DJ Mack is our new Opening Manager, and what he brings to the bakery in recipes is matched tenfold by what he brings in energy and expertise. Our latest vegetarian rolls with spinach and mushroom, and spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, respectively, are a new twist on the pepperoni roll classic.

DJ is a twist on a classic himself. Born in Bay Ridge Brooklyn while his mom was on vacation and raised in Pittsburgh, DJ has a very reflective and real relationship with the city. While he has deep love for his community—enough to run everything from softball leagues to cook outs—he feels that the city fails to provide enough opportunities and resources for its own citizens.

“The job opportunities. The people, like the people in the communities that aren’t upscale, it’s like they just give up on life, you know what I mean? And it’s really sad to see. Sad to see people hanging out in the middle of the street at all times of night, and not being what they are supposed to be as human beings, you know what I mean? But, it’s just really sad.( …) And it’s like the rest of the city acts like it doesn’t go on. That kind of sucks. It sucks a lot actually.”

In our conversation, DJ went on to point out that those making political decisions are inactive in the face of the city’s gentrification, segregation, and economic despair. The extraction of resources from communities and lack of investment back into communities by those in power is an all too familiar story across Appalachia. Most livable city for who?

DJ offers some perspective from his time living elsewhere:

“People down South, they seem to have this care... No matter how good this group is, they’re still only worried about their own group. I didn’t feel like that in Atlanta or in South Carolina or Florida. You know what I mean. Florida, it was so many different people from different places, different countries, but it still had way more togetherness than in PA and in NY, Detroit. These are all cities I’ve been to more than ten times. You know what I mean? So, even Chicago with their high murder rate, they still have a different type of togetherness as a whole than there is here. I don’t think it’s the crime that has a lot to do with it, I think it’s the outlook being projected by the media or just people’s lack of knowledge of what’s going on.”

However, despite feeling disconnected, there is a good deal of hope and solidarity in DJ’s words. His life has been led by compassion and joy, and as we know from experience at the bakery, he is always willing to lend a helping hand. He notes that mutual aid, the commitment to care for each other’s basic needs, shouldn’t be exclusive to times of crisis.

“But we’re all together. You know what I mean? We’re all on this universe as a whole race of people, a whole... what’s the word I’m looking for. You know what I’m saying. We’re all here together so why is it separate? Over here, you take care of you and I’ll take care of me and that’s not… it was never like that. You look back in the day it was never like that. The barter system wasn’t just about trading things that we had, it was “I’m going to go work here so my kids will be over here with your kids until I get back,” and it was no issue. I mean it was, “this person is older so we have to make sure we cut their grass, take out their trash, and keep their house clean, make sure they have their medication. These are things that are supposed to happen in our communities all the time. But they don’t. You know what I mean? And I disagree with it a whole lot.”

In that disagreement, DJ’s faith in humanity shines through. He’s dedicated to making the most of his time and talents—most of which are based, simply, in having a good time. In the past DJ has organized a softball league and focuses on making people laugh. He is a wielder of joy as a tool for connection. Though at first, when asked about identifying as a storyteller, he said that the title came mostly from others—at parties, gatherings, and more—he said he’s been speaking up more recently, which he attributes to his girlfriend. He remarked recently in the bakery that “I wouldn’t call myself a storyteller if I didn’t like country music!”

DJ rolling out dough at Rolling Pepperoni, photo by Angela Gross.

“I’m passionate about almost everything, but I really love sports. I really love watching people have fun. Like seeing people have fun, enjoying themselves, it’s really… I love it. It makes me feel great. Children’s laughter. Like when kids are laughing and playing, I think that’s the best sound in the world. It’s hard to be mad, you know what I mean? I love when people help other people. Like, I like organizations that actually do stuff for other people. You know what I mean? I’m passionate about so many different things—music, art, culture, architecture—i’m all over the place, you know? I’ve always been like that though. I’ve always just looked for happiness, you know what I mean? Gotta help people get happiness, if I can. That’s kind of been my goal, since I’ve been an adult.”

His cooking experience runs the gamut, from working at 14 at a Sicilian family-owned restaurant in Penn Hills to Grand Concourse and Jerome Bettis’ restaurant Grille 36 to kitchen managing at Central Catholic, Baker Tavern on Mount Washington, The LaMont, and Top of the Triangle restaurant downtown. Under Landry’s Restaurant Management, DJ was known as “The Cleaning Chef” and claims to be “allergic to dirt”. He’s travelled all over the country to get kitchens in ship shape before his work with Community Kitchen and Rolling Pepperoni.

Our partnership with Community Kitchen has been an incredible resource, and we are grateful for their work and guidance in this partnership.

“I’m most excited to see the progress. I want to look back on the beginning and like ‘remember when we didn’t have this?’ You know what I mean? The feeling of accomplishment and success for Rolling Pepperoni is what I’m excited for.”

DJ, Katt, and Jules at Rolling Pepperoni.