Since 1983, Zachary’s has been making award-winning pizza in the San Francisco Bay Area. When Zachary’s founders, Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel decided to retire, they handed the company over to the employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In 2010, Zachary’s became 100% employee owned.

This month’s spotlight, Emily Cernusak, went from Zachary’s customer to Employee Owner after deciding she liked the energy and teamwork of the crew. Though she’s only been here for a little over a year, Emily lights up the dining room with her enthusiasm and exuberance. Though she loves many aspects of Zachary’s (such as the food and being an owner), it’s the people who make her look forward to coming to work every day.

 

Spotlight

Name: Emily Cernusak

Hire Date: November 2018

Fave Pizza: Spinach and Mushroom with pesto

Fave Food (Other than pizza): A really good taco

Home Restaurant: Oakland, College Avenue

Favorite Activities: Travelling, hiking, backpacking, spending time with friends and family

Favorite Travel Location: Alaska

 

Interview

*Emily was interviewed by Zachary’s Marketing Manager, Robin Smith on February 2, 2020

Robin (R): Hello, Emily! Thanks for sitting down with me!

Emily (E): Hi, Robin! You’re welcome [Both laugh]

R: Let’s go ahead and get started super easy. When did you start at Zachary’s?

E: I started a little over a year ago, in November 2018

R: What brought you to Zachary’s?

E: You know, I had been a customer here for many, many years and when I decided I wanted to have a serving job it was the very first place that popped into my mind. I feel like the energy was just always really positive and upbeat whenever I was [here] as a customer and employees always looked like they were having fun. I loved how I saw them work together as a team and I really wanted to be a part of that, so it was really, you know, my only top choice. I did interview at one other place, but it didn’t hold a candle.

R: Awesome, I like to hear that! What is a favorite aspect of yours of working at Zachary’s and what keeps you engaged in the day-to-day?

E: A favorite aspect of working at Zachary’s, it has to be the people. People are always happy to be here. They know they’re going to get something amazing, you know, a lot of them have been looking forward to it, maybe traveled to get here, and especially if they’re first time Zachary’s customers, it’s so fun to see how excited they are to try it. It’s like, people are generally in a good mood and I love that. And I love helping people have an even better time than they’re already having, so yeah, that’s what I love about it. There was a second part to the question?

R: What keeps you engaged in the day-to-day? Like engaged and interested in the job?

E: Engaged and interested…it’s just finding how I can connect to people– the people that I work with, and how we can support each other. It feels like there’s a bond that grows naturally out of working together as a team, especially if it’s really busy and we’re all, you know, bustling and looking to help all the gears move smoothly so that things get taken care of. I feel that there’s sort of an awareness in me that grows in my capacity to notice what coworkers need in terms of support and what customers need and anticipating needs. And so I think that, that I love the fact that’s growing. In the beginning all I knew how to do was help people at the counter, you know, so that was my awareness, there were like these other things happening, but as I’ve been here longer and my awareness grows, I can be more aware of what’s happening in the whole restaurant and also notice, “oh, hey, they need some help on the floor, I can pop out there, I have a minute,” and support somebody, and that feels really good.

R: I like that. That’s also important, I agree. That’s something that keeps me engaged. So, you just passed a year, which means you’re officially eligible for the ESOP, correct?

E: Correct.

R: So, as a new ESOP member, what does being an Employee Owner mean for you?

E: I think it brings a different level of consideration to so many things about the job, recognizing that the people you work with, you know, we’re all invested in the company doing well and it’s, it’s for the business, but it’s also for us and for each other. And so, I think it carries, you know, just a little more weight in terms of wanting to know things are done right and that we’re conserving where we can and that we’re making the most out of every salad ingredient we have, all the way around.

R: Zero waste.

E: Exactly, zero waste. And, you know, all the different community outreach and recognizing the way word is spreading about Zachary’s as we open new locations. I’ve always felt a part of the team here, but knowing that I am already on my way to being even more invested in the financial success is really exciting.

