In the summer of 1979, after graduating from Paul Smith's College, a two-year hotel and restaurant school in upstate New York, Joe Pianese began an internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Part of the course curriculum, the program was designed around the student and allowed them to gain management and culinary experience.

"A lot of my culinary talents blossomed there," he explains. "They took me out of the Magic Kingdom, where we were doing short-order type cooking and sent me over to the Contemporary Hotel, where I worked with German chefs in the banquet areas."

Enamored with Florida’s weather and resolved to get his Bachelor’s Degree, the Long Island native transferred to Florida State University, School of Business, majoring in Hotel and Restaurant Management. "I did not want just to have a hotel/restaurant label put on me. I wanted a business degree because that would take me a lot farther in my career."

After graduating from FSU in 1981, Marriott Hotels hired him to work in their Contract Division and run the dining programs in colleges and universities; not just cafeterias, but 12 different venues, including Starbuck’s-type coffee houses, Einstein-type bagel places, and branded concepts such as Burger King and Pizza Hut. Highlighting a 17-year career with Marriott Hotels was his return to Florida State University, as General Manager, to run their dining program on campus.

In 1996, when Marriott sold their College Division to Sodehxo USA, Mr. Pianese became Food Service Director for Marriott’s, Coral Oaks; a senior living community in Palm Harbor. Eventually promoted to Executive Director, he ran senior assisted and independent living communities in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton.

But in March, 2003, Marriott decided to sell their senior living business to a new company, Sunrise Senior Living. After eight months with Sunrise, Joe Pianese decided it was time to move on and fulfill a life-long dream.

When he was 13, he went to the neighborhood luncheonette every Sunday morning, at 5:00 AM, and put the New York Times and Newsday together for five-dollars a day and breakfast. Then, one day, they let him cook breakfast and make sodas for customers. It was there he learned he enjoyed serving people and dreamed of one day owning his own restaurant.

After conferring with his wife, Yasmin, who he’d met at FSU when she was an undergraduate Education Major, and their three children, Maria, Louis, and Alexis, he left behind the security of corporate life. A risky decision; especially in the restaurant business where success is elusive, and the failure rate for new restaurants is legendary.

"It is scary," Yasmin admits. "We did a lot of praying and fasting. Being a Teacher, I had really no restaurant experience at all. We had to rely on Joe’s expertise, because I had none to bring to the table. All three kids have been hugely supportive, as much as they possibly can with their schoolwork. Our son chose not to play football this year, his senior year [in high school]. He loves football, and he knew that he couldn’t do football and the restaurant one-hundred percent. So, he made a decision to stand by his family in the restaurant instead of playing football his senior year. Leaning on our faith was the key. If we didn’t, we probably wouldn’t be here."

"I felt it was about time," Joe continues. "I had the resources, and the experience. I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ I put a business plan together of a concept which was the Greek Pizza Kitchen. We didn’t have a restaurant, we didn’t have a building, we didn’t have anything."

Their search for a building took them from strip malls to the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs. The docks were a natural place for a Greek business to set up, especially since they have been the traditional place for those of Greek descent to live and work.

Yasmin’s family has resided in Tarpon Springs for 96- years. She was born and raised in Tarpon Springs, as was her mother. Her grandmother was the first Greek immigrant child to enter the public school system in Tarpon Springs.

The spongers, the fishermen, and the tourists all combined to make the docks the center of Greek Town. The safe thing to do, especially for a brand-new Greek restaurant, was to open there - but not for Joe and Yasmin.

"We looked down there, but we really didn’t want to be down there," says Yasmin. "And it’s nothing against the sponge docks; we love it there. We just wanted to offer Tarpon Springs something different in a different location."

After months of searching, they stumbled across a 100 year-old corner building, tucked away next to the old train depot on Tarpon Avenue, nestled in amongst the shops of the Historic Downtown Antique District.

"It was just such a miracle," Yasmin says. "It’s such a cute, charming little place. We didn’t have to do a thing to it. We painted some walls, hung up some old family pictures, and old pictures of Tarpon Springs. The uniqueness of us sets us apart, and we are set apart, literally. There is no other Greek place up here, and it’s a Greek Pizza Kitchen."

"It’s just like a Bistro out of SoHo," adds Joe. "And that’s what we liked about it. The three elements that are in this building that are going to be transcended into the future development of our franchise will be the brick, the balcony, the wrought iron, and the Bistro look – the cedar wood."

The Greek Pizza Kitchen derives its name from the use of traditional Greek ingredients on pizza, and other less traditional recipes.

"It’s a combination of our background," Joe smiles. "I’m Italian, my wife is Greek. I said let the Italian do the pizza and we’ll fall back on what you do well, which is the Greek food. I developed and invented Greek pizza; and the way we did that was making traditional pizzas, eighteen inches square, and adding Greek ingredients, which are fresh ingredients in all of our pizzas. The traditional elements that go into Greek food are spinach, feta, lemon, and mint. We also wanted to open with Greek entrees that people are accustomed to. There’s a Greek name on the billboard, so there must be Greek food."

The Greek Pizza Kitchen’s Grand Opening in October, 2004, was an exciting time, according to Yasmin. "It was so great. People have been so supportive and keep bringing more and more people. And every time they come, they bring new people. It’s almost like they take on their own personal mission to expose our restaurant to the public."

Joe agrees. "People come back here because this is just a feel good place. Yasmin is out in the dining room all the time, talking with customers, making sure that what they have, and what they’ve ordered, exceeds their expectations. Where am I going to go that’s going to make me feel as good as when I’m eating at home? I want to go the Greek Pizza Kitchen."

 Future plans for the Greek Pizza Kitchen include franchises at airports, malls, colleges, universities, and hospitals. But Joe and Yasmin take one day at a time. "I’m leaving it in the Lord’s hands," Joe acknowledges. I can go ahead and plan all I want…but the real business plan is in the Lord’s book, not my book."

By Douglas Forde Simms

Professional Writer