Meet Esteban “esco” Gutierrez

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Esteban “esco” Gutierrez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Esteban “Esco” , thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?

My ability to communicate effectively has come from many chapters in my life.
With a name like Esteban Gutierrez, I found myself introducing myself and re-introducing myself when I met people. The experience of having a unique name coupled with growing up at the counter of my father‘s deli was the beginning of communication skills.

After spending 10+ years at the deli my father moved on to his next business, which was a pizzeria that laid the groundwork for what is now Esco’s New York Style Pizza in Los Angeles.

After years behind the counter, talking to customers and problem-solving, I went to college, and I returned with a bachelors in social work. This college education rounded out my communication skills and gave me a full understanding of the complex interactions between human beings.

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’m a pizza man. In 2022 I opened a NY style Pizzeria in Los Angeles. For 2+ years we have been making true NY style slices and pies and earning our stripes in the LA restaurant scene.

I love making pizza. It’s so much more than pizza for me. Much of what I do is about the community and my customers and the relationships that we build over a great meal. For 20+ years now I’ve been making pizza 1st with my father and now so many years later the fact that I can do it professionally in Los Angeles with a place of my own is a dream come true.

The first pizzeria, which was located on La Brea at Melrose Avenue operated for 2 1/2 years and now I have closed that location and moved into an even more New York style place with a tiny footprint at the corner of a tremendously busy intersection. We are now located at Pico and La Brea Ave.

In this second leg of the Esco’s New York Style Pizza journey, I have partnered with Aryn Drake-Lee and opened this amazing new project. After two years, I had enough data to analyze and tweak the menu so that I could ensure the longevity of Esco’s New York Style Pizza.

At my first location, I led with my heart the entire time which was beautiful, but costly, I sold such very New York items like: Chopped Cheese sandwiches, bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches, and even pernil & tostones on Sundays. Our new menu highlights the stars of the menu; classic pizzas, perfectly cooked wings, and garlicky garlic knots.

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?

Determination and staying the course have been the most key elements to surviving and thriving over these past three years in Los Angeles. Things will not go to plan, so plan for that. Having a plan while still being flexible to make changes on the fly, will get you to where you’re going.

Some things that I do on a daily basis to keep a sound mind and to keep organized; I write every single day and I train daily. I keep a personal journal of daily events and also scheduling and of course, inventory, etc. The restaurant life specifically are full of very early mornings and very late nights so to keep energy high the gym is my best friend.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

The most impactful thing that my parents did for me was lead by example. Both of them worked extremely hard in their careers and lead very selfless lives. Also the art of communication; they had mastered this in their relationship. They made sure that they communicated with my sisters and ,I and taught us all how to communicate thoroughly to become impeccable problem-solvers.

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Image Credits

Whitney Gamble

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