ZACHARY’S ARTIST PROFILE: RYAN PERA

The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years since. We love our art and the artists. We are excited to be able to use our blog as a medium for our community to get to know our artists better. Meet Ryan Pera!

An adult and a child stand in a restaurant, each holding a certificate. The childs certificate reads, Congratulations Jalen Pera, Zacharys Art Contest Winner 2017, and the adults reads, Congratulations Ryan Pera, Zacharys Art Contest Winner 2017.My name is Ryan Pera and I was born and raised here in the Bay Area. I can say that I have been making art since a very young age, because that’s all that I remember doing growing up. I can honestly say that my first real toy was a pencil and the fat stack of white paper that my dad would bring home from work. Since my dad was an artist, I was always watching him either paint or draw. With time and practice, I got better. I was never a left-brained type of guy. No matter what it was that I did in life, I knew it had to be in the arts.

Today, I am finishing up my last year at California College of the Arts/CCA to get my bachelor’s degree in Illustration. To be able to create art through imagery, on a flat surface, and have someone asking questions and commenting on it, is what I live for. I love making art that can translate to the viewer even if it is as simple as this piece.

Illustrated image of four circular pizza diagrams against an orange gradient background, each showing a different portion of a pizza missing. Text reads, Zacharys Chicago Pizza. The progression suggests the stages of eating a pizza.

Ryan’s Piece, “Phases of Pizza”

It’s cool to know that I was able to enter a contest against someone I knew personally. Being much younger than I am, my nephew, Jalen, who is eight years old, was excited throughout the whole process of this contest. He focused more on sketching on pieces of napkin and paper at the restaurant rather than finishing his pizza.

For illustrations, making small thumbnail sketches is a quick and effective way to test out ideas for images, as well as ideas for the composition of the final piece, all of which my nephew was doing without me prompting him. He stayed up until 2 AM to work on the poster. He woke up early and continued to work until he got it done. I originally wanted him to enter the competition, because he was so excited. I didn’t care to enter with the little bit of time I had. With less than eight hours until the deadline, I decided to give it a shot, paint something and submit.

Illustrated logo for Zacharys Chicago Pizza featuring a stylized bridge and sun in the center, with various pizza slices surrounding the text on a blue background.

Jalen’s (Ryan’s nephew) Piece – “Golden Warriors”

To know that he (Jalen) was proud to enter his first art contest and get a feel for it was one thing, but to know how he felt when finding out he was a winner was another. It was most rewarding to know that I have a piece hanging next to my nephew’s piece in the same exact restaurant location in Pleasant Hill along with other great artists of all ages. Thank you Zachary’s!

CARNE PIZZA ALL DAY. BACON IS LIFE!

https://www.instagram.com/peranoid/

ZACHARY’S PLEASANT HILL CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

A crane is lifting a sign reading Zacharys Chicago Pizza in front of a building. Workers are visible on ladders next to the entrance. The sky is clear and blue.

Sign Placement: 2012!

We are over-the-moon to be celebrating our fifth anniversary in Pleasant Hill on Wednesday, February 7th 2018! We can’t believe it was five short years ago that we opened our doors to the fantastically welcoming Pleasant Hill community.

In the last five years, we’ve developed a tight-knit crew of employee owners, participated in loads of community events like Art, Jazz, and Wine and Blues and Brews, hosted a holiday food drive, organized employee-owner volunteer days at the Contra Costa County food bank, hosted more than 30 community fundraisers, and sponsored two different art contests (2017 saw 27 art contest winners from Pleasant Hill!!!). Basically, the Pleasant Hill community has totally embraced us and we are hugging back hard!!

 

We love it here and we are super excited to be turning 5!

Clear balloons filled with colorful confetti are attached to the ceiling with strings. Red balloons are mixed in among them. Sunlight filters through nearby windows, creating a festive atmosphere.A person in a black shirt stands in a kitchen with arms raised, smiling. Behind them is a colorful Hip Hip Hooray banner and pizza boxes. The kitchen has stainless steel appliances and menu boards overhead.A large cake designed to look like a pizza with toppings made of fondant and icing. There is a chocolate number 5 in the center. A business card from a bakery named Bella Cakes is placed beside the cake.A colorful cafe interior decorated for a celebration. Transparent balloons filled with confetti are tied to the counter. Paper pom-poms and streamers hang from the ceiling. A vase with flowers is on the counter. People work behind the counter.

