It all begins with an idea.
I was 16 years old when I was ready to enter the workforce. With so many options, God knows why I decided to wash dishes. What started as rigorous, backbreaking work turned into my absolute passion. I fell in love completely. I remember while lugging around bus tubs full of sauté pans I would watch the cooks flip ribeye steaks with heavy metal music blaring while in their bandanas. Sharp knives, fire, expletives. I thought the lifestyle was so badass. I begged the chef to give me a chance to work the line, and the opportunity came to me eventually. I had a chance to prove myself, and I did. I moved my way up the line quickly and made the decision to go to Cullinary school. Fast forward 9 years later, I’ve ran several kitchens and most recently was the head chef of Naperville’s top rated restaurant. As beautiful as the fine dining scene is, there’s still an itch that wasn’t being scratched. Growing up my favorite food was always pizza, and the first time I made a batch of Neapolitan pizza dough, I knew I had discovered something special. Without hesitation, I knew I was ready to leave the fine dining space and pursue owning my own pizzeria. I spent years at home trying different tomatoes, flour types, cheeses, olive oils, etc. The food we serve at ZAZAS is a culmination of all the product testing, effort, failures, passion, and eventually success that I experienced over this time. I’m proud of the food we serve, and I hope in each slice you taste not only good ingredients, but rather the love that has been put into these recipes.