Former McDonald’s Owner-Operator Will Bring Four Paris Baguette Locations to the Los Angeles Area

When Gabriel Vesci stepped away from an owner-operator role with McDonald’s in 2020, he could see himself returning to the franchise industry at some point, but he knew he would need to find a special brand to do so. Paris Baguette, the global bakery café franchise with over 160 locations in the U.S., happened to be that perfect fit.

Vesci’s daughter learned of Paris Baguette on social media a few years ago and approached him about getting her birthday cake from them; this was enough to pique his interest. When he stopped to pick up the cakes, Vesci was astonished by the revolutionary model. Now, he has signed to bring four new bakery cafés to the Los Angeles area and is planning to open the first this November.

1851 Franchise spoke with Vesci to learn more about his franchising journey with Paris Baguette and his goals for the future.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Vesci: I was an owner-operator with McDonald’s franchises for about 10 years. Prior to that, I worked at Stanford Hospital and clinics in various positions for about 10 years. I was a finance manager and director of clinical operations and finance.

I originally got into franchising because I realized that I wanted to be accountable for myself. I wanted to create my own path and not have to rely upon corporate America. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Vesci: The franchise model was a phenomenal opportunity for me to alter the course of my life in a positive way. People should understand that knowing the operational piece inside and out is so critical for success. 

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Vesci: A few years ago, my oldest daughter mentioned that these amazing cakes were trending on TikTok, and she just had to have them for her birthday. That was my first indoctrination into Paris Baguette. I picked up the cakes, and I started to look around. It’s an interesting business model. I have an Italian background, so coffee and pastries were ingrained in our upbringing. The concept of good pastries and coffee really resonated with me. 

With my background — knowing how difficult McDonald’s was, operationally — Paris Baguette seemed to have manageable operations without sacrificing phenomenal products. I thought, “This is the future.”

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Vesci: The goal is always lifestyle. It’s about being able to create an opportunity in the future for me to be able to really immerse myself as much as possible with my family and my children and do the things I love to do.

In the shorter term, being able to leverage a business such as this one to give back to my community is an important piece. On top of that, this is a great opportunity to help young people get a start in the workplace. More than just the pay, it’s about seeing young people develop skills and self-confidence to grow with the knowledge that there is someone who believes in them. I’m happy to support people in their growth and journeys and be right there, side-by-side. I will never shy away from that.

And of course, continuing to grow the unit count is a priority. I want to get as large as I possibly can without sacrificing operational excellence. There will be a fine balance.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Vesci: I spent many summers growing up in southern Italy, going to fresh bakeries to get bread, pastries and really, really good Italian coffee every day. I grew up in that environment, I’m familiar with the quality, and I see that in Paris Baguette.

I will also say, my father goes to Paris Baguette almost every day. He enjoys the experience and the atmosphere. He was so excited when I told him I was going to be doing this.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Vesci: Being hands-on and working shoulder-to-shoulder with all of the people in the restaurant is going to make the highest level operator. You really need to immerse yourself with your people, customers, and community.

ABOUT PARIS BAGUETTE: 

Paris Baguette is a bakery café franchise with more than 4,000 units across the globe. The global brand first franchised in the U.S. in 2015 and has since established over 160 locations in markets across the country, making them one of the premier franchise opportunities in their category. Paris Baguette’s primary mission, executed every day by their expert staff of bakers, cakers and baristas, is to provide guests with a warm, welcoming bakery café experience that creates joy for all. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.