Chef Jim Posted January 13, 2016 Posted January 13, 2016 Pardon me while I go a LAMP on y'all. Every so often like everyone else I tire of the rat race. The uphill drag it is sometimse managing/training people that just either suck or don't give a crap about how hard it is to be successful. And then dealing with the traffic, surly clients, compliance, regulatory changes, etc, etc. I often dream about retirement but at 54 I'm not ready for it yet and I also think "what am I going to do with all that free time?" Then I read this article. A hole in the wall pizza joint where the guy makes two types of pizzas a day, 40 pies total. Open four days a week and a five minute walk from home. And I'm thinking hmmmmmm, I can do this. I burned out of the professional kitchen 15 years ago but three and a half years ago I bought a house and designed my own kitchen and now cooking has become a huge stress relief for me. As you all know I cure my own meats, make my own cheese and just love to cook up a storm. I have some great pizza recipes that I've developed over the years and I think I would dig just being in my own world prepping during the day listening to music and then for four hours a night make 40 pizzas for the 20-30 that waited in line. As long as I could take a few longer breaks to travel I'd be good with it. So any of you Philly folks familiar with this place? http://www.bonappetit.com/people/chefs/article/beddia
Chef Jim Posted January 13, 2016 Author Posted January 13, 2016 you wrote a lot. Get off your phone and read it on a big boy screen.
boyst Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 Get off your phone and read it on a big boy screen. thanks for the advice, but i do not need any advise, especially from someone who won't send me a pizza.
Just Jack Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 I've heard of that place. If I'm ever in the area I think I'd take a chance and wait in line also.
BringBackFergy Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 Will you deliver? I don't feel like waiting in line as I have other things to do.
Chef Jim Posted January 14, 2016 Author Posted January 14, 2016 It's funny because I've always said I would never wait in line for food.
Maury Ballstein Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 meh to pizza. Anything else gonna be on menu ?
Chef Jim Posted January 14, 2016 Author Posted January 14, 2016 meh to pizza. Anything else gonna be on menu ? Nope.
The Poojer Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 i was talking to someone about a similar concept and I am all in favor of it, but what i don't like is when it becomes a forced demand, by limiting supply, for the sake of becoming a 'hipster' type place. while i have no problem with capitalism and making money, too many places end up being more about hype than good eats and even better experience...my dream would be to have an almost strip mall type place where you have 15-20 of these places that are all limited seating, but as a whole enough choices so as not to force people to stand in line for hours to get a seat. a place where if one of the highly desirable places may not have the supply to meet the demand but an equally desirable place has the supply...i know this seems kind of a bit socialist in nature, but awesome dining should be available and accessible by the masses. Pardon me while I go a LAMP on y'all. Every so often like everyone else I tire of the rat race. The uphill drag it is sometimse managing/training people that just either suck or don't give a crap about how hard it is to be successful. And then dealing with the traffic, surly clients, compliance, regulatory changes, etc, etc. I often dream about retirement but at 54 I'm not ready for it yet and I also think "what am I going to do with all that free time?" Then I read this article. A hole in the wall pizza joint where the guy makes two types of pizzas a day, 40 pies total. Open four days a week and a five minute walk from home. And I'm thinking hmmmmmm, I can do this. I burned out of the professional kitchen 15 years ago but three and a half years ago I bought a house and designed my own kitchen and now cooking has become a huge stress relief for me. As you all know I cure my own meats, make my own cheese and just love to cook up a storm. I have some great pizza recipes that I've developed over the years and I think I would dig just being in my own world prepping during the day listening to music and then for four hours a night make 40 pizzas for the 20-30 that waited in line. As long as I could take a few longer breaks to travel I'd be good with it. So any of you Philly folks familiar with this place? http://www.bonappetit.com/people/chefs/article/beddia
Chef Jim Posted January 14, 2016 Author Posted January 14, 2016 i was talking to someone about a similar concept and I am all in favor of it, but what i don't like is when it becomes a forced demand, by limiting supply, for the sake of becoming a 'hipster' type place. while i have no problem with capitalism and making money, too many places end up being more about hype than good eats and even better experience...my dream would be to have an almost strip mall type place where you have 15-20 of these places that are all limited seating, but as a whole enough choices so as not to force people to stand in line for hours to get a seat. a place where if one of the highly desirable places may not have the supply to meet the demand but an equally desirable place has the supply...i know this seems kind of a bit socialist in nature, but awesome dining should be available and accessible by the masses. Dude. Did you not get this? It's not about you. It's about making me happy. Will you still need your egg? Can I have it?
mead107 Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 This place? Beddia in Philadelphia? Is that $11-$30 per pie only take orders for 90 minutes a day I could do that with my Stromboli
Chef Jim Posted January 14, 2016 Author Posted January 14, 2016 I have got to think they make somewhere around $1500 per night. With the overhead and stuff (which includes high end ingredients), is netting $6000 per week good enough to get by and make a living? That's why its a retirement idea. I would be doing it for fun and the love of cooking not so much for the money. I was telling my wife if I owned the building outright that would help. Just an FYI. Most cooks/chefs/restaurateurs don't do what that do to make a lot of money. They do it because they love it and it's their passion. This place? Beddia in Philadelphia? Is that $11-$30 per pie only take orders for 90 minutes a day I could do that with my Stromboli Well he's open 4 hours a day four days a week but he works about 12 hours a day.
Fan in San Diego Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 Go for it Chef. If you want to add sausage I make my own Sicilian sausage (recipe I got from my Uncle in law, butcher from Aspra) I highly recommend retiring. I've been self employed for a long time now and love it.
KD in CA Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 How about a pizza place where you make your own pie. You give them the dough, the sauce, the cheese, they put toppings on and slide it into the oven!
Fan in San Diego Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 How about a pizza place where you make your own pie. You give them the dough, the sauce, the cheese, they put toppings on and slide it into the oven! I like this idea, but you know some tool would burn themselves and then sue you.
Canadian Bills Fan Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 Get off your phone and read it on a big boy screen. hahaha CBF
BringBackFergy Posted January 14, 2016 Posted January 14, 2016 I am wondering if an alternative would be to be in a business district sort of area, and you do something like this 4 or 5 days per week just for the office lunch crowd. That way you also have your nights free. Are you offering advice to Chef Jim?? "Advice?? He don't need no stinking advice"
Chef Jim Posted January 14, 2016 Author Posted January 14, 2016 How about a pizza place where you make your own pie. You give them the dough, the sauce, the cheese, they put toppings on and slide it into the oven! I taught a cooking class many years ago. We were making pizzas. As everyone was stretching out their dough I walked around the room and yelled "STOP!!" Everyone freaked. I said "ok, let's take a look at everyone's pizza and tell us what state it looks like." Well of course we have no round states other that Hawaii. The most common was Florida. Are you offering advice to Chef Jim?? "Advice?? He don't need no stinking advice" No, I'm breaking character on this one. I am wondering if an alternative would be to be in a business district sort of area, and you do something like this 4 or 5 days per week just for the office lunch crowd. That way you also have your nights free. Oh BTW I had an idea for a gourmet food truck about 25 years ago. Came to the conclusion it was a bad idea and would never fly.
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