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Community Corner

It's Your Business: Chef's Hat Pizza

A Slice of Life in Meriden

What do you get when you combine Puerto Rico, Italy, and Greece?  The answer: a great-tasting pizza in Meriden!  Chef’s Hat Pizza on Cook Avenue has been dishing out Greek-style pizza for more than a decade. 

The business is owned by Tacio Suarez, who moved to Connecticut from Puerto Rico to give his family a better life.  His wife and four daughters also help him make the pies.

 “My dad has worked in the pizza business for the past 25 years.  He always aspired to own his own place” says daughter Maritza Torres.  While their roots are Puerto Rican, their hearts are true to Meriden.  Maritza and her three sisters all graduated from Platt High School.

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“My dad opted to open his business here in Meriden to give back to the community he has known for so long.” 

When her father’s dream became a reality, Tacio got his inspiration from Greece.  Some of his specialty pies include “Pizza ala Ariana” – made with chicken, spinach, roasted peppers, and mushrooms, and the “Chef’s Hat Special” with shrimp and broccoli.  Some pies, like “The Hawaiian” even contain fruits like pineapple and cherries.

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With so many options available, we asked Maritza what she likes best.

 “My favorite pizza is our speciality pizza, which has a combination of pepperoni, meatballs, sausage, onions, peppers, and mushrooms.  Yummy!”

But if you’re not in the mood for a slice of pizza, don’t worry.  You can also order grinders, gyros, or salads.

Chef’s Hat Pizza, which is open more than 60 hours per week, means long hours for Tacio and his family.  However, Maritza says her father loves it.

“We always joke and tell him all he needs is a bed in the restaurant and we would probably never see him outside the business.”

While it’s hard work, it’s also bonding time for the family.

 “We enjoy helping him,” says Maritza, “because we spend some good quality time with our family, even if it means spending it at Chef’s Hat.”

When Tacio isn’t wearing his “chef’s hat” and apron, he enjoys spending time with his wife Beny, and his dog Chapulin.

Along with continuing to make delicious pizzas, Tacio and his family want to keep Chef’s Hat running for years to come. 

“We hope to stay here, to help our community grow, and help make Meriden a more profitable living place,” says Maritza.

Did You Know?

Approximately three billion pizzas are sold each year in the United States.

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