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Spike Mendelsohn was born with a love of food in his veins. His parents owned and operated a restaurant in St. Petersburg, Fla., and, by the time he was 13, he was helping out around the eatery.
The former Top Chef contestant had aspirations to be a marine biologist or an actor as a child, but growing up in the restaurant business, he couldn’t escape his passion for cooking.
“I’m 100 percent happy,” Mendelsohn said. “I never thought I’d open a burger and pizza place in D.C., but that’s the way the cards fell.”
He’s become well-known in the area as the owner “Good Stuff Eatery,” – a popular Capitol Hill burger joint that’s a favorite with the congressional lunch crowd.
With “Good Stuff”’s overwhelming success, Mendelsohn chose to launch “We, the Pizza,” a New York-style pizza place on July 23.
“We chose to focus on the number one selling product in America -- pizza,” Mendelsohn said. “I wanted to own it, do something fun with it in our fast casual restaurant niche. People love pizza just as much as they love burgers.”
Mendelsohn said he got the idea when, after work, he and his coworkers found it difficult to find a slice of pizza, which as something they did while living in New York City. With plans for “We, The Pizza” to expand into several franchises and delivery options in about 18 months, it seems Mendelsohn and his crew shouldn’t have that problem much longer.
While running “Good Stuff” and working on the “We, The Pizza” opening, Mendelsohn has made his mark on the city, running “Spiked Sundays,” gatherings at the rooftop pool of the Capitol Skyline hotel, and doing charity work like planting a rooftop garden at a local charter school.
 “You know, I didn’t know what to expect moving from a big city like New York to here,” Mendelsohn said. “Now, I have no plans to go anywhere, I feel very much a part of the community.”
Mendelsohn loves D.C.’s work ethic and sense of inspiration. “Everyone I’ve met down here is always so passionate and involved. It’s very motivational and inspiring,” he said.
And Mendelsohn is always thinking of his next venture.
One of the concepts the “Good Stuff” team has always wanted to try was a Vietnamese restaurant serving tapas either in the U Street or H Street area. Mendelsohn described it as “Zaytinya gone Vietnamese.”
Mendelsohn’s best advice for those interested in becoming a chef is to don’t do it unless you’re ready to work long days and devote holidays, weekends and most of your life to your restaurant.
“It really is the most rewarding business to be in,” he said. “If you want instant gratification and being your own boss, go for it.”
If you like pizza, love and happiness, which are Mendelsohn’s three words to describe “We, The Pizza,” the restaurant opens July 23, 2010 at 303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. — Kate Oczypok
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