R: It’s like “how am I going to help this company succeed so I can succeed.” Ok, fun questions, what is a favorite memory you have of Zachary’s/at Zachary’s/about Zachary’s?

E: Let’s see…oh my gosh, there are so many fun memories. This is a fun slash funny memory. I happened to be one of the servers here when there was a rolling power outage and so, it was, you know, in the evening, and all of a sudden the lights went out, the power went out and we had two tables here eating their pizza and one of the tables said, “well we’re here because the power is out at home, so we don’t really mind!” So helping them, in candle light, will always stand out to me.

R: That’s awesome.

E: And they finished eating. And, for a moment it was really overwhelming, to like write down the price of every ingredient they had and add it all up and bring them their check, but also it was really satisfying, like the sense that we’re all a part of this community.

R: I love that. We’re all a part of a community and no one has power.

E: Right, that’s right. [Both laugh]

R: So what are your hobbies or interests or things you like to do when you’re not at Zachary’s?

E: I love to travel. I love road trips. I love hiking and backpacking. Any time I can be out in nature and around trees or the water or the ocean. Spending time with family and friends and all that.

R: What’s one of your favorite places you’ve taken a road trip to or traveled to? Or both?

E: Oh, road trip or travel…well I recently went to Alaska for the first time and that was amazing. I went to see a friend up there and I was just….it was so unexpected in so many ways, the way the mountains just jut right up out of the ocean. Where we are in California, you have to go inland a little to get to the mountains, and there, they just come straight up out of the water. It was just breathtakingly beautiful. And the way the trees…there was just such a different mix of forest, you know, when I’m here and I go up in the mountains, it’s mostly evergreens and there it was all this mix of ferns and deciduous trees and really lush, all along with evergreens that I wasn’t expecting. And seeing moose in the neighbor’s yard was, like, so incredible. And fun. And I just had a feeling of I really know I’m alive here. I feel so energized and awake. It felt great.

R: Connected to the world.

E: Yeah, and just seeing things that are different. The other thing that was amazing was, I was there at the end of August, so there was still a ton of daylight and the flowers were gigantic. In people’s yards, the gardens in downtown Anchorage were these huge overflowing baskets of flowers everywhere…they grow so big because there’s so much daylight! And I never thought about that but it was really, really fun and beautiful.

R: Yeah, I never would have thought about that either…the amount of daylight they get, they have more growth time. Alright, last question that I have for you is, what do you love about the Bay Area?

E: What I love about the Bay Area is such a richness of experiences and people. I feel like there’s a friendliness and sense of community in being in this world altogether. I love meeting people from all over the world who live here or who are travelling here and the way that all those beautiful differences come together and yet there’s just an understanding that we’re all in this together; we’re all a part of this greater whole. And I don’t always get that feeling everywhere I travel, so I feel like it’s something really special about the Bay.

R: I completely agree.

E: There’s a vibrancy, too. I feel like an interest in being creative in different ways and, you know, helping share our music and art with each other, with anyone who wants to listen, basically.

R: I call it, like an openness to creativity. However you can find to be creative, the Bay is going to welcome that creativity, even if it’s some weird off-the-wall way, the Bay is going to be like, “oh, we’ll take it, bring it…”

E: “Show us! More! Bring it on!”

R: Do you have anything you’d like to add on?

E: Um, I really do just want to say, I have been a part of so many different organizations and companies, you know, through different school settings and work settings and I feel like there’s something really special about Zachary’s…about the way that things are run and, you know, maybe this just touches on the earlier question of being an Employee Owner as well, but there’s such a care and attention to helping everybody know that we’re all here to support you in succeeding. Like every new person gets that feeling. And it’s like, having, whether it’s two or five or 15 people who’ve got your back, whatever you’re doing, we all have each other’s back, like that just makes a really big difference in my day and there has literally not been a day when I’ve felt like “oh, I don’t want to go to work.”  I love coming here. All the time.

R: That makes me so happy! Awesome! Well thank you so much! I got a little warm spot in my heart.

E: Awwwww [Both laugh]

R: Thank you so much for chatting with me!

