Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Desantis.
Hi Thomas, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Let me start off by saying I was not culinary trained in any professional fashion. I am a product of visual learning and asking questions. My first job was in the back of a pizzeria in Ft Lauderdale, folding pizza boxes and cleaning tables. While I didn’t love cleaning dishes, I did love flow and movement, and adrenaline of running through a busy service. We had an open-air kitchen; I would always catch myself getting distracted watching the pizza guys flip the dough, toss it in the oven, and make these pieces of art over and over again. I was like, damn, I could be doing that for a full shift instead of cleaning up after every table. So, I started to watch and watch and watch and ask questions, finally they took me and started showing me the fundamentals of pizza making and running a coal fired oven. Fast forward, I opened 7 restaurants with them and moved back to NYC to get my bachelor’s while managing 1 small restaurant. Post college, I was at the forefront of the ghost kitchen movement before they became cool. I operated a 3900 soft kitchen that cranked food out for 13 different restaurant concepts all under one roof. We had things ranging from pasta, Mexican, Mediterranean, salads, wraps, and Teriyaki, all under different names and selling solely online through Grubhub. I spent 3 years with them, opening kitchens in Chicago, Brooklyn, and Miami. This was amazing because I Was able to manage a team of 350 while learning from a very brilliant businessman. It also brought me back to Miami for work, which was a breath of fresh air, and it made me question if NYC was still the place for me. Walked into work one day to find out the company was “liquidated’ overnight, and I was out of a job. Ironically 5 days later my best friend also lost his job, which sparked the move to LA. Once in LA, I found myself. Right back in pizza running a mobile operation and restaurant for a wood-fired pizza company with an owner that was in way over his head. So, I was running the show as it was my own without reaping any benefits. I wanted a way out but couldn’t do it; that place became my baby. Then Covid… then the rest is history. Fire And Wood was born
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all haha
The struggle never stops it just changes
We’ve been extremely lucky to grow as fast as we have. However, growing this fast def comes with some growing pains. We outgrew our kitchen twice in the last three years and just finished building our new kitchen. Down to simple things like figuring out ways to keep dough cold for 5-hour road trips when we do destination work. Learning along the way has been a struggle but a beautiful one. We’re three years in and still learning every day sometimes because of what someone told us and sometimes because of yesterday’s mistakes
Putting the second truck on the road was a much bigger struggle than anticipated. I built it from scratch myself. which cost double and took double the amount of time once it was done; I then realized I had no one that I could trust to drive it, so the truck that was finished ended up sitting for three months until I made the plan to move my sister out west to help me run the second truck
As you know, we’re big fans of Fire & Wood Catering. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are the only true oven to table experience offering an extensive menu 100% cooked on wood-fired ovens. Anything from pizza and pasta to steak, lobster, salmon, veggies, mashed potatoes, and other various items. We are capable of doing events for 50-500 guests anywhere in the southwest, covering from LA to San Fran to Vegas to Phoenix down to the border and back. Unlike most caterers, we don’t offer packages, and we don’t use heat lamps, food warmers, or proofers. We do 100% of the cooking directly on site anywhere, we are totally self-sufficient, bringing everything we need and needing nothing on site from the client, not even a power outlet. Which gives us the capability to go anywhere. We don’t offer packages simply because we want every event to be different. We want to cater to the clients’ needs not only with food but in regards to what their in-depth vision is of their event.
We offer Not only catering but full bartending services, along with DJ, Valet, and event rentals.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Network Network Network, Talk to everyone, ask questions… Listen to the answers. If a mentorship is something you seek, don’t be shy. Go get it. No one will place things in your lap. You have to go get them, so do it, go get it! Have confidence no matter what, don’t anyone ever take that from you. With confidence, you can do anything! If you’re questioning yourself, go to the mirror, sprinkle some cold water on your face, smack your cheek and look in the mirror and tell yourself, you got this shit. Let’s go!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.firandwoodcatering.com
- Instagram: @fireandwoodcatering
- Facebook: @fireandwoodcatering
- Youtube: @fireandwoodcatering
- Other: www.zola.com/
fireandwoodcatering
Image Credits
Devin Berko
