By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On Sept. 26, Kalamata Pita — a casual Greek eatery on Albany Street in Cazenovia — celebrated its one-year anniversary.
The business, located in the former Emma’s Café, is owned and operated by Scott Baker and his wife Christine.
“I’d like to thank Cazenovia and the surrounding areas for the warm reception and support,” Baker said. “There have been lots of words of encouragement . . . that have been really nice to hear. I’m not surprised that Cazenovia has been so supportive; the only question I ever had was whether there were enough people here for me to pay the bills. [Turns out] there are, because so far, so good. There hasn’t been one day when no one has come into the shop. It could always be better, but it could always be worse.”
Kalamata Pita offers a variety of lunch and dinner options, including gyros, chicken pita, pork souvlaki, falafel, hummus, fries, salads and homemade sauces.
Since opening its doors, Kalamata Pita has developed a dedicated following, with regular customers from as far as Manlius and Fayetteville.
“The most rewarding thing has been getting to see new faces become familiar faces,” Baker said. “I have a fan base and it’s pretty cool . . . When people come in and have a big smile on their face that gives me a smile, so it goes both ways and I really enjoy that.”
Baker is assisted behind the counter by a dedicated team of employees that includes both of his two children, Ethan and Ella.
“I am extremely happy with the people I have helping me,” Baker said. “It’s just phenomenal the quality of people that have pitched in to help with this endeavor — some being close family friends and some being people I had never met before I opened the doors . . . Watching my kids step up has made me very proud.”
The most challenging aspect of the business so far, according to Baker, has been scheduling his employees.
“[The flow of customers] is so unpredictable,” he said. “There’s no rhyme or reason as to when we are going to get slammed.”
Another challenge has been striking a balance between offering the freshest produce possible and managing food waste.
Last spring, Baker decided to open for an additional day each week to meet the demands of his customers.
He quickly discovered that the extra day of business allowed him to use up more produce and reduce the restaurant’s waste.
Baker also recently started collecting all of his vegetable scraps to provide to a local farmer for feed.
Additionally, over the course of the year, Baker has added new items to his menu to make use of the supply of fresh ingredients.
Last winter, Baker introduced a particularly popular lemon chicken soup.
“Out of necessity comes invention,” he said. “[The soup] has been a great addition, and it will be coming back on the menu as soon as the weather gets a little [colder] . . . people are asking for it more and more everyday.”
Another new menu item is the “chicken cheddar pita-dilla” — marinated grilled chicken and cheddar on a folded grilled pita.
Since opening, Baker has made a concerted effort to limit the use of single-use plastics in his establishment by offering biodegradable utensils, paper to-go bags and unused “second hand” plastic products.
“Some of the plastics that I do have were purchased by a local company that didn’t require them anymore, so they were just going to go to the landfill without use. At least now they are being used . . . We are really trying to be eco-friendly. There is enough plastic [out there already].”
Additionally, rather than offer plastic straws and cups, Baker opted for five-cent deposit beverage bottles in the hopes of encouraging recycling.
Before entering the restaurant business, Baker ran a successful construction company that installed commercial playgrounds across the state.
After 15 years in construction, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his friend Brian Horvath, owner of On the Street Pitas in Ithaca.
“I’ve been eating his food for a good 20 years, so I [knew it was] good,” Baker said. “Once I made the decision to open up a pita shop, things just started to fall into place like it was all supposed to happen.”
From the start, Baker’s goal has been to provide an inviting and comfortable spot for the entire community.
“I want families; I want kids; I want Caz College people; I want the elderly; I want everyone in here,” he said. “That has really been part of the joy for me, meeting all the people in the community.”
The entrepreneur also finds joy in being able to tap into his creative side — from developing recipes and naming new items to designing the window signage and producing Instagram content.
Baker typically puts in at least 70 hours a week at the restaurant, spending a “surprising” amount of time doing dishes.
“There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but a whole lot of fun and the rewards keep coming,” he said. “It’s a very big ball that I’ve got rolling here, and its almost got enough momentum where I can step back a little bit and rest and enjoy it. ”
Kalamata Pita is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The restaurant currently offers a 10 percent discount to Cazenovia College students and refillable “Kalamata Kash” gift cards.
For more information, visit kalamatapita.com or call 315-655-0669.