 

February was a big month for employee-owner anniversaries! We celebrated two milestones!

Employee-owner Pancho started with Zachary’s all the way back in 1990. Yes, that means Pancho is celebrating 30 YEARS with Zachary’s! ♥ Pancho is one of our foundation kitchen employees, helping train and develop our new employees at our Oakland and Berkeley locations. We were a young company (only 7 years old!), when he was hired. Pancho has been with us through many growing and transitional phases, including the opening of three new locations, and most excitingly, our transition to being an employee-owned company! Congrats on 30 years Pancho! ????

Arturo was hired in 2005 for our Oakland and Berkeley locations.  His hard work and team oriented attitude quickly established him as a standout employee. 15 years later, Arturo is still that same hard working and team oriented employee- with a great attitude and quick smile to boot! ????

 

Thank you to both Pancho and Arturo! We wouldn’t be the amazing, employee-owned company we are without phenomenal owners like them on our team!

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Zachary’s Love Stories: A Valentine’s Week Series

In our almost 37 years in the Bay we’ve had the joy of bringing people together and, on very special occasions, seeing love blossom within our walls.  This week we are sharing a story each day leading up to Valentine’s of employees (past and present) who came looking for a job, but found love as well ????

Monday, 2/10/20

Our first story is of Kaitlin and Neaj. Kaitlin and Neaj met at Zachary’s in March 2015 when Neaj joined the Zachary’s crew. Kaitlin was the one who made the first move by asking Neaj if he could give her guitar lessons. Once they began playing music together, their connection was sealed and they’ve been together ever since, still playing music together today! Besides a mutual love of music, they also enjoy travelling and exploring new places; so much so, they are taking scuba diving lessons so they can explore the ocean together! Thank you for sharing your story Kaitlin and Neaj, and here’s to many more adventures in your future! But don’t forget to refuel after with the pizza that brought you together 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, 2/11/20

Our next couple found love in their appreciation of the great outdoors. Abby and Brittney were both hired in 2013, Abby in Pleasant Hill and Brittney in Oakland. They met when Abby transferred to our Oakland location that same year and quickly became friends, but kept it at that for a couple of years. When they took a weekend camping trip together and didn’t want to leave each other’s side once they returned, they knew it was more than friendship in their hearts. In 2017, they set off on a new adventure, leaving Zachary’s and moving to Oregon together. Still big lover’s of nature, they continue to go on camping trips accompanied by their adorable pupper Joey (aka, best girl ever!), making the adorable couple an even more adorable trio! ❤

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, 2/12/20: Middle of the weeks are tough, so we’re sharing two stories today! 

Luke and Melissa met during the summer of 2015 at our San Ramon location. However, they didn’t start dating until 2018, preferring to keep things professional as co-workers. When Melissa decided to move on from Zachary’s to pursue a career in insurance, Luke saw his opportunity and made his move! They went on their first date on February 21st 2018, exactly one week after Valentine’s Day! They knew it was something special pretty quickly and moved in together at the beginning of 2019, along with their kitty Turtle, who Melissa appropriately spoils rotten. Most excitingly, Luke and Melissa just got engaged on December 21st, 2019! Cheers to your love and a future full of kittens and pizza 😉

 

Julia and Mateo met at our College Avenue location during the summer of 2012. There were many polite greetings near the time clock as they waited to punch in for work, but they never took it past that. Until! They tore it up on the dance floor together at our annual holiday party that same year! Mutually appreciative of each other’s moves, they’ve been together ever since. Mateo has been a Zachary’s fan since before birth, when his mother used to come in for slices while she was pregnant with him. It only seems right with that type of history, he would meet and fall in love with his future wife at Zachary’s.  Mateo and Julia got married on December 27th, 2019 in San Antonio Texas (Julia’s hometown). Pizza brought them together, but the joy of dance was the key that opened their hearts to each other. Here’s to your continued happiness Julia and Mateo- and to many pizza party anniversaries in your future! ❤

 

