
The next time you step through the doorway of Tony’s New York Pizza, located at 146 W. New York Ave. in DeLand, glance to your left and you will see two colorful paintings that stand out among the décor. One is a brightly colored portrait of Johnny Kadriu, second-generation pizza maker, offering up a freshly baked pie.
To the left of Johnny’s image, you will see a depiction of Anthony Kadriu, Johnny’s father, focused on a task of clearing a table — certainly getting ready to welcome the next guest to Tony’s New York Pizza during a busy lunch or dinner rush.
PICTURE-PERFECT
PIZZA — Johnny Kadriu
described how a patron of Tony’s New York Pizza surprised him with a custom painting, inspired by the cuisine and friendly atmosphere of the restaurant.
These two paintings represent the hard work, family atmosphere and delicious cuisine that Anthony Kadriu — who passed away in March of this year — offered to residents and visitors to DeLand at Tony’s New York Pizza. Johnny, and his son Redon, now continue that legacy.
Beacon staff met with Johnny, following a busy lunchtime shift, to learn a bit about his father’s life and legacy as a restaurateur in Downtown DeLand.
Johnny described how his father first came to the United States, in 1981, escaping communism in Albania. Anthony arrived in New York, and, “…the first day… he put his apron on, and he was going to make pizza,” Johnny said. “He went to Florida for a vacation, he liked the weather, and [first] opened in DeBary in 1983.”
“I miss him already,” Johnny said. “It’s hard — I was so close with him. From 1981… and I saw him for the first time [again] in 1992. He came back to Albania for the first time, and didn’t recognize me… I thank God that communism collapsed, and that we could get together again [as a] family,” Johnny said.
Johnny moved to the United States in 2001, and by 2002, Anthony and Johnny opened Tony’s New York Pizza, which has become a staple of Downtown DeLand cuisine.
Johnny reflected upon his dad’s business acumen as they looked to open a Downtown DeLand location in the early 2000s — how Anthony noted there was a bar next door and how he thought it would be a wise decision to have delicious pizza options for bar patrons to enjoy after a few libations. “If you have people right there, we cook here — and thank God, as soon as we started, it was booming,” Johnny reminisced of the opening of the New York Avenue location.
While Beacon staff chatted with Johnny following a busy weekday lunch rush, his son Redon manned the restaurant alongside a friendly group of kitchen and serving staff.
“It’s very rare to get three generations to work together,” Johnny said. Johnny looked toward the kitchen and pointed out a well-worn pizza cutter hanging between the “front of house” and “back of house.”
“If you saw the pizza cutter hanging over there… [my father] used it since 1982. We lost it a couple of times… but the last [time we found it], I hung it over there,” Johnny said. “[Now] I won’t lose it… his uncle used it for 20 or 30 years before him. Imagine how old that is, that’s why I hang it right there,” Johnny said.
“He made his own sauce every day, and that’s what I’m doing today,” Johnny said. “He taught my son how to make the dough — he didn’t let me teach him,” Johnny added with a smile.
Jennifer Vento, a kindergarten teacher at George Marks Elementary School in DeLand worked with the Kadriu family for 14 years. “From the moment I walked into Tony’s Pizza, I was immediately treated like I was family,” Vento said.
“They not only make sure their customers are treated well, but they also make sure that their employees are treated well. Our own families became their family too… This was a loss to the community, but I know that Johnny and Redon will carry on his legacy,” Vento said.