House of Form
Audio By Carbonatix
While she was studying at Arizona State University, Amber Kovarik would bring a notebook with her to restaurants. She’d jot down thoughts and what she’d change if she had her own spot.
“I’ve had this idea on my heart for as long as I can remember,” she says.
Now, more than 20 years later, she and her husband Mike are opening an all-day restaurant and community spot in downtown Chandler. George & Gather will transform a former auto shop located on Washington Street near Frye Road. It’s slated to make its debut in mid-January 2025.
This is the couple’s first foray into the restaurant business. Kovarik worked in the mortgage industry, while her husband focused on the supply side of food service. But, they decided to take the leap to provide something they feel is missing from the East Valley burg: a restaurant that showcases clean foods in a communal setting.
“I am basically building the dream restaurant that I would love to have,” Kovarik says. “(We’re) really focusing on making delicious, crave-worthy food with ingredients that you can trust. For me, that means as much local and organic as possible, no seed oils and non-GMO.”
While Kovarik says she’s always been into health and fitness, her mindset changed after losing her sister at 32 to cancer.
“I made a decision when that happened that I would be a better version of myself for her,” she says. “She’s inspiring a lot of this as well and I’m so passionate about people being able to put good food in their bodies to live their best and feel their best.”
Amber and Mike Kovarik plan to open their first restaurant, George & Gather, in January.
Amber Kovarik
‘You know what’s not in the food’
George & Gather will be open all day, offering a counter-service breakfast and full-service lunch and dinner. The Kovariks have partnered with Flagstaff chef Fiona Nicholson to consult on the menu.
“We’re a scratch kitchen, so everything is made in-house,” Kovarik says.
In the mornings, specialty coffee drinks and pastries crafted without refined sugar will be available. There will also be gluten-free, vegan, keto and paleo-friendly treats along with traditionally made options.
Breakfast dishes include gluten-free crepes served with honey-sweetened Greek yogurt, berries and almonds; carrot cake pancakes with a cinnamon cream cheese drizzle, pecans and candied ginger; and a savory forbidden rice bowl with roasted vegetables, toasted pine nuts, pesto, arugula and two eggs.
The lunch menu will center around organic salads and sandwiches. The Superfood Salad is comprised of mixed greens, balsamic tomatoes, shredded cabbage, quinoa, parmesan-roasted garbanzo beans, goji berries, pepitas, feta cheese and a lemon honey dijon vinaigrette. Among sandwich selections is pastrami on sourdough with caramelized onions, mustard seeds, fontina and a cactus aioli.
During dinner, guests can choose from small plates, such as herbed goat cheese, entrees and a dozen pizzas made with the restaurant’s 130-year-old sourdough starter. Among those larger plates is braised short rib with cauliflower puree or a three-cheese chicken pizza with truffle honey and basil.
“We want it to be unique,” she says of the pizza dough choice. “But there’s also the health benefits of sourdough.”
Drinks will include iced tea blends created for George & Gather by AZ Zen Tea, along with craft cocktails and mocktails. Kovarik wants to share the ethos for selecting ingredients.
“Part of my passion for this is in educating people,” she says.
But, she’s not calling George & Gather a health-food eatery either.
“It’s not all necessarily healthy stuff, but all of the ingredients are going to be quality. It’s all made from scratch and you know what’s not in the food,” she says.
The Art Deco-inspired restaurant will have a communal, al fresco feel, its owner says, with several walls that open to let in the light and breeze, along with an indoor-outdoor bar.
House of Form
A community gathering spot
Kovarik is just as passionate about the vibe as she is the food at her upcoming restaurant.
“You’re creating moments and memories and experiences for people,” she says. “I love creating experiences beyond what people expect to have.”
The reimagined space will have an airy, al fresco feel with a wall of glass sliders and a roll-up garage door to let in light and the breeze. Taking inspiration from “The Great Gatsby,” the restaurant will feature Art Deco-style decor.
The 80-person dining room will be open seating during breakfast to encourage people to grab a bite and work. The restaurant will shift to more formal dining service over lunch and dinner.
The space features a 36-seat patio with an indoor-outdoor bar and fireplace. The restaurant also includes two private dining spaces, one of which boasts a full kitchen. In that room, Kovarik hopes to host paired farm-to-table dinners that spotlight local growers.
“We want it to be a community gathering spot,” she says.
For those who can’t dine in, there will be a case with grab-and-go items, a wine wall with bottles for purchase and a selection of locally made goods.
As a long-time community member, Kovarik says she and her husband are excited to bring George & Gather to Chandler.
“This is my dream becoming a reality, and I have to pinch myself many days,” she says. “We have a lot of history and love for downtown Chandler so it’s exciting to be able to give back to it.”
George & Gather
Opening in January 2025
336 S. Washington St., Chandler
