Holistic Chef. My mission with food is to nourish all parts. The mind, body and soul. When the opportunity to open a restaurant appeared as a sort of godsent. We got blessed with the best landlord imaginable and a funky little building that I knew as my childhood laundromat ready to be remodeled. This opportunity presented itself as a opportunity for me to create stability for my daughter I had to take it. As my business approaches the end of its first year I am astounded by the amount of personal change I have experienced. I have been truly put to the test and I have learned so many valuable lessons. Realizing that trusting intuition, setting strong boundaries, holding true to high standard and having priorities straight define a huge amount of the success I am capable of achieving.
I am so excited for what the future of my business holds. Going into year two I am focusing on perfecting our service and expanding my menu to be more herbal and nutritionally influenced. I also am expanding my catering services, gearing towards small event catering and retreats with menus intended to nourish. The project I am probably most excited for though, is launching my Chili Crunch business! My chili crunch has become a fan favorite of my customers and I am so excited to see it on shelves.
Through many tears, final pushes, highest of highs and lowest of lows, I am still in disbelief at how fortunate I am to own Good Love.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The ideal day begins with starting the day with coffee at Paeonia Espresso, checking out some of our local shops and art galleries down town and then an afternoon at the wineries. Storm Cellars, Stone Cottage and Alfred Eames are top of the list! To finish the day out of course dinner at Good Love. I would also always recommend checking of the hiking surrounding us. Oh, you also cant miss music at Delicious Orchards on Friday nights!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are a few. Oakley Moore for supporting my dreams and being an amazing bartender and father. My daughter Ziyah for inspiration and patience, and last but not least, my entire staff who have really shown up and make Good Love what it is.

Website: https://www.goodlovepaonia.com

Instagram: @goodlovepaonia

Facebook: Good Love