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Build Pizzeria recovers from fire

BERKELEY, Calif. — BUILD Pizzeria at the corner of Shattuck and Bancroft streets has been a well-received hot spot since opening 15 months ago. The restaurant that offers a sophisticated, modern twist on  pizza was forced to shut down for a week after a small kitchen fire broke out on July 26.

General Manager Jonaten Martinez said no one was hurt, but all the appliances had to be replaced. “The fire broke out about 1:30 a.m.on Saturday night and was a result of procedures being improperly followed,” he said, informing us that an employee left a plastic rack on the stove that then caught on fire.

One of the managers was in the office doing paperwork when suddenly the sprinkler system went off. “We later saw him on the cameras running out from the office through all the smoke that had filled the back,” said Martinez. The pizzeria was cleared by the health department and reopened on Friday, Aug. 1. “There was a really great crowd for the re-opening,” said Martinez.

BUILD offers specialty pizzas from the menu but customers can also build their own: They can choose from among two types of crust, six sauces, seven cheeses and 42 toppings.

 

Photo by Jennifer Moffat
Photo by Jennifer Moffat

The owners imported wood-fired pizza ovens from Italy that reach 750 degrees and cook the pizzas in three to five minutes. In addition, they offer soups and pastas — which can also be built or customized.

The menu was formulated by the original head chef, who is no longer with the company, and owners Lisa Holt and David Shapiro, who also designed the interior. Lisa Holt’s background in five star hotel interior design is apparent once walking through the doors. Martinez said, “We try to bring Berkeley into the restaurant,” which features wall-size prints of black-and-white photos from People’s Park in the 1960s.

Sous chef Jonathan Popenuck reaches out to local vendors himself to try and acquire the freshest vegetables possible. “The owners told us that the priority is always freshness, never cost,” he said. BUILD continues to experiment with different ways to draw in the crowds, including offering “Cal Night” where students with IDs can access a special menu at discounted prices. The restaurant also hosts fundraisers for the university. A great deal of growth and success is sure to come for this Berkeley gem.

Other stories about BUILD:

• Proud of location

• Reopening

• Options

•  Upscale efforts

• More seasonal fare

• A look at the high-end ovens

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Alameda Food Bank: Judgment-free Zone

OAKLAND, Calif. — Last week, my volunteer group and I had the opportunity to observe as well as participate in the work done at the Alameda County Community Food Bank.  The food bank works with 240 agencies, including the Salvation Army, soup kitchens, and rehabilitation centers to distribute food to families in need. Approximately 13,000 volunteers serve each year in the fight against local hunger. Tiffany Kang, communications coordinator, manages social media, deals with reporters and writes for the website. “My own family grew up on food stamps so this area is close to my heart,” Kang said.

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Communications Coordinator Tiffany Kang of the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

The food bank is seasonal-dependent operation, she said. There is always a large increase in demand around the holidays because of family gatherings and the universal desire to provide a nice holiday dinner. During summer, children who would usually receive free breakfasts or lunches at school often go without. More than 50 percent of the food bank’s clientele is children, so the staff has now created a mobile food pantry that can travel to libraries and schools. While the food bank treats everyone with respect, Kang said, and “all are equal,  no questions asked,” if they need food, they make an effort to target some donations to different cultures as they try to think about what kinds of food people of different ethnicities would like to prepare and to eat. Grocery chains donate produce, healthy but often discolored or misshapen, as those fruits and vegetables are less likely to sell. The “purchasing power,” as Kang described it, is that for every $1 in donations, the food bank can distribute $4 worth of food.