Since beginning as an Italian bakery on the east side in 1964, Palermo’s Pizza has become one of the best-known pizza makers in the U.S. Today, Libby Collins talks with Giacomo and Jasper Fallucca about how it all began, the trials and tribulations of bringing their pizza to the national and international market, and what’s next for Palermo’s on this delicious edition of WTMJ Conversations! Listen in the player above.
A partial transcript is provided below, courtesy of eCourt Reporters.
GIACOMO FALLUCCA: The restaurant was very busy and the calls were so large. And so, one of the things that my dad started doing is he started making these French bread pizzas. He put tomato sauce on and some cheese and some sliced seasoned tomatoes, of course sausage, pepperoni, and sent them out to the bar. Because my dad felt bad that people were waiting such a long time.
So, one day, Sal Sendik sends my dad a package of Stouffer’s French bread pizza. My dad called up, “Sal, what’s this?” And Sal said, “That’s my point, you should get into this business.”