Thursday, 2/13/20 

Joel and Julia met in 2004 at our College Avenue location when Julia was hired.  Joel (a seasoned server by then) thought she was cute, even though she wasn’t the best server 😉 Julia also thought Joel was cute (despite his critic of her server skills), but they remained just friends. That is, until Julia left in 2005 for a full time job in Bolinas. As per Zachary’s tradition, Julia had a last night celebration on her final shift at Zachary’s (shout out to McNally’s). Joel knew he wanted to stay in touch with Julia. Before he left for the night, he asked how they were going to do just that.  Julia told him to call her before she moved in two weeks. Joel, of course, did and they went on their first date. That was all it took. Despite Joel living in Oakland and Julia living in Bolinas, their connection was strong and they made sure to see each other frequently.  Joel and Julia were married on October 6th, 2012 at the Brazilian Room in Berkeley, surrounded by their friends and family (including their Z family!). Joel had the ring for 6 months before he finally proposed at Carmel By The Sea on Valentine’s Day. Four years later, Julia went into labor on Valentine’s Day 2016, and two days after that they met their wonderful son Aron! Needless to say, Valentine’s Day holds a lot of extra special memories for these two. Thanks for sharing your story with us Joel and Julia, and wishing you a very special Valentine’s Day ????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 2/14/20 Valentine’s Day ❤

Brian and Linda met in 1995 when then manager Frankie Pisciotta hired Linda for our Oakland and Berkeley locations. Brian gives a special thank you to Frankie for that ???? These two wasted no time and it took only a few short months before they went on their first date. Both being fans of the outdoors and hiking, one of their early dates was appropriately the Inspiration Point trail in Tilden Park. While the views were lovely, it proved to be the view of each other that caught their eyes and hearts. They knew right away they wanted to be together- always.  Shortly after they began dating, Brian and Linda moved in together for what they dubbed their “Summer of Love” in 1996. They were married the following year in 1997 and welcomed their two sons, Liam and Casey, a few years later.  Twenty three years after they first met at Zachary’s, their youngest son Casey was hired to work in our kitchen! Talk about a Zachary’s family! Brian and Linda are still lovers of hiking, as well as traveling and working out together. Their oldest son Liam is currently a sophomore in college and Casey is gearing up to start college in the fall! There was no denying their love from the moment they met, but that’s how it goes when a love is this meant to be. Happy Valentine’s Day Brian and Linda, we’re so thankful to have played a part in your love story! And come by for some pizza soon 😉

Our Pleasant Hill location is celebrating it’s golden birthday today! It’s turning 7 on the 7th! We cannot believe that 7 years have already gone by! It feels like just yesterday we opened our doors and welcomed the Pleasant Hill community in.  We guess what they say is true, time really flies when you’re making delicious stuffed pizzas 😉 Thank you Pleasant Hill for all your support these past 7 years! We’re looking forward to many more with you! And an extra special thanks to our wonderful crew and managers! It’s their hard work and dedication that make us the wonderful, employee-owned company we are!

Who else is excited for the Academy Awards this Sunday?? The celebs, the outfits, the red carpet interviews! All that excitement is going to work up quite the appetite 😉 If you’re trying to take home the award for ‘Best Party Planner’, order half baked pizzas to finish off at home for an easy (and delicious) Oscar watch party! Looking to get an extra nod from the Academy? Place your orders in advance for an early pickup Sunday and avoid the crowd!

Wondering what all the fuss is about with our half bakes? Try one for yourself! Super easy and convenient, half baked pizzas are a great option if you are planning a party and want hot and fresh pizzas! When you place a half bake order with us we will partially cook your made-to-order pizzas (stuffed, thin crust and gluten free can all be half baked!). Our half baked pizzas can last 3-4 days in your refrigerator.  Hence, why we recommend picking them up on Friday or Saturday to avoid the rush on Sunday- and to remove one less task from an already busy day of party planning. When you are ready to cook your pizzas, remove them from the refrigerator and let them get to room temperature.  We recommend pulling your stuffed pizzas out about 45 minutes before you want to cook them. Preheat your over to 450 degrees. Place pizzas on a greased cookie sheet. Cook stuffed pizzas 15-20 minutes and thin crust pizzas 10-15 minutes. Voila! Freshly made pizza in the convenience of your own home! Half bakes are also great for parties since you can cook as you go and have a steady supply of fresh pizza ready for the excitement of the next winner to be announced! If that’s not deserving of an Oscar, we don’t know what is.

