Gabriella Massaglia

Gabriella Massaglia is an event planner, coordinator, and veteran hospitality leader. Born in Torino at the foot of the Italian Alps, she brought her rich culinary heritage to Philadelphia in the early 1980s to work alongside her brother at La Grolla, the city's pioneer of Northern Italian dining. Working at La Grolla before a formal local restaurant scene truly existed, Gabriella felt very much a part of Philadelphia's culinary Renaissance, a historic era when a small group of passionate Italian families helped lay the foundation for the city to become the world-class food destination it is today. This deep family legacy was defined by unforgettable culinary mastery, from her mother’s legendary handmade pasta to her brother’s famed 18-course venison dinners. It was during this foundational time that she created deeply immersive events combining food and history for the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and the Caterina de Medici Society—with the historic Five Mothers dinner remaining one of her proudest career achievements.

Gabriella later branched out to launch Gabriella Catering, establishing a decades-long legacy of executing meaningful events for regular clients like Chef Georges Perrier, Neil Stein, Governor Ed Rendell, and Beneficial Bank. Luciano Pavarotti's Art Show at the Philadelphia Library was the public event that proudly launched her independent catering career.

Today, Gabriella channels her lifetime of logistical expertise into full-time event coordination and hands-on workshops that blend a love of Italian food with history and personal memory. Deeply rooted in her Northern Italian heritage, she values the unique challenges and unexpected joys of live hospitality, tailoring every gathering to the character of the venue. To Gabriella, planning a successful event takes a village; it is like conducting an orchestra and a theater rehearsal all in one. A fierce advocate for collaborative teamwork, she brings a deep respect to every single team member's involvement.

When she isn't choreographing the moving pieces of a beautiful event, Gabriella can be found on the dance floor, channeling that same precision and passion into learning new steps for her biannual ballroom showcases.