ZACHARY’S ARTIST PROFILE: STEW ELLINGTON

The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years since. We love our art and the artists. We are excited to be able to use our blog as a medium for our community to get to know our artists better. Meet Stew Ellington!

A colorful artwork featuring a green scooter with a pepperoni pizza slice as a wheel. The background is yellow with vertical stripes in red and blue. Text reads, Not just a pizza... A lifestyle. A circled arrow points upwards.For the first 30 years of my life, art was hugely important to me. At one time I had wanted to be an artist for a living. I made art in all sorts of media and in 2001 earned a master of fine arts degree in painting. After earning my degree, however, I completely lost interest in painting and avoided it for about 15 years. In fact, the poster I made for the Zachary’s contest is the first painting I’ve done since grad school! In the meantime, I’ve filled in the creative gaps of my life with photography and writing; I’ve designed and published two cocktail recipe books, among other creative projects.

I had wanted to enter the Zachary’s poster contest for years but could never think of an image I wanted to use. Plus, I was loath to pick up a paintbrush again for fear I would have lost my skills! Finally, it occurred to me I should just paint something I’m passionate about and make it work for the contest, and I happen to love vintage Italian Vespa scooters. The idea to create the front wheel out of a Zachary’s deep-dish pizza popped into my head and, eureka! I was on my way. I crossed my fingers and hoped I could still pull off a reasonably convincing painting after a 15-year hiatus.

I love how the Italian-ness of the scooter reflects the Italian(ish)-ness of pizza. I had a great time creating my poster in the style of vintage Vespa ads from Italy, with lots of bright, primary colors and cartoonish renderings. The official slogan of Vespa, “Not just a scooter… a lifestyle,” lent itself well to referencing Zachary’s pizza and providing a title for my piece. I’m really glad I was able to break my painting dry-spell with one that was so purely fun to do. Thanks, Zachary’s, for the opportunity and for years of awesome pizza! I’m so glad to finally be a part of this community event.

ZACHARY’S ARTIST PROFILE: ZOE BOSTON

 The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years since. We love our art and the artists. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Zoë Boston!

A vibrant painting of two exaggerated high-heeled shoes shaped like pizzas, with pepperoni and cheese. The text Zacharys appears twice, and Walking on Sunshine! is written in blue on a bright yellow background.

My name is Zoë Boston and I have been creating art of many forms since I was a little girl. Currently, I am a singer/songwriter/rapper/painter and am in a music group called “Team Zoe”. We perform down town every month at Oakland’s First Friday’s!
“Walking on Sunshine” was inspired by my passion for food, visual art, and fashion. I love the challenge of combining the three to make tasty looking masterpieces. I believe Great food, great art, and great fashion have the power to uplift your spirits and truly make you feel like you’re walking on sunshine! I’m so pleased in knowing that my art was chosen to grace the walls of one of the best pizza places in the Bay Area.
Close-up of a person wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, outdoors on a sunny day. They are lying on green grass with a slight smile, looking at the camera. The lighting highlights one side of their face.I was born in Los Angeles, CA, raised in upstate New York, and have lived in the Bay Area for about four years now. I love almost everything about the Bay Area. It’s beauty and diversity is something truly unmatched and the food, culture, and fashion are eclectic.
My favorite go-to Zachary’s pizza is a  medium deep dish with pineapples, sausage, and ricotta cheese. I always put ranch and extra parmesan cheese on top! So good! I enjoy treating my friends to some Zachary’s over a good conversation. I will continue to enjoy Zachary’s and plan to participate in the art contest for years to come.

BAH HUMBUG 5K!