Returning to our Oakland and Berkeley locations is employee-owner Aria’s, Enchi-Holla Enchilada Special! Aria originally created this special all the way back in 2014, and it QUICKLY became a crew and customer favorite! This delicious special is free range chicken breast marinated in green enchilada sauce, corn, cilantro, black olives, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, topped with a swirl of sour cream.  The stuffed version comes with a layer of corn tortillas inside. The thin crust comes with crushed tortilla chips on top. For the first time this year we are offering a vegetarian version as well! The veggie version subs mushroom, zucchini and black beans in place of the chicken.  Available for a limited time at our Rockridge, Grand Lake and North Berkeley locations.

There is a pretty big football game happening Sunday, in case you hadn’t heard 😉  And the only thing better than a local team being in the Super Bowl, is a pizza party to root them on with! Sunday will be a busy day for us. Beat the crowds and order your half bake pizzas in advance for pick up Friday and Saturday to finish off at home on Super Bowl Sunday! If you do need to pick up on Sunday, our Rockridge, Grand Lake and North Berkeley locations will all be opening early at 10:30am. Prove yourself the real MVP by getting in early and avoiding the lines!

Since 1983, Zachary’s has been making award-winning pizza in the San Francisco Bay Area. When Zachary’s founders, Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel decided to retire, they handed the company over to the employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In 2010, Zachary’s became 100% employee owned.

Our employee owners are the mojo behind the madness. They make each of our restaurants unique, fun, and delicious.  You may recognize our latest spotlight as one of our Oaklandish t-shirt models, but usually Edwin Jimenez’s friendly smile can be found in the kitchens of San Ramon. After almost a decade with Zachary’s, Edwin has recently been promoted to kitchen supervisor, a position that reflects his dedication to great pizza and the amazing people that make Zachary’s—and the Bay—home.

Spotlight

Name: Edwin Jimenez

Hire Date: September 2010

Fave Pizza: Spinach and Mushroom

Fave Food: Pupusas and Tacos!

Current Location: Hayward

Home Restaurant: San Ramon

Zachary’s Claim to Fame: Edwin is known for his stellar reliability and sense of teamwork. He understands our success is based on the team, not the individual. He is a true team player in this regard, helping guide and direct our crew to be the best they can. His deep respect for his coworkers and the pride he takes in making perfect pizzas, make Edwin an all around employee-owner superstar!

     

Interview*

*Edwin was interviewed by Zachary’s Marketing Manager, Robin Smith

Robin (R): What attracted you to Zachary’s Pizza or made you choose to work here?

Edwin (E): To be honest, before Zachary’s I started working at another [pizza] restaurant because I love pizza and I had the chance to work over there.  But then Alvaro (a fellow San Ramon kitchen employee-owner) talked to me about [Zachary’s] and the opportunity, I didn’t think twice. I came for the pizza but I stayed because I really liked the environment and the people. That’s why I stay. I came for pizza. [Both laugh]

R: The draw was the pizza

E: Yes.

R: What is one of your favorite aspects about working at Zachary’s?

E: It’s funny that you mention it, but I like the reaction of people when I say, “I work at Zachary’s.” A lot of people [say], “oh, really?” That’s very genuine that people react in a really good way that I work at Zachary’s because they’ve heard a lot of good things about the restaurant- the food, the pizza is awesome. So I like that reaction.

R: They’re excited.

E: Yeah, excited. And the funny thing is they start talking about experiences that they’ve had or things that they’ve heard about this place or the pizza or about all the awards, you know, and that’s good, that’s amazing. I like that.

