Today we’d like to introduce you to Stellios Karastamatis.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Stellios. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Born and raised inside the food industry, and for as long as I can remember myself, I would always be working inside a kitchen. I’ve been through every single position, from cleaning dishes and floors, preparing food, doing deliveries and working the line. As a kid, I loved to cook and when my parents used to own a pizza store in Fall River, I remember myself on top of a stove, making my own food. Years later in college, we owned a pizza-breakfast shop in Braintree. I would go to school in the morning, work at my parents shop in the afternoon, and then my uncle’s pizza store on the weekend’s.
At the age of 26, after I finished college, I decided to stay in the culinary world and purchased my first business in 2004. The Cedar Café was located in Hanover, Ma specializing in Mediterranean food. I owned the business for the past 14 years, and unfortunately, the building was torn down in 2018. A year before Cedar Café closed, I decided to open up another restaurant nearby, named Pita Gyros (April 2017- Present).
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
People that worked in the food industry, would tell you that this road is never smooth. When I first purchased the Cedar Café in 2004, everybody would tell me that I made a big mistake and that I wouldn’t last more than six months. The business, in the beginning, wasn’t making any money and for the first couple of years, I had to work for free. We increased the sales 20% every single year and finally reached a point that 20-3o people will be standing in line, waiting to put in their order. Success doesn’t come easy, you have to work really hard every single day. I think it’s the most difficult and stressful job that a person can do, but also very rewarding. My father used to say, that it might take you years and years to reach to the top, but it only takes a moment to knock you down to the bottom.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pita Gyros – what should we know?
Pita Gyros serves authentic Greek food. We specialize in pork & chicken gyros. Thin slices of meat, marinated and stacked on a spit, cooked to perfection, one layer at a time. We are known for our fresh salads and our own homemade oil vinaigrette dressing. Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options, are also available to satisfy each palate. You can order a pita, a wrap, a salad, a rice bowl or a dinner and add any of our delicious proteins in it. (pork or chicken gyro, chicken or beef kebabs, Greek meatballs, spicy chicken, chicken cutlet, falafel & zucchini fritters).
Our industry today consists of stores & big chains that sell frozen ready to eat food. Tasteless, with no imagination and never fresh. People are getting tired of the same menu, and looking for new ideas. As an owner, I always wanted to stand out, so I decided to build a menu that would be unique and authentic from recipes that I have learned throughout the years.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My mentor is a great chef, who specializes in Greek food. She is also my mother and has been by my side all these years. People would call early in the morning to reserve one of her specials, and by the time we opened our doors, everything would be sold out.
I’m a firm believer that word of mouth is your best advertisement, and it kept me in business since the beginning. Your customers are your biggest supporters. We have people that come in every single day, and sometimes even twice a day. Throughout the years, I’ve become friends and family with some of my customers.
At Pita Gyros, we see ourselves as a team that spends more time with each other, than we do with our own relatives. We share a loyal relationship. We are like family. I wouldn’t be where I am if I didn’t have a strong group of people behind me. My success is also theirs.
Contact Info:
- Address: 9 Grove St
- Website: www.pitagyros.com
- Phone: 7818714976
- Email: steve@pitagyros.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pitagyrosnor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PitaGyrosNor/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/pitagyrosnor
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pita-gyros-norwell
- Other: Pita Gyros
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