A group of people in festive costumes pose together outdoors. They wear red shirts, colorful tutus, and novelty hats, holding a Zacharys sign. The setting is a courtyard with stone walls and string lights above.Twelve of our awesomely energetic employee owners participated in San Ramon’s Bah Humbug 5K Run and Walk! They ran, they walked and they had a blast doing it!

Rewards were given out for best group costume. The Grinch Who Stole Zachary’s and our Who-Crew came in second place!

A group of people in festive costumes chase after someone dressed as the Grinch. Theyre all wearing red shirts, colorful tutus, and holiday accessories. The Grinch holds a large box with a logo. Its a cheerful outdoor scene.Long time employee owner, and Assistant Manager in our San Ramon and Pleasant Hill region, Lobsang Dharchen, said, “I am proud to represent my company… Doing (the) 5K with my cowokers feels like I am having fun with such a great team!”

We are super proud of this fab running crew! Keep your eyes peeled for them at the 2018 Oakland Running Festival!

ZACHARY’S HOLIDAY PARTY 2017!

Zachary’s celebrated the holidays at Lake Chalet in Oakland! We ate, we laughed, we took too many photo booth pics and we danced the night away! It’s always a blast to see everyone gussied up for a special event. We are truly lucky to work with so many AMAZING employee owners!

A group of five people posing at a party. They are wearing various fun and oversized glasses, and some have beaded necklaces. The background is a plain white curtain. They are smiling and appear to be enjoying themselves.A man with a beard smiles while holding another man wearing a red bow tie and black shirt, who is laughing. They are posing playfully in front of a white curtain. Three people posing against a white curtain. One wears reindeer antlers, another has a red cowboy hat and oversized yellow glasses, and the third person holds a microphone, leaning in while smiling. They all appear to be having fun. Four people pose against a white curtain. The person in the center wears a red hat and holds a staff, while the person on the right wears a crown. The people on the left and center right smile, creating a lighthearted atmosphere. A group of six people posing playfully in a photo booth. They are wearing oversized glasses and hats, with one person holding a magnifying glass. The background is a white curtain, and everyone appears to be having fun.

Three men pose for a photo. One wears a red cowboy hat, another holds a decorative sword, and the third holds a pipe. They stand in front of a photo booth backdrop with text at the top.

Four people posing for a photo in front of a white curtain. Three men and one woman are standing together, dressed in casual to semi-formal attire, holding drinks, and looking in different directions.Three men stand together outdoors at night, smiling. The man in the center wears a scarf and casual outfit, while the other two wear suits and ties. They have their arms around each other. The background shows a building with lights.Four men are standing closely together and smiling in a warmly lit indoor setting. One is wearing a festive red sweater with a Christmas design, while the others are dressed in dark, casual attire. Holiday decorations hang from the ceiling.Two men smiling and standing together in a warmly lit room with a wooden ceiling and exposed beams. The man on the left wears a white shirt and dark suit jacket, while the man on the right wears a dark coat. People and lights are visible in the background.

A man wearing a crown and a woman with reindeer antlers smile and embrace in front of a white curtain. The man is in a dark shirt, and the woman is in a white top.

ZACHARY’S WINS BEST PIZZA FROM SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN

Illustration featuring the Golden Gate Bridge and a butterfly in shades of blue and orange. Text reads SFBG 2017 Best of the Bay is here! The background has swirling orange and blue patterns.Woo-hoo! We are pleased as pie (!!) to share exciting news from Bay Area Guardian: We won Best Pizza! We feel super honored to receive this award, especially since we don’t have any locations in San Francisco… a city of amazing food and delicious pizza!

Check out all of the winners here. There are some pretty amazing spots on this list! Time to map out our dining-destination-desires for 2018! We could not be more excited.

A woman and a man smile while holding a large certificate. The certificate reads SFBG 48hills Best of the Bay 2017 and Winner for Best Pizza awarded to Zacharys Pizza. The scene is warmly lit, and the background is a dimly lit venue.

Naji and Sammi accepting our award at the Best of the Bay Winner’s Party

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH AT ZACHARY’S

A person with curly hair smiles while flexing their arm muscles. They wear a pink shirt with Zacharys Chicago Pizza on the back. Colorful pizza-themed art is on the wall behind them.It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month! For the entire month of October, Zachary’s will be selling pink t-shirts! We started selling pink t-shirts in 2014 after a group of Zachary’s employee owners participated in the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk in San Francisco. The walk was inspirational, a great place to learn and LOTS of fun.

