Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anthony Marini. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Anthony, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
My generosity is simple. It comes from a place where I truly want to take care of people. Whether you are in my home or my restaurant, I want you to be fed by me and treated well to the point that you never forget it and you want to keep coming back.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the chef and owner of The Pass AND the Italian Boy (after dark), both in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The Pass has been around since August, 2021 and I just recently opened The Italian Boy in the same space in early December, 2024.
The Pass came to me quite by accident as I was a product of COVID where I moved to Charleston from Philadelphia as I needed to pivot while the world was going through this crisis. Professionally, I have been in fine dining during most of my thirty five year career. I have owned three restaurants prior to this..one in Philadelphia and two in Birmingham, Alabama. The Pass is my first sandwich shop. The Italian Boy is a nightly tasting menu and what I call a “restaurant within a restaurant”
At The Pass, we have put together an excellent menu of sandwiches and salads that are Italian and Italian-American and have become a huge favorite for locals and transplants from the Northeast part of the United States who have migrated down this way.
The Italian Boy was dreamt up during a particularly challenging time for myself and the restaurant. In the early morning hours of February 13th of last year, a Maserati crashed through the facade of The Pass and landed 12 feet into the restaurant’s dining room. We were closed for eight and half months (although it operated solely for to-go and takeout through a side window 5 days later). As the thoughts of opening The Pass got closer, I had made a decision to open up the dining room at night and serve a very different but distinct menu.
I call The Italian Boy, “rowhome inspired dining” referring to the cluster of homes found on the city street of Philadelphia (my hometown). The menu is laid out less like a traditional tasting menu and more like a dinner party at my home. We only have 700 square feet and feed 12 people per evening, so its not too unlike my home.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Perseverance.
I now just say COVID was the reason for my departure from my life right outside of Philadelphia to Charleston, but there was a bit more to it. I was the chef of a restaurant that I was going to buy from it’s current owner. I was to sign the papers on a Tuesday and Covid hit on the previous Friday. That weekend was horrendous. Ultimately, on Monday, I pulled all of my money from the project and decided not to go through with it, which was crushing. I was asked by a colleague to consult in Atlanta for a few months and during my breaks, I would come to Charleston. I instantly fell in love with it and looked for a traditional restaurant space. After losing one restaurant deal at the last minute, I opted to shift and saw this small space with no kitchen that housed a Poke shop. I decided to try sandwiches after taking over the last year of the lease. Almost 4 years later….I’m still here. The moral of the story? When life goes left sometime you go left but sometimes you just have to go right!
Knowing the Details, Details, Details.
In this restaurant…being that it’s so small, it’s all about the little things. From the quality of the ingredients in the sandwiches to the vibe that my staff creates, every detail counts. I have a mantra here and EVERY staff member needs to adhere to it…..We put good stuff on bread and we are absolutely nice to everyone who enters our doorway. Of course the restaurant business is being consistent and making sure the food always comes out looking and tasting great. But for me its about staying on top of the behind-the-scenes stuff like how the potato chips are stocked and how good our meat case looks to people walking in to knowing when you have to spend a bit more time with a guest and how to make that person come back again and again. The small stuff adds up, and when you get it right, it’s what makes your place stand out even amongst bigger competition.
Understanding Hospitality……even at a sandwich shop.
Yes, it’s just sandwiches (at least in the day) but at the end of the day we are not in the “food” business, we are in the “hospitality” business. Hospitality to me is about making people feel like they’ve found us and now we’re finding them. Whether it’s letting them try a taste of a cheese or meat that they have never tasted or a simple conversation, it’s about being truly authentic with someone and creating a connection. When you’re genuinely invested in making someone’s day better, that’s when you know you actually enjoy providing true hospitality.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
The one thing that has been a constant in my businesses is that I have always been a principal participant in my businesses. One thing I think would be beneficial is having a partner in a business to collaborate with. Of course, I have had investors who can bring money and sometimes valuable resources with them but listening only to yourself about how to steer this monster that you have created can sometimes be a bit boring. I would love to collaborate with a partner on a joint venture that aligns with both of our goals. Someone who shares a vision and certain values. I have a lot of strength in design and operational procedure where nothing gets missed. Having someone to forge on with relationships to build capital and find strong projects would certainly would be a good goal for finding a collaborator. As far as finding me? You’ll normally find me either at the restaurant or on Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepasschs.com – theitalianboychs.com
- Instagram: @thepasschchss @theitalianboy
Image Credits
All Photos
Andrew Cebulka
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