Celebrating Women in Business This International Women’s Day

_{Image: Local business women Gabriella, Tatiana and Antonetta} 

Throughout the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, female business owners are shaping the local economy with resilience, creativity and heart.

When Gabriella Cavuoto and her husband took over European Cafe on The Parade in 1979, there was no such thing as a work/life balance.

It was an era when many male business owners relied on their partners to raise a family and do most of the domestic labour.

Female contributions in the kitchen were often overlooked as well, but Gabriella was the chef for more than 30 years while turning the European into a Norwood institution.

At one stage she presided over an all-female kitchen, an experience that she describes as “amazing”.

While many of the male chefs she worked with learned their craft in culinary training institutes, her female colleagues also brought skills and recipes learned from family members.

“In that sense, it was like bringing the entire community into the kitchen.

It wasn't as valued then, but now I see more female chefs opening their own restaurants and hear about male chefs calling in on their nonnas because there are skills and recipes that they don't learn in college.” 

Across The Parade, Tatiana Sukhoverkhova’s business journey began when she relocated to Australia in 2017 with the dream of creating something meaningful in her adopted home.

Since then she has grown Bunchilicious from a small business making handmade gifts into a premium chocolate studio that caters to all manner of special occasions.

Running a small business means looking after everything from production and marketing to customer care, all while maintaining exceptional standards.

But there are moments that make it all worthwhile.

When internationally-based clients order gifts for loved ones in Adelaide, she will send a photo of the recipients with their bouquets.

“Being able to create that connection, and then reading their heartfelt feedback, is one of the most meaningful parts of what I do,” she says.

Like many entrepreneurs, she continues to work on balancing business and personal life, but she has found strength in a growing network of female founders in the area.

“The Norwood, Payneham & St Peters area has a strong sense of community and a vibrant small business culture,” she says.

“Customers here genuinely value quality, creativity and personalised service, which makes it an inspiring environment to grow a local studio like Bunchilicious.”

She has also noticed a growing sense of connection with other female business leaders, “and we genuinely support one another.

I’ve built friendships with other women in business, and seeing these female founders build meaningful brands and lead with confidence is both inspiring and empowering.”

The theme of resilience also resonates with Antonetta Quinzi, who runs Quinzi's Confectionery with her husband Joe.

“Someone once told me, 'if you want to get a job done, ask a busy person,' and that really stuck with me,” she says.

Since joining Quinzi's 30 years ago, the twin responsibilities of managing a business and a family have ensured that the busy times have rarely stopped.

“Joe and I have always been a good team,” she says.

“That's a good thing, because it was literally just the two of us at the start, but we've grown the business and now have six employees.”

As the business expanded, so did the demands on her time.

That meant calling on her community for help.

“I was very lucky to have my in-laws and my parents to help with picking the children up from school and things like that,” she says.

“Without them, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay at work as long as I have.”

Balancing work responsibilities with the demands of home life is a theme that resonates with all three businesswomen, and Tatiana admits that “when you care deeply about what you create, it can be hard to switch off.”

But despite the demands, their work remains deeply rewarding.

And being based in the Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council area means that the sense of community extends well beyond their families and social circles.

It's a place where success is measured by connection as well as profit, and Gabriella enjoys spending time on The Parade so much that she recently moved just down the road from The European Cafe.

“We love being so close to the city,” adds Antonetta.

The Council is incredibly supportive and we've grown so much we're bursting at the seams, but we'll do anything we can to avoid moving before we have to.”