Reader Restaurant Awards' Big Personalities: Gaby Alves

This year we initiated the "Restaurant Personality of the Year" category as a nod to some of the people who make Beijing's dining scene what it is. We thought it'd be fun to have these personalities "interview" each other, so we invited each of the 13 nominees to contribute questions, and tossed a few in ourselves for good measure. Here’s what Gaby Alves of SALT/Terra had to say.

What one item of clothing best sums up your personality?
Workwise: a suit. Outside of work: white T-shirt and jeans. Comfortable and appropriate to the event.

What character in a film would you like to be?
Angelina Jolie as Evelyn Salt – a daredevil undaunted by any obstacle. There’s so much we never find out about her character (or anyone she encounters) that it leaves a bit of an emotional void.

When you were a kid, what job did you think you would grow up to do?
Firefighter. Because I always thought that the greatest reason to be alive is to be able to save lives.

Is there any aspect of your own personality you don’t like to see in your staff?
At times I can be a bit short-tempered and I think in the workplace it is really unsuitable.

What should we do to have more women in this category?
Look around more carefully. There are plenty of great women in the industry; they just don’t have massive egos like some of the men.

Check out the full list of who the readers chose in the Beijinger Reader Restaurant Awards here and here.

SALT 盐 2/F, 9 Jiangtai Xilu (opposite the Japanese School, west of Rosedale Hotel), Chaoyang District (6437 8457) 朝阳区将台西路9号2层（珀丽酒店西边）

Terra 1 Sanlitun Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6591 9148) 朝阳区三里屯南路1号

Click here to see the April issue of the Beijinger in full.