Since 2014, we have continued the tradition of raising money for the American Cancer Society with our pink t-shirt sales. This year, t-shirts will be sold from our Oakland location on College Avenue and our Pleasant Hill location. All proceeds go directly to the American Cancer Society!

ZACHARY’S CREW SUMMER PARTY

Every summer, Zachary’s likes to do something to celebrate our fantastic, fun-loving, hard-working, and oh-so-wonderful crew! This summer, we had a blast celebrating summer in Castle Rock Park!

On two separate days (we have to keep the restaurants open, so we have to have two parties… poor us, huh?!), we played basketball, cornhole, ladder golf, tossed around a football and ate way too much BBQ. We also got to enjoy the pool, which was perfect since it was HOT in Walnut Creek! For many, the highlight of the day was a relay race that culminated in Zachary’s Trivia! Major congrats to the winning teams!

Our crew is the best and getting everyone together always results in a lot of laughs, a lot of fun, and a truly joyful celebration of the best part of Zachary’s.

A person with cream on their face is smiling at the camera while bending slightly forward. They are standing in a grassy park with trees and a hilly landscape in the background. The person is wearing a sleeveless black top and orange shorts. People are participating in a three-legged race on a grassy field under a clear blue sky, with hills and trees in the background. They are running in pairs, each with their legs tied together, and spectators watch from the side. A group of people is gathered outdoors, posing for a photo under trees with a banner reading Picnic behind them. Some hold red cups, and there are balloons tied to a tree. The ground is covered in dirt and leaves. Three people are posing outdoors for a selfie, smiling and enjoying a sunny day. The woman on the left has sunglasses on her head, the woman in the middle is wearing sunglasses, and the man on the right is wearing a white T-shirt. People are outdoors on grass in a hilly area under a clear blue sky. They are engaging in a playful piggyback race. Some are crouching, while others ride on their backs. Spectators watch from the background. People are participating in a three-legged race on a grassy field, with trees and hills in the background. Participants are working together in pairs, smiling and enjoying the activity. A group of people stands outdoors in a grassy area with trees and hills in the background. A table in the foreground is set with glasses, plates, and bottles. Some individuals hold drinks, and they appear to be enjoying a casual gathering. A group of people outdoors on a sunny day, engaging in a wheelbarrow race on a grassy field. Hills and trees are in the background. Some participants are racing, while others watch and cheer. Two men play cornhole in a shaded outdoor park area. One man, wearing sunglasses and holding a bean bag, is in mid-throw. The other man is leaning over the board, adjusting a bean bag. Trees and picnic tables are in the background. A person wearing a hat, sunglasses, and athletic gear runs energetically across a grassy area with a rope on the ground. Trees and a hillside are in the background under a clear blue sky. Four people with whipped cream on their faces and wearing casual summer clothes, stand smiling and laughing in a park with grassy hills and trees in the background. One person is pointing upwards. A table with plates of food and drinks on it.

 

ZACHARY’S BOCCE SQUAD: DOUGHBALLS!

The Zachary’s Bocce team has been living it up in the Pleasant Hill Parks and Recreation Bocce League! Check out some team members/employee owners in action!

A man in a yellow shirt is playing bocce on a gravel court, throwing a ball. Two other men stand nearby, one holding a drink. Theres a chain-link fence and a small building in the background with trees around.

Luis!

Person playing bocce on a court. They are mid-throw, wearing sunglasses and casual clothes. Several bocce balls are on the ground. In the background, a group of people stands by a table with a colorful tablecloth and various decorative items.

Kate!

Three bocce balls on a sandy surface: one green, one red, and a smaller white ball clustered closely together.

A man in a black t-shirt and shorts plays bocce ball on a sandy court. Two women sit on a nearby bench with a cooler, one drinking from a cup. Trees and a grassy area are in the background.

Tyler!

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