If you grew up in an Italian family, you know Sunday dinner isn't just a meal, it's an experience. Food keeps coming, love is served by the plateful, and denying a second helping gets you a look you’ll never forget. That’s the exact feeling of warmth, tradition, and non-stop passion we’re diving into on today’s episode ❤️🇮🇹! I’m sitting down with my friend Jerry Carollo, the force behind Prima Pizza Kitchen in Somerville, New Jersey 🍕. Jerry and I actually met over an unforgettable family-style dinner, and speaking with him felt like looking in a mirror. Like me, Jerry literally grew up in the pizza business. At just eight years old, he was standing on a milk crate behind his family's cash register, learning math on the fly 💸. By fourteen, his dad threw him straight into the fire, making pies from scratch during a chaotic Friday night rush. We talk about everything from balancing 20 years in nightlife alongside the pizzeria to the tactical decision to sell his family's original shop just so his hardworking dad would finally step back and enjoy retirement. Now, seven years into Prima Pizza Kitchen, Jerry is crafting old-school, well-done crispy crusts while pioneering next-level specialty pies like the Drunken Grandma, Vodka Stracciatella, and the award-winning Champlain. Beyond the dough, his heart for the community, especially his work teaching pizza-making to individuals with special needs, is what makes his story truly special 🙌🏽. 🎧 Grab a slice, settle in, and listen to a real Jersey legacy story! 🎙 Episode Highlights ✅ 00:00 – The Sunday Dinner Ritual: Erica and Jerry reminisce about endless Italian family dinners and the rule about never turning down food. ✅ 02:41 – The Milk Crate Days: Standing on a crate at age 8, learning mental math, and growing up inside Joe's Pizza. ✅ 05:18 – Thrown in the Fire: The Friday night Jerry’s dad forced him to make pies from scratch during the rush hour peak. ✅ 07:30 – Dough & Disco: Juggling two decades in club nightlife promotion while keeping one foot in the pizzeria. ✅ 09:00 – Passing the Torch: Selling the family business so his dad would actually retire, leading to the birth of Prima Pizza Kitchen. ✅ 13:30 – The Art of the Crunch: Why high-end ingredients, house-made prep, and a thin, well-done bake make all the difference. ✅ 15:55 – Beyond Pepperoni: The story behind their signature gourmet pies, including the award-winning Champlain. ✅ 24:14 – Old-School Service vs. Online Reviews: Why direct communication matters more than a bad Yelp review. ✅ 29:35 – More Than Pizza: Giving back to the local special-needs community through hands-on pizza-making programs. 🍕 Connect with Prima Pizza Kitchen: Instagram: @primapizzakitchen Facebook: Prima Pizza Kitchen (Somerville, NJ) Order Direct: Call in to chat with their team or find them on Slice, DoorDash, Grubhub, & Uber Eats! 🍕🇮🇹 About the Podcast Step behind the counter and into the craft with the people who turned a passion for pizza into a lifestyle. We're sharing the untold stories, deep-rooted traditions, and authentic history behind the best pies in the world, one slice at a time. 🎧 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and drop a comment below with your favorite style of pizza ♥️! Website: https://www.astoryaboutpizza.com/ Substack: https://substack.com/@astoryaboutpizza Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astoryaboutpizza/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@storyaboutpizza YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AStoryAboutPizza A Story About Pizza Book: https://www.amazon.com/Story-About-Pizza-Erica-DArcangelo/dp/1917116993 Pietro’s Pizza Children’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Pietros-Pizza-Story-About/dp/B0DTYZ15WB/ Pietro’s Pizza Toppings Children’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJM15W22/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 Pietro’s Italian Christmas: https://www.amazon.com/Pietros-Italian-Christmas-Erica-DArcangelo/dp/B0G2GQX78W/ #pizza #jersey #jerseyslices
