Serving Southeastern Connecticut Through Thoughtful Food and Place
For Anna Lathrop, food has always been a way to bring people together. As the owner of Gourmet Galley Catering – now celebrating more than 27 years in business, Anna has built a company grounded in hospitality, creativity, and care, where food helps create shared experiences and meaningful placemaking.
Raised in Waterford by Italian parents who loved to cook and entertain, Anna spent much of her childhood in the kitchen hosting alongside her family. Her father, an entrepreneur at heart, modeled independence and business ownership. Her mother balanced leadership and service, serving for decades as President of the Visiting Nurses Association. Outside her own home, Anna also found inspiration next door, learning how to cook, set a table, and welcome guests from a neighborhood grandmother who treated food as an expression of generosity and warmth. Those early experiences laid the foundation for a fulfilling career.
…when people truly feel taken care of from the beginning, that’s what makes it memorable.
Although Anna earned a musical performance degree in college and never envisioned herself in the hospitality industry, she discovered that flavors, atmosphere, and energy could work together much like music to create new kinds of successful songs. “Anyone can have good food and good service,” Anna says. “But when people truly feel taken care of from the beginning, that’s what makes it memorable.”
Her path into catering began unexpectedly. In the late 90’s, Anna hired Gourmet Galley Catering for her own wedding. Her deep involvement in the planning process left an impression, and when founder Essie Spencer decided to sell the business, Anna was approached directly. She purchased the company just a year after her wedding, learning the industry hands on and steadily growing the business ever since.
Today, Gourmet Galley Catering operates as a multifaceted brand across southeastern Connecticut. In North Stonington, Gourmet Galley Catering’s commissary kitchen and market acts as the operational and culinary hub, offering curated meals and specialty grab-and-go items in addition to serving as the catering home base. Café Flo at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme comes to life seasonally as a pop‑up eatery, featuring rotating menus inspired by local ingredients at the museum’s riverside setting. In Niantic, GG at Home anchors Main Street with a relaxed coastal feel, offering chef‑prepared foods, an inviting breakfast and lunch menu, and cocktail‑hour fare that reflects the character and growth of the shoreline.
Listening is central to how Anna and her team work with clients. Consultations focus on communication and alignment, ensuring that each partnership is the right fit and that events reflect how clients want their guests to feel not just taste. From venue presentation to menu design and service flow, the goal is cohesion rather than cookie-cutter solutions.
Internally, team culture is just as important. This year for 2026, Anna’s guiding theme for staff – across chefs, sales reps, manager, waiters, and bussers – is Intentional Excellence, emphasizing consistency, pride, and care across engagement, preparation, and delivery. Anna believes success begins with people, and that strong teams lead to better experiences.
Anna draws inspiration from many places, including Instagram and TikTok, the coveted James Beard culinary scene in Mystic, and iconic tastemakers like Martha Stewart, who recently opened The Bedford at Foxwoods. Her own cooking passions lean global, particularly Asian and Indian cuisines, where she enjoys exploring sauces, spices, and bold flavors.
A longtime community leader, Anna is a former New London Rotary Club President and a current Board Member of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut. Through Rotary, she supports local soup kitchen initiatives, aligning her professional expertise with food access efforts.
Sustainability remains a focus across the business, from seasonal menus and waste reduction to responsible sourcing. Looking ahead, Anna is developing a healthy meal line while also pursuing recognition through the Connecticut Restaurant Association, setting clear benchmarks for future growth.
With a career shaped by community and creativity, Anna Lathrop continues to build experiences that bring people together, one thoughtful gathering at a time.
Visit GG at Home’s locations:
138 Norwich–Westerly Road, North Stonington | Tues-Sat 11am-6pm
185 Main Street, Niantic | 8am-7pm, Daily
Explore Gourmet Galley Catering’s offerings:
gourmet-galley.com | 860-415-9589
This piece is part of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT’s “Community Builders” series dedicated to celebrating the resilience and legacy of diverse small businesses across our region. With a membership of approximately 1,300 businesses and organizations in eastern Connecticut and beyond into the states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York, the Chamber is deeply connected to the vital role that woman-owned businesses play in creating a vibrant community and thriving economy.