R: It makes you feel good.

E: It makes you feel proud.

R: So spinning on that feeling of pride, what does being an Employee Owner mean to you?

E: It makes me feel more engaged with my job. It’s more responsibility because I’m not just working for someone. I’m working for this place that cares about me…everything I do I have to do with quality and excellence because they do care a lot about me and I care about this restaurant too.

R: Besides being an employee owned company, what are some of the things that make you feel that engagement and keeps you motivated to accept a supervisor position, like you recently did?

E: The reason why is because I felt like, for so many years, I received a lot from this restaurant and this company and I feel like it was time for me to give something back.  To step up and do a little more than what I was doing, like taking another level…Like saying, thank you so much for everything you have done for me…I am going to do something for you guys. I’m going to do my best, help the new guys, if something needs to be fixed, let’s do it, I’m going to help, I’m going to do more.

R: What’s something you love about living in the Bay Area?

E: To be honest I always talk about that with people that come and visit the area and the first thing they say is that they love the area. That they’ve been in…different places around the world, some of my friends that have come to visit and they’ve said this is the best place to live. And to be honest, I love a lot of things about this area. First of all, I love the weather. The weather is perfect. And the fact that you can go to the city, the mountains, to the snow, everything you want to do, everywhere you want to go, it’s a plus. The location is perfect. The weather is perfect. And then the third thing that I love about this area is the people. To be honest the people. They make me feel like I’m welcome here. I feel like I’ve never been treated in a bad way, or seen in a bad way, and I really like that. I really appreciate the people make me feel like I’m welcome here.

R: Absolutely. That’s important. You need to feel welcome where you live. When people come and visit, what are some of the things that you show off to them?

E: The lifestyle here, it’s pretty good. You can go either shopping or you can go visiting museums. The Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is really good. The views. The views are amazing. Places like the Golden Gate, Santa Cruz, things like that. The view that you get when you drive on the Highway 1.  All those things make this place very special and I like to show that to the people that come and visit. What else?  The food. There’s a lot of good places you can go and dine in and have a good time.

R: Speaking of food, what’s your favorite Zachary’s pizza?

E: I gotta say, the OG, it has to be the Spinach and Mushroom. Yeah, that’s the best.

R: I mean, you can’t go wrong…

E: Yes, that is the best one.

R: I agree.

E: And I like how spinach and mushroom complement each other. They create another, totally different flavor. Yes, so that’s my favorite.

R: Hand’s down. [Laughs] Do you have anything else you’d like to talk about or add about your experience at Zachary’s? Besides being the model for the Zachary’s t-shirt? [Both laugh]

E:  The only thing that I would say is that I learn so many things here. I learn that this place…gives me the chance to grow up. Not just as an employee, but as a person. And I have the chance to meet a lot of beautiful people here and I’m happy with that. And I’m thankful because I feel like this place attracts a lot of beautiful people and they help me in different ways…some with their friendship, some with advice, but all to be the person I am.  I really enjoy it because, to be honest, I’ve been spending a lot of time here. It’s going to be almost a decade now, and I’m thankful because it’s not everywhere you have a chance to meet people…It’s good. I’m happy with that and I’m thankful for that.

 

We were recently featured on Check, Please! Bay Area Kid’s Edition! What a treat it was to be featured with other great, local restaurants and have these up and coming foodies discuss our Chicago Style stuffed pizza. Celeste holds a special place in our hearts. Besides being a serious Zachary’s fan, she also was a winner of our Zachary’s Art Contest! Thank you to Celeste and Check, Please! for choosing Zachary’s to be featured! You can watch the entire episode below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee-owner Nathan is celebrating 20 years with Zachary’s today!! Regulars may well recognize Nate from the art work he’s been drawing on their togo boxes at the Oakland and Berkeley restaurants the past two decades.  A talented artist, Nate also submitted an art piece for last year’s Zachary’s Art Contest, which you can see hanging in our dining room at our College Avenue location! Thank you Nate for your creativity and dedication to our employee-owned company all these years!