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The 26-year-old Albanian native moved to the US in 2017, and would go on to work as a chef at Three Oak Steakhouse in Easton. It was there that he met 31-year-old Gangewere, a loyal patron.
The two became a couple in 2021, and discovered they shared the same dream of opening a restaurant. Gashi says Gangewere's support was just what he needed to make his American Dream come true.
Gashi quit his job at Three Oak last August, and that very day, the couple began looking for a place to open a restaurant of their own.
The Orchid is expected to open at 322 E 3rd St. in Bethlehem sometime this spring. The location was formerly home to Molinari's, which closed after more than a decade in business last year.
The Orchid, named after Gashi's 7-year-old sister, will offer steaks, Gashi's specialty, homemade pasta, and more, the couple said.
Gashi is devoted to opening The Orchid with Gangewere, he said.
"I worked long hours at my other job, and I'm willing to work a lot more for myself," he said. "Now that we have our own restaurant, I'm going to be committed to the place — that's all it takes. We will pay attention to the smallest details,"
Gashi knows a thing or two about customer service. He was just 7 years old when he made his first coffee at his dad's cafe back in Albania. He worked there daily until he was 17.
The chef is completely self-taught, having learned everything at his previous job and for years working in the industry in Albania, he said.
It wasn't until he met Gangewere in 2021 that life started getting even better for Gashi, he said.
"A lot of doors opened for me when I came to America," he said. "Probably the best part of my life has been since I met Sammy, nothing but good things have happened," he said. "She's everything I needed."
Check back for an opening date of The Orchid.
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