Meet Tyson Pickette of Saloniki Greek in Cambridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyson Pickette.

Tyson, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I refer to myself as an “Industry Ewok” both in reference to the restaurant/hospitality community in which I work, and simply because I am a self-professed nerd who enjoys an opportunity to reference the Star Wars franchise.

However, this label (of sorts) reflects my journey in the industry, which started in my childhood kitchen with my mother. Fast forward a bit, and I was washing dishes at a Denny’s, during puberty, in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. So needless to say my adolescent awkward phase fueled me to get a culinary education. After which I moved to Philadelphia, where the endearing accents were matched equally by the most supportive new industry colleagues. Without whom I would have never survived my earliest and most challenging days professionally.

Towards the end of my time in Philly, I dug deep and gained experience at a prestigious private social club whose Executive Chef was like an Obi Wan Kenobi to me. But, as fate would have it my partner’s academic journey had us charted to ship up to Boston. So during one of the worst heat waves I loaded up our U-Haul with our two beloved cats, Miles and Margot as we made our way to New England.

Shortly after arriving, I staged at a few restaurants but gravitated towards one of Boston’s brightest culinary lights, Chef Jody Adams, or as I think of her, Yoda. I had the privilege of working my way up to Sous Chef at Trade in the Seaport district. During my tenure there I found true kinship in the Boston industry scene. As a former small town geek, suddenly I had friendships with individuals at every level of the service industry who each provided mentorship, compassion, and demonstrated a level of dedication to their work that inspired me to work hard and stay humble.

Despite the challenges of working the grind, I am grateful for the diversity, culture, and community that Boston’s industry scene has provided me. And, it was this tribe of people who provided unwavering support to me after the loss of my mother to breast cancer. On a lighter note, Boston is a city known for its “nerd-chic” so I have plenty of platforms to nurture my quirky interests in my personal time. Thankfully, the city is also pet friendly, so I can live my best life as an ailurophile (cat lover; loud and proud here). It is also the place where my longtime partner and I decided to tie the knot (after 10 years of togetherness), at City Hall surrounded by only a few friendly industry faces. She is the Luke to my Leia, and without her I wouldn’t be half the person or professional I am today.

Hyperdrive to the present, and you can find me at Saloniki Greek (another brainchild from Chef Jody Adams and longtime partners; CEO, Eric Papachristos and COO, Jonathan Mendez). I remain loyal to the family of restaurant groups that Adams has created, and I am impassioned by the mission and vision of the fast-casual Saloniki Greek venture. This different setting and role has generated new skills to add to my toolkit from the business and management side, while still fostering new connections.

I view the industry as a living organism in which the community that has provided me with so much, also requires my commitment to generating person-centered experiences with every interaction I have; colleagues, customers, neighbors, vendors, peers, and the very city itself, Boston.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my favorite quotes from the late, Anthony Bourdain sums it up rather well, “The journey is part of the experience– an expression of the seriousness of one’s intent. One does not take the A train to Mecca”.

Choosing to be in the culinary industry is never an easy road, and it ultimately comes down to humility, dedication, and sacrifice. There have been many times during my professional journey where I have wanted to throw in the towel, but taking the knowledge from those experiences has allowed me to grow as a person.

The current restaurant boom in Boston also presents many challenges that require industry veterans to think like culinary scientists, maintain relevant marketing and social media presence, organizational skills like an accountant, the patience and artistry of a surgeon, all while maintaining a next door neighbor-like personality. It’s not an easy game, and I find myself to be a perpetual student, or rather, an aspiring food Jedi.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Saloniki Greek – what should we know?
Saloniki Greek’s original location in the Fenway neighborhood launched in 2016 followed by a second location in Cambridge in 2017, with a serious culinary team behind it: Chef Jody Adams and CEO Eric Papachristos of Trade and Porto, and Jonathan Mendez, who was on Trade’s opening team and is now Saloniki’s dedicated COO, Co-founder, and resident Entrepreneur.

Saloniki was based on the idea that everyone should be able to taste the flavors of Greece in a welcoming, energetic atmosphere. By sourcing the best possible ingredients and, staying solely in the Greek flavor profile, and preparing the best possible food. Saloniki is a tribute to the humble Greek sandwich shops of Papachristos’ hometown in Greece– Thessaloniki. The mission and vision of our team is built on the concept of “filoxenia”—legendary Greek hospitality. Our goal is to create wonderful experiences and connections with our guests.

I think what sets Saloniki apart from other fast-casual spots is the internal culture that Mendez infuses into every aspect of the operations to the presentation. Take heart in knowing that only the best, funniest, loveliest, most wonderful, and talented people make up the Saloniki team, so by working with us or dining with us, you’re in a good crowd.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The secret I found is that cooking is about organizing your time; to develop habits and routines and gradually elevate their importance to where they seem like almost normal, healthy activities. This is how you learn the language of the industry, think in terms of lean principles, improvise in the moment, crush stacks of tickets, and still find time to laugh.

Contact Info:

• Address: Saloniki Greek
  181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139
  4 Kilmarnock Street, Boston, MA 02115
• Website: www.salonikigreek.com
• Phone: 617-714-5152
• Email: tyson@salonikigreek.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sous.tysonian/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salonikigreek/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TysonianInst
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/salonikigreek/

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