Pizza World
The adrenaline turns on when I see 10 pies on the line. My arms are moving automatically. My thinking is sharp. I sauce and reach my fingertips for each fresh ingredient. The order you top is important because the flavors fuse in different ways under the 800-degree heat of burning wood.
In April, I made the decision to push myself out of my comfort zone. I needed a shift. Where will it lead? I laugh, at 43 years old I’m slingin’ pies. I work in the pizza industry now.
And I love it.
The team at Seany’s Pizza up at the Beach 97th Street concessions is fantastic. On these hot, summer days we’re all in it together. I’m a part of something and I’m learning how to make pizza and I’m smiling and meeting many patrons of pizza – my neighbors, Brooklynites, visitors from all over the U.S., and foreigners on holiday. Pizza is universal.
I uniformly cut unending balls of silky, fresh mozzarella. I spend an hour on Tuesdays slicing jalapeño paper thin on a mandolin and haven’t cut myself as of this date of publication. You measure things in grams. Everything is supersized. I make the sauce too. You can’t lift the immersion blender above the sea level of the sauce or it will explode everywhere. I made that mistake once and never again. That’s how you learn, by making mistakes.
I named my shifts at Seany’s, “Pizza World” because I entered an alternate space. I’m in the present and all I am required to do is make quality pizza. And all of my life stressors disappear when I’m there. It’s simply, pizza all day.
I used to be scared of the walk-in freezer – like in the movies – where you get locked in and freeze to death, but not anymore. Now I welcome the cold jolt as my eyes scan for more Rockaway Soda to bring to the front of the house.
All food items must be labeled and dated for the Board of Health and we clean, clean, clean! Sean runs a tight ship. I thought I got tennis-pizza elbow from mopping but it was a false alarm! Wet mops are heavy. I feel exhausted and alive at the end of the day. Hard work is good for your mind and body.
The camaraderie at Seany’s is like the perfect dough—supportive, flexible, and essential for holding everything together. Foreground to back: Juliana Rodas, Nick Cregor and Owner, Sean Aiken.
We have a gorgeous Famag IM-8 Italian dough mixer. I gaze from afar at the smooth dough dancing around and around. The machine mesmerizes me. Nick Cregor, our maestro baker, told me each batch makes 132 pizzas. It seems that Nick is constantly in the back, dough-ing. The balls go in big red plastic trays that lock together for freshness. Nick dates each tray and keeps track of the proofing. He’s my “ Second Boss,” my mentor. Nick is a patient teacher and baking artist. I’m trying to absorb as much as I can from his knowledge of the pizza industry. The nuances surrounding dough perfection – proofing time and temperature are a delicate tarantella. Nick keeps track of his dough recipes in a massive spreadsheet where he can change measurements around to adjust for bread types, taste, batch sizes, and temperatures throughout the year.
My goal by the end of the summer is to effortlessly stretch and twirl pizza dough in the air just like Sean’s amazing acrobatics. With his guidance and the support of everyone at Pizza World, I’m confident I can achieve this! Sean took a chance on me despite having zero experience in the service industry, showing his willingness to invest time and energy in helping others. I’m grateful for his kindness and for giving me the opportunity to stretch my boundaries.
Jessie’s Pie is a top-seller, topped with fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, pecorino romano and roasted red peppers.
Follow my Instagram to see the behind-the-scenes and beautiful pies we make at Seany’s Pizza. We’re open 7 days a week from 12-8pm, at the Beach 97th Street concession on the Boardwalk. Follow @seanypizza for more.
