Like most teenagers, Aaron Gehrman was fascinated with pizza.
But while others his age may have been more concerned about devouring a pizza, Gehrman was trying to craft the perfect pie.
It began through his father and a family friend, Emilio Finatti.
“When they were growing up, they cooked together and it was their snacks that brought their friends and families together,” Gehrman explained.
When he was 14, Gehrman began working in the restaurant and food service industry — and experimenting with pizza at home.
“History started repeating itself and it was my pizza that was bringing my friends over and the family together on the weekends,” he said.
With his family’s support, Gehrman scrimped and saved all he could from work and — after completing a small business management course — he used the remainder of his savings to purchase his first pizzeria.
This was in 2005 and Gehrman was just 22 years old.
“I knew I wanted my own pizzeria one day,” he explained. “And I worked 20 hour days just to get it going.”
And last month, Gehrman opened the second location of Emilio Finatti Sicilian Pizzeria — it is named after his father’s friend.
The newest location is in Langley City at 20125 Fraser Highway. There are a combined 25 employees between the two locations.
It was the success of that first pizzeria in White Rock which prompted Gehrman to launch his second location as he found more and more customers from Langley were making the short trek out.
“To be as well received as we have been is just a dream come true,” he said.
“Just the recognition I have gotten from the community (has been overwhelming). Being a chef, it is so heartwarming.”
“This is why I got in the business, people getting enjoying from my food. It makes them happy and that is why I love what I do.”
Gehrman uses a traditional thin crust, made from scratch.
They also offer a gluten-free crust. In addition to pizza, the restaurant also offers salads, appetizers, calzones and desserts.
But it is the pizza which they are best known for.
In 2015, he won best pizza in the traditional division at the International Pizza Challenge in Last Vegas and then placed third in the overall championship round. He also attended in 2014, placing third. Gehrman did not go to the annual event, which is held in March, this year as he was readying to open the doors to his Langley location. He plans on attending in 2017.
The Langley location is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, opening at noon each day.
