Featured



Hello Pasta
On February 28, 2011 VillarDishes sat down with Co-Founders of Hello Pasta Greg and Laurent for a
Q&A session. 
VillarDishes: Thank you gentlemen for allowing VillarDishes to interview you. For those who are not
familiar with Hello Pasta, please give us an overview on your business and how it came about?
Gregory: Sure, the concept already exists in Europe and in other
countries around the world. Its pasta made to order cooked in front of the customers, and it’s mixed with sauce that's a little more elaborated like what you’ll find in a real Italian sitting restaurant rather then what you’ll find in a quick service environment. To our knowledge has never been done before in America. Specifically, we’re trying to bring more healthy options to the table.
Laurent: I think its important now a days to give customers that option. There are many places that are not really health conscious. So we’re trying to be a quick service restaurant and be health conscious as well.
Greg: It is a combination of three factors. One is the traditional Italian recipe, then you have quick service, and the other is having healthy choices.
VillarDishes: The concept is not well known in NYC, so this is the age of vegetarian and eating healthy, so your concept defiantly fits in right now.
VillarDishes: What is the inspiration behind the decor?
Greg: Yes, our Italian architect was inspired by the way spaghetti used to be dried in Italy back in the early ninetieth century. The way pasta was made and then dried on a sort of a rack. Even thought the place is pretty modern we tried to bring a bit of history to the very rich culture behind pasta.
VillarDishes: Name a few of your most popular pasta combinations you like, and one that you sell the most?
Greg: One of the most popular is the Bolognese; it goes very well with the Spaghetti pasta.
Laurent: I like the Vodka sauce and the Chicken Tuscan sauce. The whole wheat fusilli pasta is our most popular pasta.
VillarDishes: What are some of your favorite ingredients?
Laurent: I like the herbs that we use in the south of France, basil and hot peppers. We can both agree that it will be cheese.
Greg: I like spicy food so it would have to be Asian food and hot peppers.

VillarDishes: A customer walks in for the first time and asks you what do you recommend, what would you say?
Greg: I’ll return the question and as if they would want protein, or something vegetarian. If they want vegetarian I’ll recommend the Arrabiata if they like spicy food. Otherwise, if they want protein I’ll recommend the Chicken Tuscan. We created a unique flavor recipe for the sauce, or the Vodka with Chicken.
VillarDishes: Tell me when was the first time you had the passion to open your own restaurant?
Laurent: Well, I’ve been in the restaurant business for twenty five years, so basically I don’t know anything else. I was a cook a long time ago, but I never really stayed in the kitchen. I prefer to stay on the floor and take care of the people.
Greg: For me I just love dinning out. My parents had a restaurant in France so I grew up in this environment. And I had a passion for food.
VillarDishes: What inspired you to open your own business?
Laurent: It was August 1st 2009 we returned from a business trip out in France, and we were having dinner together at a restaurant. To be very specific with a bottle of Rosey and we were sitting on the terrace, and I said to Greg this is what I saw in France; we need to do something like that.
Greg: Then we brought in our third partner a few weeks after that. He was instantly attracted to the idea. He’d had an Operations Franchising background, so we all complimented each other. Then we opened our first location in July of 2010.
VilalrDishes: Laurent, being that you have a culinary background you create all of the sauces, are you currently working on a new sauce?
Laurent: We are definitely working a few things but unfortunately I can not talk about it HAHAHA! Things are coming in March that will be a great addition to our current concept.
Greg: Come back in three weeks.
VillarDishes: You currently have locations on 38th and Broadway, 44th and 3rd, 55th and Lexington, and Maiden Lane. Any plans on opening any another location?
Greg: For the moment we think the New York market is a tough market, so we’re trying to improve with our customers here at the same time; we’re planning to open our first location in the suburbs. Not to far away from New York City. There are people who are interested in buying the franchise and opening in different states, but we’re still fine tuning the concept at the moment.
VillarDishes: Thank you gentlemen for allowing VillarDishes to interview you. Much success to you!
Laurent: Thank you!
Greg: Thank you!

Visit Hello Pasta at any of their locations.
Log on and visit Hello Pasta @ http://www.hellopasta.com/
Follow on Twitter: @HelloPasta
Follow on Facebook @ www.Facebook.com/hellopasta

Follow VillarDishes on Twitter: @VillarDishes and the Facebook FAN PAGE
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)