An Interview With Andrew Holt Of Mamma Roma

It isn’t easy running a small business in Brooklyn, much less a restaurant. You may have heard about the statistic that 80% of New York restaurants fail within the first five years. Of course, there are restauranteurs that have been able to reach the pinnacle of success. Either way, it takes a strong mind and a relentless work ethic to survive in the Big Apple.

As someone who lived in Brooklyn, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across a Thanksgiving tweet. The tweet involved a pizzeria owner actually opening his doors to anyone who might want free pizza on a day that can be difficult for those without family or close friends.

On top of that, he added that his business was also open for anyone who wants a “place to go.” I remember seeing the tweet early on, and wasn’t surprised when it later went viral. As of press time, the tweet had garnered over 10,000 retweets, and over 40,000 likes. You can find the tweet here:

I decided to reach out to Andrew Holt, the owner of Mamma Roma, and ask him a couple of questions through e-mail. He obliged. If you are in the New York City area, consider stopping by his restaurant: Mamma Roma. Here’s the interview:

It’s not every day that someone transitions from journalism to the hospitality sector. Are there any parallels that you can speak to?

Both are unbelievably tough, competitive industries with a real “racing-to-the-bottom” problem. Cutting corners on staff, presentation, engagement, quality of content (ingredients) all to grind out a profit. I believe improving the tactile experience with both will get you a long way down the road to success.

There are many people who go viral for the wrong reasons, but you recently went viral for, essentially, being compassionate. Were you surprised by the reaction? How did it feel?

I was surprised at how viral that particular post went, but not that it attracted interest. Opening our doors was a really easy thing to do, and I am happy people supported our efforts by sharing, and hopefully inspiring someone else to try and do the same.

Let’s get this question out of the way — do pineapples belong on pizza? What’s a topping that you enjoyed on pizza that you didn’t expect to enjoy?

When I was a kid I loved it. I don’t go out of my way to eat it now, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If someone likes the taste, can you can’t fault them? We have a prosciutto and fig pizza called the Testaccio that is unreal. Also the Mamma Roma, which has apple. Apple was a surprise for me.

What’s special about Brooklyn, to you?

I spent most of my life in Brooklyn, as a kid and now in my 30’s. There is something about Brooklynites and Brooklyn that feels very natural. Almost European. Like going to grandmas house when you were a kid. A mix of wonder and comfort. Nothing like it.

You worked with NYN Media. What’s a nonprofit that you feel like doesn’t get enough attention?

I used to volunteer for Bowery Residents Committee Crisis Center, so I’ll always plug the work those folks do, but the Red Hook Initiative is another personal favorite of mine.

Not every business owner is receptive to the less fortunate. I’m sure you may know a restauranteur or two that might not have offered what you offered. How do we change that, and is it something we can even change?

Well there is a massive homeless crisis in the city, and the country for that matter. I think doing something as simple as we did at Mamma Roma is a start. Help remove the stigma of homelessness, and allows these folks to be an important part of society is a massive first step.

Thanksgiving might be over — but what are you thankful for?

My son and his mother are first. Outside of that, my family and close friends. We all carry similar values and that is what keeps me going.

Thanks to Andrew Holt for the interview. You can follow him on Twitter here.

If there’s one thing that I hope this interview does; I hope it encourages anyone reading to support businesses like Mamma Roma, that show compassion when it’s most needed.