DeAngelo’s Rises Like a Phoenix From the Ashes

By Jessica Ferguson
The Times of SWLA






Richie Gregory, an LSU graduate, will admit his experience in restaurant work is limited to sitting down and eating in them. But that experience served him well when it came to choosing the right franchise—DeAngelo’s Pizzeria, a company founded by Louis DeAngelo in 1991 in Baton Rouge.

“I don’t profess to know the restaurant business. I was smart enough to find someone who did,” Gregory said.

“He’s learning,” said co-owner Ben Herrera.

Richie Gregory and Ben Herrera are two extremely different, yet compatible personalities. Herrera is a chef by trade. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, he grew up in the restaurant business, busing tables, washing dishes, doing whatever needed to be done. Having worked in several high-end restaurants, Herrera became involved in more complicated projects and ended up in culinary school in New York. When that didn’t work out for him, he found himself in Denver at the Emily Griffith School of Opportunity Culinary School, the nation’s oldest and most experienced career and technical college.

The two men discovered each other when Richie Gregory, 20 years in the insurance business, sold a health policy to Herrera when Herrera worked at Pujo Street Cafe. Evidently something clicked because a friendship and an eventual partnership grew from that business transaction. They received a lot of advice early on about partnerships and they admit they spent a lot of time discussing how tough partnerships are. According to Herrera, they worked everything out, discussed exactly what kind of partnership they wanted.

When Gregory and Herrera finally decided to become restaurant owners, they trekked over to Baton Rouge so Herrera could taste his very first DeAngelo’s sampling. “I ordered the most simple thing on the menu—a pepperoni pizza.” According to Herrera if they could make a simple pizza good, that was enough for him.

“It reminded me of the pizza I grew up on back in Colorado—a simple New York style pizza. I was impressed,” said Herrera.

The two men’s friendship is genuine. They actually laugh at each other’s jokes. They share a mutual respect for each other and that’s the core strength of their partnership. More than likely that mutual respect is what helped them survive the shock and bitter disappointment when they watched DeAngelo’s burn to the ground—six years of hard work was nothing more than a sooty pile of ashes.

Was there ever a moment they considered not rebuilding? Both men gave a resounding, “Yes. And we’re still discussing it.”

Of course, the project is well underway and the guys are anxiously awaiting the new DeAngelo’s Pizzeria just like all fans throughout the city.

“We couldn’t have done it without Cameron State Bank. They really stepped up to the plate and supported us,” said Gregory. “The trick was designing something we could afford.”
According to Gregory, to set the record straight, DeAngelos will not be two story. “The restaurant will be approximately the same size—maybe a little bigger, but it will actually seat more people,” he said, “with no wasted space.”

“The neighborhood bar will be slightly larger,” said Herrera.

Herrera is looking forward to the wide open show kitchen.

“Anywhere you sit, you can see everything going on—Gas and wood-style ovens, ceramic ovens—that will be the focal point of the restaurant,” said Herrera. “That’s what’s changed.”

According to Herrera, DeAngelo’s will still have their famous salads, the popular pasta dishes everyone loves, and their calzones. “We’ll eliminate large pizzas—the 16” pizzas,” said Herrera. “We’ll add a whole line of proteins: steaks, veal, fish, and we’ll be running a full service ala cart menu.”

“We’ll have the fried shrimp,” said Gregory.

“Fried zucchini,” said Herrera.

Most in Lake Charles can’t wait to walk through the doors of the new DeAngelo’s and once again savor the finest and freshest ingredients available. DeAngelo’s prides itself on being a classic Italian pizzeria and the company is known for hiring highly motivated people committed to their job and their customers. According to Herrera, DeAngelo’s will hire somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 employees. Between the two locations—Ryan Street and their DeAngelo’s Express on Country Club—they’ll employ around 85 people.

For anyone who needs that DeAngelo’s fix immediately, the DeAngelo’s Express is located at 2740 Country Club Road, next to Albertson’s. Call 478-5784 to place your order or just pop in. While there’s limited seating and a fast-food atmosphere, the pizza, calzones and baked lasagna tastes every bit as good as their pre-fire South Ryan Street location, but then that’s the mission of DeAngelo’s: naturally delicious with the finest, freshest ingredients.

Ben Herrera and Richie Gregory agree they don’t want to be the best Italian restaurant in the area–they want to be the best restaurant.

The partners appreciate all the positive comments and encouragement they’ve received from their DeAngelo’s fans.

“In the six short years we were in business,” said Gregory, “it seems we became a landmark restaurant.”

Their customer’s support and enthusiasm makes a difference.