For the recent launch of the Levi's x Jordan collection, we caught up with the team behind Novel Pizza Cafe to talk about how it all started and what keeps them inspired. In this conversation, they share how their journey began, what inspires their craft, and the values that guide every pie they make.
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Ryan Catolico
Enrique Huizar
Francis Almeda
Levi’s has produced some of the most iconic and quality denim for over 170 years, what makes a great quality pizza to you? What’s the best pizza you’ve ever had outside of NPC?
Ryan: A pizzeria that’s built a foundation up, made with great ingredients, and crafted with skill and care. Too many in Chicago, but Falcos is one of my favs. Scarr’s Pizza in NYC, Cent’s Pizza in Cleveland, Down North in Philly, Apollonia’s in LA, Henry’s Pizza in Osaka, Sonny’s Pizza in Paris, Vulcanos pizzeria in Guadalajara.
Enrique: Falcos.
Francis: Great pizza means quality ingredients, good dough, and a pizza made with love. Shoutout Milly’s, just crushing it and putting Chicago on the map.
What’s another business in Chicago that inspires you
Ryan: Too many in this city! But especially all the creative businesses to name a few: Torres Omar Jewlers, Jus Studios, Mend Atelier, Hidden Characters, Layers, Nine Bar, Classick Studios, Boneyard, Fernwood barbers, Osito’s bar, & Notre!
Enrique: SRVD Chicago, a floral shop in the southwest side of Chicago
Francis: All our cousin shops: Side Practice Coffee, Kanin, Drip Collective, and Del Sur inspire me everyday.
Great pizza means quality ingredients, good dough, and a pizza made with love.
How did you guys meet? What made you decide to open a pizza joint?
Ryan & Enrique: Ryan and Enrique met through Ryan’s wife, Evelyn. Both had dreams of opening up their own pizzeria.
Francis: Ryan’s my cousin and we played around with making pizza during the pandemic. I met the GOAT, Enrique, through Ryan. We had our first pop-up at Side Practice Coffee in the middle of a snowstorm during the pandemic. We sold out. We knew that there was something special there.
One of the best parts of owning a pizza spot is that everyone loves pizza, and you meet people from every walk of life and background. You guys do a great job spotlighting and uplifting your Filipino and Mexican heritage through your business. What does "cut from the same cloth" mean to you?
To us, “cut from the same cloth” means coming from different places, but sharing the same values. Family, hard work, and pride in where you come from. Filipino and Mexican cultures both revolve around food, hospitality, and community. At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to build something for our families and our people. Pizza is our canvas that happens to be the thing that brings everyone to the same table.
To us, “cut from the same cloth” means coming from different places, but sharing the same values.
When someone puts on a pair of Jordan retro's it's hard not to think about greatness, that the GOAT laced up the same pair of shoes years ago; the iconic moves, shots and moments embedded in history that were created in a pair of Js. What do Jordan's mean to you?
It’s childhood and nostalgia. It means something we used to watch with our families as kids. It means Chicago. It means that greatness is from Chicago.
Where do you experience greatness in your everyday life?
Ryan: Building Novel into a worldwide brand that is more than a pizzeria.
Enrique: Making pizzas for my family, friends, and community.
Francis: Helping everyone around me bring their dreams to reality. Inspiring young entrepreneurs and creatives to Start Something. Most importantly, raising my two kids.
