Peggy Gelsomino: Edgewater’s Most Beloved Pizza Maker

Steps away from the Granville Red Line stop, walking into Gino’s North is like going back in time. Originally the Snow Drop, Gino’s still pays tribute to its roots with the seductive, “Snow Drop,” stone statue that stands front and center against the mirrored backsplash of the

When you walk into the dimly lit restaurant, you’re encompassed by its art deco aura and nightclub vibe. For a Tuesday evening, Gino’s is steady. There’s a cast of regulars posted up at the zigzagging bar enjoying Gino’s array of incredible drink specials under $5. Men share news that the City of Chicago is hiring people to paint signs for $18 an hour. A woman in her 30’s tells the tale of her journey from Puerto Rico to Chicago. From a far corner a man barks at the bartender, “Put something else on, won’t ya!”

If it isn’t the crowd at Gino’s North that makes you feel at home, it’s Peggy Gelsomino. The 84 year-old has been a resident of the Edgewater neighborhood since 1967 and has been making her homemade pizza and sauce for over 50 years. Before coming to Gino’s 33 years ago, Peggy made thin crust pizza at her and her late husband’s BBQ, Italian Beef, pizza and all-around Chicago food-haven on Clark and Howard.

When she isn’t out dancing, you can find Peggy at Gino’s five nights a week rolling out a canary yellow pizza dough (her secret recipe) and preparing deep dish and thin crust pies for patrons she’s known for decades.

Stephen and I sat down with Peggy in one of Gino’s tight, horseshoe shaped, vinyl booths. We talked about Peggy’s lifelong career as one of Chicago’s most beloved pizza makers and had the privilege of trying her thin and deep dish homemade pizza for ourselves.

How did you get into cooking in the first place?
I married an Italian man. I met him when I was like sixteen. We went to my prom together. I married him like four years later. He liked Italian food. I thought, I want to be a good cook. So, I went to Antoinette Pope cooking school, down on Michigan Avenue. She [Antoinette Pope] started her business in a little basement.

My sister-in-laws went to her cooking school. They all said, “Peggy if you want to learn how to cook, go to her school.” So I went and I kind of liked it. I was still quite young, so I went to work at the phone company. But I always liked cooking. When my husband said, “Let’s open a pizza parlor or something.” That’s how it started.

What was your favorite thing about your restaurant on Howard and Clark?
In the middle of the restaurant we had a big BBQ and the windows were all around. You could see the chicken and the ribs and everything.

How did you get connected with Gino’s?
We sold the restaurant. Being in the restaurant business, my husband was ready to retire.

You gotta have a little activity. You know, there was a job opening over here [at Gino’s]. It was only two or three days a week. He [my husband]said, “Peggy, you’re getting right back into what you did.” But I said, “Yeah, but I gotta have something. I just can’t close the door. I gotta have something.”

So, I started here. I started to work two days a week. That only lasted two weeks. The owners, that had it at the time, had some kind of a squabble and asked me if I would help out until they got more help. Then I start workin’ seven nights a week!

What do you think makes Gino’s pizza different than other people’s pizza?
Because I make it. [We laugh]

What do you think makes deep dish pizza so special?
It’s the ingredients. You gotta give it a little tender, love and care. You just can’t throw everything in there. You’ve gotta watch how you put your crust in and how youput your ingredients in. Make sure they’re flat and that they’re gonna cook well.

What do you think of people who think deep dish isn’t real pizza?
Well, it depends on your taste. It’s a much heavier pizza than the thin crust. It’s a lot more dough, a lot more cheese. It takes a while to make the deep dish. It’s like making a pie.

But, to me, I can only have one piece. Some people can eat more. It’s very tasty.

How many pizzas do you make a night?
Well, Friday and Saturday are our busiest nights. I would say I make about 45-50 pizzas. They’re all rolled out by me and I put everything on them myself.

What do you usually put on your pizza when you make it?
I like a little onion. A little sausage. I’m not for the pineapple and all that. To me that’s not pizza.

What are your favorite memories here?
Oh, the people I’ve worked with and the bosses I’ve had.

Gino’s North
1111 W Granville
Chicago, IL 60660
http://www.ginosnorth.com/
Cash Only
Kitchen opened daily from 4:00 PM-12:30 AM