Born to farming parents in his native Lebanon, Pierre El Hajjar began his career at the age of 8, making bread alongside his mother. It was a career from which he never wavered. Upon graduating from culinary school in 1999, Pierre earned rave reviews at many hotels and restaurants, becoming a certified Red Seal Chef. He has been honoured with the Pears Award for outstanding Nutrition Education and Health initiatives, and in 2017 was named Diversity Champion for reasons that have now become apparent to all.
Named after the Greek goddess Gaia, ancestral mother of all-natural things, Gaia’s Urban Eatery opened its doors in Charlottetown in 2021. Featuring an irresistibly diverse menu of international vegetarian and vegan dishes created by chef Pierre El Hajjar, the restaurant wows guests with the blending of flavours from around the globe.
Chef Pierre says that eating vegetarian and vegan food created from Earth’s bounty—vegetables, legumes, spices and fruits—is one of the most enjoyable ways of living in harmony with nature. It is food that lies at the very root of human existence, uniting all of humankind: vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike.
